Relish In Ragtime Realness

Director Joanna May Cullinan is jazzed about the production of Ragtime the Musical. Performed in Cain Park June 13-30, it’s a story of wealth, poverty and prejudice told through three families’ experiences in early 20th-century America. “Three of the biggest themes the show tackles are racism, women’s rights and immigration,” says Cullinan. “At the beginning of the 21st century [we are] dealing with the same themes.” While the Tony Award-winning show features a mix of ragtime, waltzes and brass band anthems, Cullinan incorporates some new touches: she’s stripping down the 55-member cast to just 25 with actors playing up to seven roles each. The Alma Theater will also be set so the audience surrounds the stage from all sides. “It’s to give people the idea that you can see the same story from many different angles,” says Cullinan. 14591 Superior Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com