Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Saving Ragtime

Saving Ragtime

Bravo to the Wilmette Theatre, which has saved director Ty Perry's production of Ragtime from the ash heap created by Wilmette (IL) Park District's Executive Director Tom Grisamore.

Last week, Grisamore abruptly canceled the park's upcoming scheduled performances of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' musical due to its use of the "n" word. No matter that, as Perry -- who happens to be African American -- rightly questioned, "How can we learn about our present if we don't educate people about what happened in our past?"

According to the Wilmette Theatre, Ragtime will be presented "in concert" on July 10 and 11 at 8:00 p.m., with tickets selling for a mere $5. The performance is presented by the Wilmette Theatre Education Project (WTEP) and Wheels of a Dream Productions, which was formed by the actors over the last few days.

"The Wilmette Theatre is proud to support the voice of this cast," notes the Wilmette Theatre's Web site. "In the spirit of our Village and those needing to be heard, let this production serve as a celebration and acknowledgment of it's [sic] powerful message of unity."

Nice to see freedom of speech prevailing -- just in time for the Fourth of July.

Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Gagtime (June 27, 2008)

Labels: Concert, Lynn Ahrens, Musical, Ragtime, Revival, Stephen Flaherty, Ty Perry, Wilmette, Wilmette Theatre

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, July 02, 2008