Howard McGillin, Michael Arden & More to Join Lea Salonga and Norm Lewis in Ragtime Concert

Two-time Tony nominee Howard McGillin (Phantom of the Opera, Anything Goes), Michael Arden (Big River, Bare) and more will join headliners Lea Salonga, Tyne Daly and Norm Lewis in the upcoming concert performance of Ragtime at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. Helmed by Bare director Stafford Arima, the concert will take place on February 18.

McGillin will star as Father, Arden as Younger Brother, Manoel Felciano (Jesus Chris Superstar, Sweeney Todd) as Tateh, Philip Boykin (Porgy and Bess) as Booker T. Washington, NaTasha Yvette Williams (Porgy and Bess) as Sarah’s Friend and Michael McCormick (Chaplin, Elf) as J.P. Morgan. The batch of Broadway vets joins Salonga as Mother, Lewis as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. and Daly as Emma Goldman. Further casting, including the role of Sarah, is still to be announced.

Featuring lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty and a book Terrence McNally, Ragtime is based on E.L. Doctorow’s groundbreaking novel of the same name. Ragtime tells the story of three very different families living in New York in the early 20th century. Historical figures including Booker T. Washington, Harry Houdini, Emma Goldman and Evelyn Nesbit also appear in the musical.

Ragtime originally opened at Broadway’s Ford Center for the Performing Arts on January 18, 1998. The show earned four Tony Awards including Best Book and Best Score. The production starred Marin Mazzie, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald, who earned a Tony Award for her performance. Ragtime was revived on Broadway in 2009, starring Christiane Noll, Quentin Earl Darrington and Stephanie Umoh.