Ragtime Show Poster

Ragtime Reviews

Ahrens and Flaherty's powerful adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's novel returns to Broadway.

4.8
Tickets starting at $234.49
Show Overview

Critics’ Reviews (2)

A collection of our favorite reviews from professional news sources.
The Wall Street Journal

"A brightly shining revival. A sterling production with a marvelous score and flawless cast."

The Wall Street Journal

Charles Isherwood

The New York Times

"A glorious cast, an abundance of extraordinary talent and riveting vocals. Rousing entertainment. Full stop."

The New York Times

Laura Collins-Hughes

customer reviews

Customer Reviews (330)

4.8
Score average from verified show reviews by customers who’ve bought tickets from Broadway.com.
5 stars
86%
4 stars
11%
3 stars
1%
2 stars
1%
1 star
0%
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Talented cast; diction issues
"Many talented cast members, but often the singers’ diction was poor, so it was hard to understand the words they were singing. Lots of overacting, too. Lighting was gorgeous, and the musicians in the pit were fantastic."
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Broadway.com Customer on Jul 19, 2026
Tough Plot to Understand
"The sound on a couple of mikes was fuzzy, and the over-the-top singing was sort of a high-class version of the crap that is playing all over broadway where screech singing is treated like hitting a three pointer from way outside. Performers were excellent, but the play was hard to sit through. In fairness, the audience was wildly enthusiastic, so maybe it's just me wishing for the 1960s to come back. "
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Glenn K from Boston on May 29, 2026
Depressing Ragtime
"Ragtime was very interesting. The story of racial prejudice in 1920’s America had its ups and downs. The music, singing, acting, costumes and orchestra were terrific! The subject matter was depressing for a musical and the interweaving of various plots didn’t really work until the end of the play."
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Broadway.com Customer on Apr 20, 2026
Big production numbers, long show, dated.
"I found this show to be a throwback despite the innovative staging, production design and sets. It seemed long and uneven. There were several big production numbers in the first act, then many very small songs in the second act until the ending. I felt hit over the head by the themes it was dealing with and thought it could have benefitted from some sublty. Too often I felt it was playing "at me" rather than drawing me in (ie characters speaking about themselves in the third person.) At times I had a very difficult time understanding what the actors were saying or singing, ordinarily not a problem at all for me. All that said, it's putting a lot of talented people to work and audiences seem to love it so I hope it runs a long, long time. Not my cup of tea but Broadway needs shows that people really want to see like this one."
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Broadway.com Customer on Jul 3, 2026

About Ragtime

Ragtime is a sweeping musical adaption of E.L. Doctorow’s novel that follows three fictional families in pursuit of the American Dream at the dawn of the 20th Century: Black pianist Coalhouse Walker, Jr. and his beloved Sarah, Jewish immigrant Tateh and his little girl, and a wealthy white family led by matriarch Mother. All grasping for the same dream, if only they can hold onto it.

Featuring a lush score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, a stirring book by Terrence McNally, and original orchestrations by William David Brohn, all of whom won Tony Awards for their work, Ragtime weaves fictional narratives with real historical figures and events, creating a rich tapestry that blurs the line between personal struggle and national identity, making history feel both intimate and epic.

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