On Sunday, Nov. 10, 30 students and four teachers went on a NYC field trip to attend a Broadway performance of “Ragtime.” The show made its Broadway debut in 1998 and was adapted from the book “Ragtime” by E. L. Doctorow.
Kingswood Oxford students were lucky to see this spectacular and transformational production. This opportunity was a collaboration between the performing arts, history, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging departments. The show uses the medium of musical theater to tell a story about societal issues in the Gilded Age.
“I wanted to see Ragtime because of [history teacher Steph] Sperber’s great pitch at assembly about why we should come to see the show,” junior Teague Shamleffer said. “The show follows different families, and I thought seeing that concept play out on stage would be very interesting.”
“Ragtime” follows three families in America: an African American musician, an affluent white family, and an immigrant Jewish father and daughter household. Coalhouse Walker, Jr. is a talented Black ragtime pianist whose life turns upside down when a fireman destroys his car, and his fiancée is killed trying to help Coalhouse fight for justice. The mother of the wealthy white family diverges from traditional roles associated with women in that time period when her husband leaves for the North Pole. Tateh, the immigrant father, struggles to survive at first, but succeeds in the film industry.
While each family is different, their storylines intersect, and they all struggle with various aspects of life and raising their children in the early 1900s. The show highlights themes of hardship and systemic inequalities, and how love and understanding can overcome division.
Students left the school at 10:30 a.m. the day of the field trip and arrived in New York City around 1:00 p.m. They were offered a delicious variety of lunch options, including meals from Chipotle, a deli, and a Mediterranean restaurant before they went to New York City Center for the 2:00 p.m. showing of “Ragtime.”
“The show far exceeded my expectations because I had never heard of it before this trip and didn’t know what to expect,” Teague said. “However, I would recommend everyone watch it because it’s a fun play that encapsulates many of the issues our country faces.”
The musical explores the American dream and the people who make up this country, challenging the audience to consider themes of racism, immigrant rights, worker’s rights, and belonging. “This show is important to see because these topics are at the forefront of political discourse in our country today,” Teague said. “‘Ragtime’ humanizes the many groups of people in American history who have been overlooked and forgotten.”
This field trip has been in the works since last May because “Ragtime” is a show that sparks important and challenging conversations. This is why the Conrad Fund for Courageous Conversation was used to lower costs and make the show accessible to all KO students.
“We wanted students who have never been to Broadway to have that experience,” Ms. Sperber said. “We also wanted to encourage students of color and Jewish students to come on the trip. Overall, the goal for the diversity of our students is to reflect the diversity of the show.”
This trip was a fantastic opportunity for students, as “Ragtime” is a show that explores the best and worst parts of American history.
