by Terrance McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and Lynn Ahrens

Signature Theatre 2023-24

Director: Matthew Gardiner; Choreographer: Ashleigh King; Music Direction: Jon Kalbfleisch; Scenic Design: Lee Savage; Costume Design: Erik Teague; Lighting Design: Tyler Micoleau; Sound Design: Eric Norris

“The voices at Signature Theatre have never sounded more honeyed, or pulsated more urgently, than they do in director Matthew Gardiner’s mellifluously full-bodied revival of “Ragtime.” Jon Kalbfleisch, Signature’s go-to music director, leads a splendid 16-member orchestra — which amounts to one musician for every 16 ticket holders in Signature’s 277-seat main theater, the Max. It’s tantamount to being ringside at a cast album recording session, listening to the big, sweeping musical strokes in Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’s score, a composition apt for a show about our boisterous American pageant. For pageantry is “Ragtime’s” brand. And Gardiner masters the form here, casting the parts, fictional and real, as emblematic cogs in an evolutionary demographic machine.” - Peter Marks, Washington Post

“Once again, Director Matthew Gardiner has assembled an impressive cast of talented actors, melded them into a flawless ensemble, and crafted a stunning story that takes the audience on an emotional journey that is a joy to experience. In the hands of Gardiner and company, Ragtime weaves a rich and lustrous tapestry of sight and sound that is truly extraordinary. ”- BroadwayWorld

“Gardiner’s Ragtime, even at a whopping three hours, is so tight that you’ll find yourself wondering where the time went.”- Washington City Paper