Ragtime: Tiny Desk Concert
Mitra I. Arthur | May 6, 2026Ragtime is a tale of history repeating itself. The musical centers on figures from three communities — Black Americans, immigrants and upper class whites — in New York at the dawn of the 20th century and what the American dream means to them as they intersect and, at times, clash. Company members from the Tony-nominated, Lincoln Center Theater revival stop by the Tiny Desk to share a bit of that American dream.
The musical by Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty addresses the fraught topics of racial injustice, workers’ rights, immigration, women’s autonomy, technological innovation, celebrity worship and capitalism. Moreover, Ragtime explores the complexities of love, family, and community and what we owe each other. For a musical set in the early 1900s, these themes still ring loudly.
The journey into this show begins with “New Music,” a song that marks the monumental change that the show’s cast of characters face. Caissie Levy and Brandon Uranowitz’s performance of “Our Children” is a charming, parental reflection on the innocence of youth. Joshua Henry’s warm and enveloping voice perfectly compliments Nichelle Lewis’ sweet tone as their characters Coalhouse and Sarah imagine a bright future with their son in “Wheels of a Dream.” In “Journey On,” Colin Donnell, Uranowitz and Levy present very different relationships to America: one departing with a privileged passion for exploration, one settled in a cage of comfort, and one arriving with hope for better. As he performs “Make Them Hear You,” the show’s call to action, Henry implores: “Go out and tell our story.” That story is not just of the specific story of these characters or this musical, but of what they represent and what we can learn from them.
SET LIST
“New Music”
“Our Children”
“Wheels of a Dream”
“Journey On”
“Make Them Hear You”
MUSICIANS
Joshua Henry: vocals
Caissie Levy: vocals
Brandon Uranowitz: vocals
Colin Donnell: vocals
Nichelle Lewis: vocals
Ben Levi Ross: vocals
Danny Percefull: piano
Eric B. Davis: guitar
Chala Yancy: violin
Epongue Ekille: violin
Tia Allen: viola
Laura Bontrager: cello
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Mitra I. Arthur
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Audio Director/Mix: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Elizabeth Gillis, Grace Raver
Audio Engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro
Production Assistant: Alina Edwards
Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Ashley Pointer
Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
#tinydesk #nprmusic #ragtime #broadway
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