The McGregor Hall Live! Series kicks off its 2023-24 season tonight as “Ragtime the Musical” takes the stage for performances over the next two weekends.
The curtain rises at 8 p.m. for the Friday and Saturday shows; catch a 2 p.m. matinee on Sundays. The dates are Oct. 27-29 and Nov. 3-5.
The large-scale cast has been in rehearsal since early September to create a show filled with song and dance, with the accompaniment of a live orchestra.
The musical is based on a 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, which weaves connections across different cultural groups in New York City during the early years of the 20th century.
Mark Hopper is the director and the musical director for this performance, with Freddie Lee Heath as choreographer and Matt Nowell as technical director.
The McGregor Hall website includes the following synopsis of the show: “…the worlds of a wealthy white couple, a Jewish immigrant father and his motherless daughter, and an African American ragtime musician intertwine. Together, they discover the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice and the unsettling consequences when dreams are permanently deferred. This musical sweeps across the diversity of the American experience to create a stirring epic that captures the beats of the American experience: the marches, the cakewalks and – of course, the ragtime.”
“Ragtime the Musical” is the first in a series of five performances for the 2023-24 season. Other performances include Christmas on Stage – a series of one-act plays, The Tams in concert, Sail ON! The Beach Boys Tribute and Tied up in Knotts: My Dad and Me with Karen Knotts, comedian.
Tickets are on sale now for each of the shows, or save money by purchasing a ticket to all the shows for just $125.
Purchase tickets online at https://www.mcgregorhall.org/, by phone at 252.598.0662 or in person at 201 Breckenridge St.
Visit https://www.mcgregorhall.org/ to learn more about upcoming shows and other events scheduled.