Ragtime the Musical at the Bishopsgate Institute

A new amateur production of Ragtime the Musical by Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens and Terrence McNally based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow, will run at the Bishopsgate Institute in central London from 14 to 19 June 2016.

Described as a semi-staged concert production, the show will feature the full, original orchestrations performed by a twenty-one piece orchestra, on-stage cast and off-stage choir.

The musical is based on the 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow, and follows the colliding lives of three groups in the early 20th Century. "We follow White suburbanites, Eastern-European Jewish immigrants and Harlem-resident African-Americans, set against the backdrop of pivotal moments in American history, most notably the emergence of ragtime music."

The original Broadway production opened in January 1998 where it ran for 834 performances, winning the Tony Award for Best Book and Best Original Score. It was recently revived on Broadway, and enjoyed a limited run in the West End in 2003. More recently it was staged at the Regents Park Open Air Theatre in 2012, and will also be revived in a professional production by director Thom Southerland at the Charing Cross Theatre in October 2016.

This unique concert staging is produced by Francesca Canty on behalf of the Bishopsgate Institute, and is directed by Toby Hine and devised by the company. It features musical direction by Ben Ferguson, movement by Lemington Ridley, design by Daniel Penfold, lighting design by Markus Baxter and sound design by Adrian Jeakins.

Tickets for the production are now on sale.