Ragtime recalls promise of American dream

by Jenni Morin

In the early 20th century, America appeared a land of opportunity, a promise for a better life. Ragtime unearths the realities of a harsh turn of the century America by comparing the experiences of three families—white upper-class suburbanites, African-Americans hailing from Harlem and Eastern European immigrants. It is, indeed, a diorama of famous figures from that era of American history, each touching the families’ lives.

The Playhouse’s current production of Ragtime, showing at The Charline McCombs Empire Theatre through August 18, is a great illustration of how these families’ lives intertwine. The show boasts what must be some of San Antonio’s best vocalists and musicians. At the helm, Music Director Darrin Newhardt expertly allows the musical’s namesake to lead the show. This “strange insistent music” has an infectious beat with a building momentum.

Director Molly Cox admirably capitalizes on this momentum, heightening suspense coupled with empathy for each of the characters. Their plights are real and propelled by their interactions with historical figures who relay important messages to today’s audiences: change is inevitable, stories are better teachers than violence and the American dream is defined by the individual.

This rendition of Ragtime should not be missed. Its unrelenting themes become more profound with the talents of the cast. The stage prowess of some actors and vocalists shines above the rest, namely, Sarah L. Hedrick as Mother,  David Nanny-Isban as Tateh,  Trevor Chauvin as Younger Brother,  Rebecca Trinidad as Emma Goldman, and as a People of Harlem chorus member, Danielle King nearly steals the show. The choreography is effective and just as laudable as the other aspects of the show, such as the simple scenery. For additional historical perspective, the production also incorporates multimedia in the form of archival photographs, which lends authenticity along with accurate costuming.

Unfortunately, the issues in Ragtime are timely. Following the Trayvon Martin shooting, Ragtime questions how far this nation has come since the disenfranchisement of African-Americans. Over a century later, the U.S. still struggles with immigration policies. The call for justice and equality rings clear in Ragtime and all the while, its characters search for the promise of a future in the land of opportunity. Perhaps Grandfather is still right to say, “The world needs a kick in the pants.”


Ragtime plays through August 18 at The Charline McCombs Empire Theatre while the Russell Hill Rogers Theater at The Playhouse undergoes repairs. Performances are at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. The Playhouse will host a talk back with the director and cast immediately following the show on Sunday, July 28. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.theplayhousesa.org.

"Judy Shepard at TLU" By: Molly Cox

So, I’m a gay.

Judy Shepard

I share that in solidarity with Judy Shepard who spoke on January 30 at Texas Lutheran University (TLU) in Seguin, TX. Well, I call it “speaking,” she called it “one of these.” “These” refer to talks she’s given all over the country since her first in January 2000, following her son’s murder and subsequent trials of his killers.

During the near 2-hour evening, she said over and over again, “We must tell our stories. Educate, educate, educate. We’re afraid to come out, but things aren’t gonna change unless we share our stories.”

OK…so a story:

In October of 1998, Matthew Shepard, Judy’s son, met up with Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson – two people he had recently met and befriended in Laramie, Wyoming. They offered him a ride home, but instead drove to a remote area, tortured him, and tied him to a fence, leaving him to die. Matthew was discovered 18-hours later by Aaron Kreifels, a cyclist who mistook him for a scarecrow. He never recovered consciousness and died on October 12, 1998 at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. During the trial, where the two men were each sentenced to two consecutive life sentences, it became apparent that Matthew was targeted and murdered for being gay. Read more here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard

Judy Shepard is “just a mom,” (her words not mine). It’s actually kind of my favorite thing about her. This isn’t a public speaking guru who was already in the spotlight; this is a woman who experienced incredible tragedy and uses her grief to create change.

And create change she has.

·         She and her husband are co-founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which delivers diverse speakers to universities and schools, provides resources to educators to help make schools safe for all, and offers an online community to support teens and young adults.

·         She was a vocal advocate and helped push for TheMatthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which makes it a federal crime when a victim is targeted based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

·         She speaks her story. And, according to Judy, it’s the only way to help make change happen.

On January 30, she told her story, starting with the Victim Impact Statement she shared during the trials of her son’s killers.

She shifted to a discussion about the current state of our country – “In 29 of our 50 states you can be fired for being gay. We are legally discriminating against fellow Americans. There are 1,000 parts of the federal tax code that are unavailable to gay couples.” Her disbelief was palpable. “Why do you care (if gay people get married)?”

She took questions from the audience.

She finished with the story of the two wolves.

“You are who you are; you love who you love.” She said it simply. A couple of times. It resonated.

I end with this: theatre is special to me because of the shared experience of the audience. We experience something together.  In this instance, we experienced Judy’s story, and that certainly helps feed the good wolf – the hope, humility, kindness, empathy, and truth.


Below is a 10 minute video detailing Matthew Shepard's story, may he rest in peace: