Ragtime

1. PROLOGUE: RAGTIME
(In the darkness, a door swings open. THE LITTLE BOY is silhouetted in the shaft of light from the open door. He walks down the shaft of light to a stereopticon viewer on the floor, picks it up and brings it to his eyes. Two scrims, each with an image of a large Victorian house, its inhabitants and neighbours, merge and leap into three-dimension, as the picture comes alive: the genteel, white, upper-middle-class world of New Rochelle.)

THE LITTLE BOY
In 1902 Father built a house at the crest of the Broadview Avenue hill in New Rochelle, New York, and it seemed for some years thereafter that all the family’s days would be warm and fair.
PEOPLE OF NEW ROCHELLE
The skies were blue and hazy
Rarely a storm. Barely a chill.
WOMEN
La la la la la…
PEOPLE OF NEW ROCHELLE
The afternoons were lazy,
Everyone warm. Everything still.
MEN
La la la la la…
PEOPLE OF NEW ROCHELLE
And there was distant music
Simple and somehow sublime
Giving the nation
A new syncopation
The people called it Ragtime!
FATHER
Father was well-off. Very well-off. His considerable income was derived from the manufacture of fireworks and bunting and other accoutrements of patriotism. Father was also something of an amateur explorer.
MOTHER
The house on the hill in New Rochelle was Mother’s domain. She took pleasure in making it comfortable for the men of her family, and often told herself how fortunate she was to be so potected and provided for by her husband.
YOUNGER BROTHER
Mother’s Younger Brother worked at Father’s fireworks factory. He was a genius at explosives. But he was also a young man in search of something to believe in. His sister wondered when he would find it.
GRANDFATHER
Grandfather had been a professor of Greek and Latin. Now retired and living with his daughter and her famil, he was thoroughly iritated by everything.
PEOPLE OF NEW ROCHELLE
The days were gently tinted
Lavender pink, lemon and lime.
MOTHER
Ladies with parasols.
YOUNGER BROTHER
Fellows with tennis balls
FATHER
There were gazebos, and…
(Spoken) There were no Negroes.

(The PEOPLE OF HARLEM enter, dancing to the piano music of COALHOUSE WALKER, JR.)

PEOPLE OF HARLEM
And everything was Ragtime!
Listen to that Ragtime!
COALHOUSE
In Harlem, men and women of colour forgot their troubles and danced and reveled to the music of Coalhouse Walker, Jr. This was a music that was theirs and no one else’s.
SARAH
One young woman thought Coalhouse played just for her. Her name was Sarah.
PEOPLE OF HARLEM
Oooooh…
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
Booker T. Washington was the most famous Negro in the country. He counselled friendship between the races and spoke of the promise of the future. He had no patience with Negroes who lived less than exemplary lives.
PEOPLE OF NEW ROCHELLE
Ladies with parasols,
Fellows with tennis balls.
There were no Negroes
And there were no immigrants.

(IMMIGRANTS cross the stage, bound for America. TATEH and THE LITTLE GIRL join them, poorly clothed and undernourished.)

TATEH
In Latvia, a man dreamed of a new life for his little girl.
It would be a long journey, a terrible one.
He would not lose her, as he had her mother.
His name was Tateh. He never spoke of his wife. The little girl was all he had now. Together, they would escape.

(HARRY HOUDINI appears above the crowd, performing one of his death=defying feats, suspended upside down in a strait jacket.)

LITTLE BOY
Houdini! Look, it’s Houdini!
CROWD
Ooh…aah!
Ooh…aah!

(HOUDINI spins in the air. He throws the strait jacket to the crowd below. HOUDINI’S MOTHER frees him.)

HOUDINI
Harry Houdini was one immigrant who made an art of escape. He was a headliner in the top vaudeville circuits.

(HOUDINI’S MOTHER points with pride)

HOUDINI’S MOTHER
Ich bin die Mutter des grossen Houdinis!
HOUDINI
He made his mother proud. But for all his achievements, he kknew he was only an illusionist. He wanted to believe there was more…
(He notices THE LITTLE BOY.)
Hello, Sonny
THE LITTLE BOY
Warn the Duke!
HOUDINI
What did you say?

(The moment is broken as HOUDINI is enveloped by his crowd of admirers.)

PEOPLE OF NEW ROCHELLE
And there was distant music
Changing the tune, changing the time.
PEOPLE OF HARLEM

Giving the nation
A new syncopation
ALL
La la la
MEN
La, la, la, la…
J.P. MORGAN
Certain men make a country great.
HENRY FORD
They can’t help it.
MORGAN
At the very apex of the American pyramid —
FORD
–that’s the very tip-top!–
MORGAN
–like Pharaohs reincarnate, stood J.P. Morgan.
FORD
And Henry Ford.
MORGAN
All men are born equal.
FORD
But the cream rises to the top.
EMMA GOLDMAN
Let me at those sons of bitches! These men are the demons who are sucking your very souls dry! I hate them!
MORGAN
Someone should arrest that woman!
EMMA GOLDMAN
The radical anarchist Emma Goldman fought against the ravages of American capitalism as she watched her fellow immigrants’ hopes turn to despair on the Lower East Side.
EVELYN NESBIT
La la la la
La la la la la
Whee!
EMMA
But America was watching another drama.
EVELYN NESBIT
Evelyn Nesbit was the most beautiful woman in America. If she wore her hair in curls, every woman wore her hair in curls.
STANFORD WHITE
Her lover was the emminent architect, Stanford White, designer of the Pennsylvania Station on 33rd Street.
HARRY K. THAW
Her husband, the eccentric millionaire, Harry K. Thaw, was a violent man.
EVELYN
After her husband shot her lover, Evelyn became the biggest attraction in vaudeville since Tom Thumb.
NEW ROCHELLE WOMEN
La la la la la

(THAW takes aim at WHITE with a small revolver.)

MEN
Bang!
NEW ROCHELLE WOMEN
La la la
MEN
Bang!
NEW ROCHELLE WOMEN
La
MEN
Bang!
EMMA GOLDMAN
And though the newspapers called the shooting the Crime of the Century, Goldman knew it was only 1906…
ALL
And there ninety four years to go!
EMMA
Whee!
ALL
And there was music playing,
Catching a nation in its prime
Beggar and millionaire
Everyone, everywhere!
Moving to the Ragtime!
(The dance swirls around our three principals–MOTHER, TATEH and COALHOUSE–increasing in intensity. BLACKS, WHITES and IMMIGRANTS find themselves in moments of contact or confrontation; there is the potential for violence.)

And there was distant music
Skipping a beat, singing a dream
WOMEN
La la la la la
ALL
A strage, insistent music
Putting out heat, picking up steam
MEN
La la la la la
ALL
The sound of distant thunder
Suddenly starting to climb

It was the music of something beginning
An era exploding, a century spinning
In riches and rags, and in rhythm and rhyme
The people called it Ragtime…
Ragtime!
Ragtime!
Ragtime!

(On the dock in New York Harbour, MOTHER waves farewell to FATHER as he boards the S.S. Roosevelt, bound for the North Pole.)

2. GOODBYE MY LOVE

MOTHER
Goodbye my love
God bless you
And, I suppose, bless America too
You have places to discover
Oceans to conquer
You need to know I’ll be there at the window
While you go your way
I accept that
But, what of the people
Who stay where they’re put,
Planted like flowers with roots underfoot
I know some of those people
Have hearts that would rather go journeying
On the sea
Tell me
What of the people
Whose boundaries chafe
Who marry so bravely and end up so safe
Tell me how to be someone
Whose heart can explore while still staying here
Let this be the year
We both travel…
Goodbye, my love
Journey on.

(At sea, FATHER and ADMIRAL PEARY stand on the bridge of their ship.)

3. JOURNEY ON

FATHER
It’s an honour to go on expedition with you, Admiral Peary.
It’s men like you who’ve made this country great.
ADMIRAL PEARY
It’s men like you who will keep it great.

(MATTHEW HENSON appears.)

HENSON
All sails set, Admiral.
PEARY
Thank you, Mr. Henson. This is my First Officer, Mr. Matthew Henson.
FATHER (visibly startled that Henson is black)
Good evening.
HENSON
Welcome aboard.
FATHER
What’s that? In the distance? Such a ghostly glow.
PEARY
They’re called rag ships. Immigrants from every cesspool in western and eastern Europe. Most of them become very patriotic Americans. They’re your future customers.
HENSON
My people were also brought here on ships.
PEARY
Good watch, Henson.

(PEARY and HENSON go. FATHER stares across the dark waters to the rag ship and TATEH and THE LITTLE GIRL.)

FATHER
You’re a brave man, whoever you are. Coming so far, expecting so much.

A salute to the man on the deck of that ship!
A salute to the immigrant stranger
Heaven knows why you’d make such a terrible trip
May your own god protect you from danger
Is if freedom or love that you pray for
In your gutteral accent?
Too late, long gone
A salute to a fellow who hasn’t a chance
Journey on.

TATEH
If people ask, how old are you?
THE LITTLE GIRL
I don’t answer.
TATEH
Your name?
THE LITTLE GIRL
No name.
TASTEH
Where your mother is?
THE LITTLE GIRL
Dead.
TATEH
This is my father. He speaks for both of us.
THE LITTLE GIRL
This is my father. He speaks for both of us.
Is that other ship going back home?
TATEH
No, no! America is our home now. America is our shtetl.
TATEH & THE LITTLE GIRL
Amekhaye khelbn.

(A flare goes off, illuminating FATHER and TATEH.)

THE LITTLE GIRL
Look, someone is waving. Where is he going?
TATEH
He’s a fool on a fool’s journey.

To depart on a ship from a country like this
Why on earth would you want to be leaving?
Was it something you lost that you suddenly missed?
Are you angry, or possibly grieving?
Do you see in my face
What you’ve lost, sir?
Are you moved by the death ship we sail upon?
Well, perhaps you’re a man who’s in search of his heart
Journey on.
FATHER
Journey on.
BOTH
Two ships passing
In the kinship
Of the darkness
FATHER
One going from…
TATEH
One coming to…
BOTH
America.
Two men meeting
At the moment
Of a journey
For a moment,
In the darkness
We’re the same…

ALL THREE
We’re two ships passing
At a distance
Through the darkness
FATHER
One going from…
MOTHER & TATEH
One coming to…
ALL THREE
America.
Strangers sharing
The beginnings
Of a journey
FATHER
I salute you!
TATEH
God be with you!
MOTHER
I will miss you…
ALL THREE
In the darkness
Of the dawn —
Journey on!

4. THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY
(YOUNGER BROTHER arrives at a Manhattan vaudeville theatre to see EVELYN NESBIT perform her popular musical re-enactment of her lover’s murder. THE JUDGE, JURY, SOB SISTERS and CHORINES run onstage in chaos. MOTHER’S YOUNGER BROTHER runs to his seat in the second balcony, a spectator at the “Trial of the Century”.)

JUDGE
And now, testifying for the defense, Miss Evelyn Nesbit.

(EVELYN NESBIT makes her “entrance” descending from above on a swing.)

EVELYN
Whee!
CHORUS GIRLS
La la la la
La la la la la
EVELYN
Whee!
CHORUS GIRLS
La la la la
La la la la la
EVELYN
Your Honour
I was once the lady friend of Stanford White.
CHORUS GIRLS
He’s the famous architect!
EVELYN
Yes, that’s right.
He put me on a velvet swing
And made me wear…well…hardly anything!
Ruined at the age of fifteen,
Your Honour!
Then I went and married Mr. Harry Thaw…
EVELYN & CHORUS GIRLS
Eccentric millionaire
CHORUS GIRLS
Oh! Oh!
EVELYN
Harry’s a jealous man.
CHORUS GIRLS
Bang! Bang!
EVELYN
That was the end of Stan.
CHORUS GIRLS
Boo hoo!
EVELYN
Your Honour, be fair!
My Harry went crazy, I swear!
CHORUS GIRLS
La la
La la la
ALL, EVELYN
Now it’s the Crime of the Century
Crime of the Century
Giving the world a thrill!
EVELYN
Harry’s in trouble
And Stanny’s in heaven
And Evelyn is in vaudeville
ALL, EVELYN
The Crime of the Century
Crime of the Century!
All for a youthful fling
Fortune, fame
And a ruined name
EVELYN
And now I’m the girl on the swing!
Whee!
YOUNGER BROTHER
Mother’s Younger Brother was in love with Evelyn Nesbit. From his regular seat in the front row of the second balcony, he would lean far over the railing, hoping his goddess would notice him. One night he almost fell. Evelyn caught sight of him and smiled. Life was suddenly wonderful and full of delicious possibilities.
CHORUS GIRLS
Oh! Oh!
EVELYN
Harry must not be hung!
CHORUS GIRLS
Bang! Bang!
JUDGE
Let’s have that verdict sung!
CHORUS GIRLS
Boo hoo!
JURY FOREMAN
Your Honour we find
That Harry’s not guilty…
EVELYN
My Harry’s not guilty!
ALL
‘Cause Harry is out of his mind.
And it’s the Crime of the Century
Crime of the Century
Making the world go “whee”!
Harry’s in trouble
And Stanny’s in heaven
EVELYN
And Evelyn gets publicity!
ALL
The Crime of the Century
Crime of the Century
Not such an awful thing —
EVELYN
Stanny’s killed
But my mother’s thrilled
‘Cause now I’m the girl on the…
ALL
Now she’s the girl on the…
EVELYN
Now I’m the girl…
ALL
On the swing!
EVELYN
Whee!

(After the show, YOUNGER BROTHER tells EVELYN that he is in love with her, but she humiliates him in front of the press. We hear a reprise of “Crime of the Century”, but now MOTHER sings it as she enters her garden to work. YOUNGER BROTHER runs off, upset. MOTHER begins to dig in the earth, chatting with THE LITTLE BOY. All at once, she stops.)

5. WHAT KIND OF WOMAN

MOTHER
Get Kathleen.
THE LITTLE BOY
What’s wrong?
MOTHER
Get Kathleen, I tell you! Call the doctor!
KATHLEEN
Is it alive? Oh, please, God, let it be.
MOTHER
It’s alive. It’s a Negro child. A newborn baby boy.

What kind of woman would do such a thing?
Why in God’s name is my husband not here?
I’m such a fool!
Why did I say he was free to go?
What am I to do?
(as if to FATHER)
Where are your instructions, my dear?
You left me lists
Everything in lists
Well, your little lists
Aren’t very helpful, I fear!
Each day, the maids trudge up the hill
The hired help arrives
I never stopped to think
They might have lives beyond our lives…
POLICEMAN (entering with a disheveled and terrified SARAH)
We found her in the cellar of a home on the next block. She’s a washwoman there. Her name is Sarah.
MOTHER
Where will you take her?
POLICEMAN
To the charity ward. Eventually she will have to stand charges.
YOUNGER BROTHER
What charges?
POLICEMAN
Well, attempted murder, I should think.
MOTHER
What’s going to happen to the baby?
DOCTOR
They have places for unfortunates like this.
MOTHER
I will take responsibility for mother and child. Please take Miss Sarah inside.

What kind of woman would do what I’ve done —
Open the door to such chaos and pain!
(as if to FATHER)
You would have gently closed the door
And gently turned the key
And gently told me not to look
For fear what I might see
What kind of woman would that have made me?

(On Ellis Island, waves of immigrants arrive and wait for processing, going through a series of massive, forbidding gates. TATEH and THE LITTLE GIRL are at the centre of the crowd.)

6. A SHTETL IZ AMERIKE

TATEH, THE LITTLE GIRL
A shtetl iz Amerike
Amekhaye khlebn
TATEH, THE LITTLE GIRL, JEWISH IMMIGRANTS
Es rut oyf ir di shkinele
ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS
Merica, Merica, bel massolino di fior.

7. SUCCESS

TATEH
I promised you America,
And little one, we’re there
IMMIGRANTS, THE LITTLE GIRL
America!
TATEH
Our feet are on the solid ground
And hope is in the air!
IMMIGRANTS, THE LITTLE GIRL
America!
TATEH
You’ll soon be eating apple pie
From off a china plate
Pretty dresses, pretty dolls, just wait!
For shining in your Tateh’s eyes
And just beyond this gate–
ALL
America!

(The final gates are raised. There is a surge forward and we are on New York’s bustling Lower East Side.)

TATEH
Here in America, anyone at all can succeed.
IMMIGRANTS
America! Here in America!
TATEH
Do what you do, and the world will come to you, guaranteed!
IMMIGRANTS
America! We’re in America!
TATEH
I may be just a maker of art
But here you could start with less
And make a success!

(TATEH sets up his cart and begins to address people on the street.)

TATEH
Step right up and have a silhouette made by a real artist! With ordinary paper, a pair of scissors and some glue, I will give you a thing of such beauty! A life-like portrait of someone you love. Silhouettes of your favourite celebrity.

Evelyn Nesbit, hey look!
She’s on her vaudeville stage
Harry Houdini, he practically escapes
From the page
Only a nickle
Don’t walk away!
Someday these will impress
When I’m a success!
IMMIGRANTS (2 GROUPS)
America, America
TATEH
Look at the silhouettes
Here in the tenements
Bent over sewing
Or dancing or arguing
Thousands of silhouettes
Thousands of stories to tell

Look at them, little one
Such opportunity!
Right on the corner of
Orchard and Rivington
We’ll make our silhouettes
Think how they’ll sell
We’ll join the parade
Of Americans all doing well!
IMMIGRANTS
Success!
Success!

(Now J.P. MORGAN appears high above the masses on a “bridge”. As he sings, the bridge lowers until it practically crushes the IMMIGRANTS.)

MORGAN
I’m J.P. Morgan, my friends
The wealthiest man on this earth!
IMMIGRANTS
Success!
MORGAN
You immigrants, look up to me
And you’ll see what money is worth!
IMMIGRANTS
Success!
MORGAN
One day your immigrant sweat
Might get you the whole U.S.!

(The IMMIGRANTS are squashed beneath MORGAN. HOUDINI magically appears and sings directly to TATEH.)

HOUDINI
And if you’re trapped
And failure seems imminent
Think of Houdini
That fabulous immigrant!
Break those chains with all you possess!

(HOUDINI helps the IMMIGRANTS push the bridge and MORGAN back up.)

MORGAN, IMMIGRANTS
This is America!
This is the land of success!
MORGAN, IMMIGRANTS, TATEH
Success!
EMMA GOLDMAN
The angry, fetid tenements of the Lower East Side were worse than anything Tateh and his wife had suffered in Latvia. The littl girl was often sick now. Tateh wrapped her in his prayer shawl. What rabbi would disapprove?
IMMIGRANTS
America!

(EMMA invites TATEH to a rally but he is only interested in his own and his daughter’s survival. A man on the street approaches and offers TATEH money, not for a silhouette but for THE LITTLE GIRL. TATEH attacks him, and has to be pulled off by a policeman. Furious and desperate, TATEH holds THE LITTLE GIRL close to him. He can no longer escape the reality of his failure and unfulfilled dreams.)

TATEH
Look at my daughter, God.
Why have you brought us here?
How can I feed her or clothe
Or protect her here?
Where’s the America
We were supposed to get?
Was it a silhouette?!
Hey, mister!
Here in America
Anything you want, you can be!
Sucker, step up!
And I’ll cut you out your own guarantee!
Come see the artist!
Big shot, oh yes!
Red, white and blue!
Hooray and God bless!
I’m a success!
I’m a success!
Success!
Success!!

(A shadow image of HOUDINI forms mysteriously, as if in TATEH’S mind.)

HOUDINI
If you’re trapped
And failure seems imminent
Think of Houdini
That fabulous immigrant
Break those chains with all you possess!

(With new determination, TATEH and THE LITTLE GIRL pack their belongings onto his peddlar’s cart and push it offstage.)

TATEH
I promised you America
And little one…
(spoken) We will find it.

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