Rich Succeeds in ‘Ragtime’ Immigrant Experience
“Ragtime” at City Springs Theatre Company is grandly executed with a perspective on turn-of-the-century dramas. Local actor Jordan Rich plays Tateh, representing the Jewish immigrant experience.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
“Ragtime” at City Springs Theatre Company was touted as “the most ambitious production that [the troupe] had ever undertaken.”
Based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow and winner of several Tony Awards (1998), the show’s ambition stems from its elaborate stage execution, cast variety, and from the ability to weave three complicated story lines showcasing the melting pot of America at the turn of the century. Maybe it’s a quilt or maybe it’s an imbroglio, but it’s definitely jam-packed with emotion.
Including the plight of a Harlem musician, “Ragtime” is about hope and poverty in America, and it is ambitious because of its burst of real characters like Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan, Emma Goldman and Booker T. Washington interacting with the fictional ones. Race relations are front and center and tug at the heartstrings. Some whites are portrayed as sincere and empathetic, while others represent the evil and unfairness tolerated at the time.
Holding up his end with the Latvian immigrant experience, Atlanta native Sam Rich portrays the determined Jewish immigrant, Tateh, who comes to New York City with his young daughter. The “richness” of Rich’s performance is that he starts from the dregs and ends in a pristine cream-colored suit making a better life for his daughter, and marrying the blonde heroine, with a lot of tsores in between.
Rich shared his background and motivation. While at The Epstein School, he performed in “Bye Bye Birdie” and “The Wizard of Oz” (in Hebrew); and also at Ramah Darom in “Joseph” and “High School Musical” (both in Hebrew). After Epstein, he attended North Springs’ drama magnet program to hone his craft and focus on the performing arts.
A Northside Hospital baby, Rich was bar mitzvahed at Ahavath Achim Synagogue. He earned a BFA in acting at the University of Michigan where he appeared in eight productions and directed two. Highlights included playing George in “All My Sons” for the bicentennial celebration, Menealus in “Iphigenia at Aulis,” and Jim/Tom in “Clybourne Park.”
He defines his sweet spot as, “My niche in the theatre world is bringing honesty, humor and humanity to my roles. I love holding audiences culpable; and the highest compliment I receive about my work is that I inspired thought and self-reflection. I act and sing and dance when called upon to do so.”
In addition to “Ragtime,” Rich performed locally at City Springs Theatre Company’s “Jersey Boys” and “Music Man.” He felt that “Jersey Boys” required him “to stretch many muscles by playing nine characters as a riveting triathlon” where he used New York and New Jersey dialects in adjacent scenes, dancing, with tight harmonies, and extensive big back bends. He described the “Music Man” as a different challenge as a stylized period piece, encouraging him to embrace the darker side of humanity. He questioned, “How do we fill the shoes of someone whose values differ from our own? It is fun to bring darkness to light. Both projects had incredible leadership, fantastic direction, choreography and expert music direction.”
While playing Tateh in “Ragtime,” he brings Jewish lived experience to the part by calling upon his Jewish upbringing.
“Being Jewish inherently instills the value of family. I have really investigated the value placed in providing for your children — even risking a journey across an ocean. The tenacity in which the Jewish people have overcome persecution is also at Tateh’s core. Nothing will stop him from giving his daughter the life he never had.”
Rich heralded back to Elie Wiesel as one of the influences in creating the dialect for Tateh. Rich’s great-grandparents actually immigrated from Latvia, thus honoring them was part of his motivation. The recent Oscar-winning film, “The Brutalist,” also influenced him.
Although the music is grandly performed live from the “pit,” most of the songs are not as recognizable as a “South Pacific” or “Sound of Music.” “Wheels of a Dream” is a show-stopping number performed by Jonathan Christopher (Colehouse) and Kyla Boling (Sarah), both seasoned performers, but not local.
Fan and Sandy Springs resident, Lynne Greenfield, said, “Who needs Broadway when we have productions like this at our front door?”
“Ragtime’s” successful run at City Springs Theatre Company has ended.
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