A forgotten America explodes in song—race, ambition, and ragtime piano collide in one night.
A new production of EL Doctorow's historical novel, recorded at the Cardiff International Festival of Musical Theatre. Broadcast as part of BBC4's America Night.
Acting
Lawrence Hamilton's Coalhouse—righteous fury, heartbreaking precision.
Score
Stephen Flaherty's score: syncopated rage meets weeping strings.
Production
Cardiff Festival staging—intimate yet somehow epic.
Director
Stafford Arima
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Doctorow's 1975 novel invented the 'historical mosaic' genre later aped by everything from Forrest Gump to Cloud Atlas. This musical adaptation dared to make it sing.
Maria Friedman originated Mother in London then reprised here—her performance was recorded while secretly fighting cancer, lending crushing weight to 'Back to Before.'
US
