When it’s empty, Cahn auditorium resembles the mouth of a giant sea creature, full of rows and rows of empty seats that look like over-sized incisors. But there’s no need to worry about being devoured here. At this time of year, Cahn is only home to one kind of aquatic life: the friendly dolphin.
The Dolphin Show will open for it’s 69th annual run on Friday, Jan. 21. This year, they will be performing the musical Ragtime. The show features 37 cast members and an elaborate, multi-level, moving set that’s been in development since before the summer.
“We’re the only student musical that uses Cahn during the year, and we wanted to do something epic,” says executive producer and Communication senior Julie Boor, one of the many “Dolphin Show” sweatshirt-clad hands on deck populating the auditorium.
With such a big audience in mind, the producers chose to go with an extremely accessible show. Ragtime takes place in New York City at the start of the 20th century, and you can tell by the costumes: There are enough suspenders and paperboy caps on stage to satisfy the fantasies of even the greediest thrift store owner. There are many friendly musical numbers with influences that fit the period, including spirituals, protest songs, and, of course, ragtime.
The story combines intensely personal drama with historical events as characters try to find a place for themselves in a strange, changing America. Heartbreak, violence and revenge are wound together with racial strife, labor protests and world war. Historical figures make several appearances, including the likes of Booker T. Washington and J.P. Morgan.
Undergraduates comprise Ragtime’s entire cast and crew. Students sing, act, dance and take care of everything from lighting and makeup to advertising and public relations. Preparations for the show officially began last April, when they obtained the rights to Ragtime and started to assemble a team. Since November, they have been rehearsing for four hours a day, a level of commitment that most Northwestern course loads would require a Time Turner to accommodate. But after seeing them on stage, you begin to understand their dedication: It’s easy to lose yourself in the work. “During the striking sequence, it just feels so…real, I get chills every time,” remarks lead actor Jesse Greenwald, a Communication senior.
Director Michael Holtzman, a Communication senior, is thrilled to be working on Ragtime, describing it as “a beautiful show. One of the best written contemporary musicals.” This is Holtzman’s first time working on the Dolphin Show, but he’s been active in campus productions throughout his time at Northwestern — his previous directorial undertakings include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Medea. Ragtime has proved to be his most ambitious project yet, but also one of the most rewarding. “We’ve reached out to so many different communities across Northwestern for casting and production,” he says. “It’s made me very proud of what our campus can do.”
Ragtime will run Jan. 21-29 in Cahn Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for Northwestern students and can be purchased online.