Show Synopsis:
Ragtime shows the story of three different social groups in and around New York City at the turn of the twentieth century and how their stories begin to meld together in an era of immense change for America. An affluent white family struggles to maintain their traditional way of living when they begin to encounter people and situations that are unlike any they have ever known. They encounter Tateh, a Jewish father, has immigrated to America from Eastern Europe to create a better life for him and his daughter, and Coalhouse Walker, an African-American pianist wants to create a family with Sarah, the mother of his child. The family's house becomes a refuge for Sarah and Coalhouse until Sarah is shot dead in a crowd and Coalhouse seeks justice in a prejudiced political system by threatening to blow up J.P. Morgan's Manhattan library. He surrenders but is shot dead, and the family's young boy Edgar declares that the era of ragtime is over. After Father dies on the Lusitania, Mother marries Tateh and they have a family with his daughter, Edgar, and Coalhouse's son. 	

Character:
Mother, an elegant mother and wife about 30 years old who is given new responsibilities when her husband goes exploring and takes them on eagerly; she has a strong quiet strength throughout the events of the play; she is extremely kind, graceful and polished in all her interactions	

Song Context:
The family has been living in Atlantic City to escape all the sociopolitical discord they had gotten involved with in and around Manhattan, but Father is returning to speak to Coalhouse about the drastic measures he's taking in anger about Sarah's death. He assures Mother that their family will return to normal as soon as Coalhouse's situation is taken care of, but Mother realized that knowing Sarah and Coalhouse has changed her life and how she looks at the world. She also knows that letting these people into her family's home and lives has changed her relationship with Father, and she begins to suspect that their love is not as strong as it once was. She is enjoying her newfound independence and confidence, and also reflecting on her new friendship with Tateh and his Little Girl in Atlantic City.	

Fun Facts:
1. This musical is based on E.L. Doctorow's novel Ragtime, which further details Mother's transformation into an early twentieth-century "New Woman." 
2. Christiane Noll, who played Mother in the 2009 Kennedy Center/Broadway production, said in an interview that by this point in the musical "her emotional life has completely opened and her life completely turns around. It's wonderful that...she really blossoms, she finds her own voice, she finds her power...we call her the 'accidental feminist.'" 
3. Marin Mazzie, who originated the role on Broadway in 1998, told Broadway.com that," I think she had the biggest journey in the show: She started out on that hill [in New Rochelle] in that white dress, thinking everything was fine, and then something happened that changed her life. I loved her strength and her sense of purpose and her determination to do the right thing. I still get passionate thinking about it?that one person can make a difference in the world."