With great passion and humor, the story is told of Rebecca, a naive Russian immigrant arriving at Ellis Island with her young son, and their struggle to make a life for themselves in the New World.
She goes to work in a sweatshop while searching for her husband who has preceded them to America. When they are finally reunited, she discovers that his assimilation is not entirely for the best. His desire to change their name and strip away their ethnic culture so as to fit in with his cronies distresses Rebecca, whose gradual enlightenment leads her into union activities against the very men her husband so hopes to impress. Subplots concern an elderly immigrant, his daughter, and their respective romances, one of which ends tragically. This sweeping saga of awakenings and disappointments, of greed and power, of strength and love is as deeply moving and inspirational a musical as you could hope to present.
Cast Requirements: 8 Female, 9 Male, 1 Boy. Singing-dancing ensemble with numerous small roles and much doubling possible.
Set Requirements: RAGS requires a unit set with movable pieces to represent various locations throughout the Lower East Side in Manhattan, 1910.
SPECIFIC LOCATIONS:
The Hold of a Ship Nearing America
Ellis Island, and a Dock at Battery Park;
The Cohen's Tenement Apartment on Suffolk Street;
Bronstein's Sweatshop;
A Street on the Lower East Side;
The Stoop in front of the Cohen's Apartment building;
The Yiddish Theatre;
Suffolk Street;
The Roof of the Cohen's Apartment Building;
The East Side Democratic Club;
Union Square;
Rehearsal / Orchestral Material: Rehearsal Set (24 Books, 1 Logo)
20 Libretto-Vocal Books
2 PIANO CONDUCTOR SCORES - Act I
2 PIANO CONDUCTOR SCORE - Act II
20 Errata Sheets: Greenhorns
1 Logo
Orchestra Package (23 Books)
1 PIANO CONDUCTOR SCORES - Act I
1 PIANO CONDUCTOR SCORE - Act II
1 KEYBOARD I (Acoustic Piano, Synthesizer)
1 KEYBOARD II (Synthesizer)
1 REED I (Piccolo, Flute, Clarinet, Soprano Sax)
1 REED II (Piccolo, Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Pennywhistle or Recorder)
1 REED III (Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet, Tenor Sax, Optional Pennywhistle)
1 REED IV (Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Sax)
1 HORN
1 TRUMPET I-II
1 TROMBONE (With F Attachment. Doubles Tuba)
1 PERCUSSION (see list below)
1 DRUMS (see list below)
2 VIOLIN I-II (Divisi)
1 VIOLA (Divisi)
1 BASS
1 GUITAR (Doubles Mandolin and Banjo)
1 ONSTAGE VIOLIN
1 ONSTAGE CLARINET
1 ONSTAGE TRUMPET
1 ONSTAGE TROMBONE
1 ONSTAGE TUBA
Musical Numbers: Highlights: Children of the Wind, Brand New World, Blame It On The Summer Night, Bread and Freedom, Three Sunny Rooms.