Ragtime adaptation plot chart

1. Doctorow McNally Treatment McNally/Ahrens/Flaherty
1.1 - Father, Mother, Grandfather,
The Little Boy, Mother's Younger
Brother, Stanford White, Harry K.
Thaw, Evelyn Nesbit, Emma
Goldman, and Harry Houdini are
introduced. Harry and The Little
Boy talk: Warn the Duke"
Open on "a real slow piano rag."
Coalhouse Walker, Jr. is playing
piano. The Little Boy, Father,
Mother, Mother's Younger
Brother, Tateh, The Little Girl,
Grandfather, Evelyn Nesbit, Harry
K. Thaw, Stanford White, Emma
Goldman, Henry Ford, J.P.
Morgan, and Harry Houdini (Warn
the Duke!) introduce themselves.
Houdini is unable to complete a
grave escape and needs to be
rescued.
ACT ONE 1. Ragtime (Opening) -
Edgar (The Little Boy,) Father,
Mother, Mother's Younger
Brother, Grandfather, Coalhouse,
Sarah, Booker T. Washington,
Tateh, The Little Girl, Houdini
(Warn the Duke!), Houdini's
Mother, J.P. Morgan, Henry Ford,
Emma Goldman, Evelyn Nesbit,
Stanford White, and Harry K.
Thaw introduce themselves.
Evelyn Nesbit goes to the Lower
East Side, followed by Younger
Brother. Tateh explains why he
and his daughter live the way they
do. She is concerned for them.
1.2 - Father sets sail on the
Roosevelt with Admiral Peary and
passes an immigrant transatlantic
vessel.
Father is setting sail for the North
Pole with Admiral Peary. He tells
each member of the family that
they are the man of the house
now.
2. Admiral Peary's March - Father
sets sail on the Roosevelt with
Admiral Peary and Matthew
Henson
1.3 - Mameh, a seamstress who
allows her employer to take
advantage of her for money,
Tateh, her husband, and The Little
Girl are introduced. Jacob Riis, a
reporter and reformer, interviews
Stanford White about housing for
the poor. Immigrants and horses
are dying in the streets.
3. Goodbye, My Love - Mother
resents that Father is leaving and
she has to stay with both of their
responsibilities.
Father and Peary see a rag ship-
Father's future customers.
4. Journey On - Father, Peary, and
Henson pass a rag ship on which
Tateh and the Little Girl are riding.
The Little Girl says Mameh is dead.

2. 1.4 - Younger Brother runs
fireworks at a political event.
Evelyn Nesbit's testimony and the
"crime of the century" are
introduced.
1.5 - Houdini escapes from the
prison in which Harry K. Thaw is
kept. He is hired for a party in
memory of Stanford White and is
hired by Barnum and Bailey's
circus.
1.6 - Freud, Jung, and Ferenczi see
Tateh making art on the street
with the Little Girl and discuss
working conditions and class
differences.
1.7 - Evelyn goes to the Lower East
Side and sees Tateh and The Little
Girl tied together. Tateh has
thrown Mameh out and acts like
she is dead. For two weeks, Evelyn
pays Tateh to make silhouettes of
her. Younger Brother is following
her. The Little Girl is sick, and
Evelyn goes to their home to take
care of her so Tateh can work. She
lives as a Jewish woman. She is in
love.
Tateh makes his 140th silhouette
for Evelyn. She tries to talk to The
Little Girl. She does not talk
because she is mourning.
5. Crime of the Century - Younger
Brother is in love with Evelyn.
Evelyn testifies that Harry is
innocent, claiming insanity. She
sees Younger Brother and smiles.
Evelyn kisses Younger Brother; he
tells her he loves her. She cannot
love him. Houdini's plane flies
overhead, and Edgar yells "Warn
the Duke!" New characters: Judge
and Jury Foreman.

3. 1.8 - Tateh and Evelyn go to a
Goldman rally with The Little Girl.
Younger Brother follows. Emma
discusses women and points out
Evelyn in the crowd. Tateh is mad.
The police arrive. Evelyn, Emma,
and Younger Brother escape.
Evelyn and Emma talk about
Emma's relationship with
Alexander Berkman, who has just
been released from prison.
Younger Brother is hiding in the
closet. Emma strips and massages
Evelyn. Younger Brother watches
them through the closet door. He
falls out of the closet and
ejaculates on Evelyn.
Tateh, Evelyn, and The Little Girl
go to a Goldman rally. The whole
family is also there, all sitting
separately. J.P. Morgan and Henry
Ford are there. Houdini does a
trick and is ignored. Mother is
vocally involved. Emma points out
Evelyn and says she is more genius
than J.P. Morgan. There is a riot.
Tateh says his life is desecrated by
whores. J.P. Morgan finds Ford
and starts to tell him his
proposition. Evelyn and Emma
compare lovers, and Younger
Brother falls out of the closet,
clutching his groin. Houdini
appears and helps him escape.
1.9 - Mother is worried about
Younger Brother, and is
overwhelmed without him and
Father there.
Mother is worried about Younger
Brother. Grandfather tells The
Little Boy Greek myths. Younger
Brother helps Evelyn try to find
Tateh and The Little Girl. They are
on a train, and Tateh is hopeful for
life in America. Admiral Peary has
made it to the North Pole, but
Father has not.
Mother finds the baby and The
Irish Maid comes to help.
Houdini is flying a Voisin biplane
and tries to warn Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, who doesn't hear him.
Evelyn and Younger Brother have
just finished making love. She
wants someone she can treat
badly and who will treat her badly.
She discovers the baby. The
Doctor takes care of the baby. The
Policeman finds Sarah. Mother
takes responsibility of mother and
child.
6. What Kind of Woman - Mother
and Kathleen, a servant, discover
the baby. Kathlen calls it Moses.
Mother needs Father's help, and
thinks about the hired help's lives.
The Policeman and Doctor find
Sarah, and Mother takes
responsibility of mother and child.

4. The Policeman and Doctor enter.
Sarah has been found. Mother
takes responsibility of mother and
child.
1.10 - Admiral Peary, Matthew
Henson, his Negro assistant, and
Father are on their expedition to
he North Pole. Father sees the
Esquimos having sex with their
clothes on, the woman an active
participant. He thinks of the
Esquimos as children.
1.11 - Taft is President-
consumption and fat are no longer
in style. Evelyn and Younger
Brother are now lovers. Evelyn
gives testimony at Harry's trial,
and they divorce. Evelyn gives
money to radicals across the
country. She is unhappy with
Younger Brother.
J.P. Morgan tries to convince
Henry Ford to come with him to
Egypt to prove that he is a
pharoah reincarnate. Ford is not
interested.
1.12 - Tateh and the Little Girl take
a series of trains, seeing Mother
and The Little Boy briefly. Tateh is
happy in America. (7. Success and
11. Nothing Like The City)
1.13 - Working conditons are
terrible. Houdini visits the survivor
of a disaster that claimed three
other workers because he is
unsatisfied and has never made an
escape such as this one. He buys a
Voisin biplane in Europe and
meets Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
(moved to chapter 9 in
treatment)
2.14 and 2.15 - Father returns to
find Sarah and the baby at his
house. Their new housemaid Brigit
is not efficient or respectful.
Father returns home from the pole
to find Sarah and the baby.
(moved to 13. The Courtship.)
8. His Name Was Coalhouse
Walker - Coalhouse is introduced.
He loves Sarah, host her, but has
found her again.
7. Success - Tateh is hopeful about
America. Emma Goldman talks to
Tateh, who doesn't like unions. J.P.
Morgan and Houdini try to inspire
the immigrants. The Little Girl gets
sick. Emma invites Tateh and The
Little Girl to a rally, and a man
offers to buy The LIttle Girl. Tateh
attacks him, realizes the reality of
America, and now holds her very
close.

5. Father had sex with an Esquimo
woman in the Arctic, and he and
Mother sleep in the same bed
every night now. Mother reads an
Emma Goldman pamphlet.
Younger Brother makes cherry
bombs- Evelyn has left him.
Mother wishes The Little Boy had
friends. Grandfather reads him
Ovid. Mother, The Little Boy, and
Younger Brother go skating on the
weekends.
2.16 and 2.17 - Tateh's mill goes
on strike. He makes posters for the
strike and flipbooks at home,
including "Skating." Children are
sent to live with new families.
There is a commotion, and he gets
The Little Girl on the train. He runs
after the train and jumps on. They
go to Philadelphia, where Tateh
sells movie books to the Franklin
Novelty Company.
Tateh's mill goes on strike, and he
makes the "Skating" flipbook. J.P.
Morgan, Henry Ford, and Harry
Houdini are all at the riot. The
Little Girl gets on the train, and
Tateh runs after it and jumps on.
Houdini helps him aboard. (16.
The Night that Goldman Spoke At
Union Square and 17. Gliding)
2.18 - Henry Ford builds the first
Model T- he believes people are
too stupid to make a living, but
that anyone can do one task
forever.
10. Henry Ford - Ford describes his
vision of the country. Coalhouse
buys a Model T.
11. Nothing Like The City - Mother
and The Little Boy see Tateh and
the Little Girl at the train station.
They speak.
11a. Firemen/Coalhouse
Crossover - Coalhouse tries to get
to New Rochelle and is stopped by
Fire Chief Willie Conklin.
2.19 and 2.20 - J.P. Morgan is on
top at 75 years old. He wants to
meet Ford. He spends six months a
year in Europe and falls in love
with Egypt. He thinks Ford is a
pharoah reincarnate. He invites
Ford to his house, tells him his
idea of truly great men, shows him
Seti I's sarcophagus, and asks him
to go with him to Egypt to prove
his reincarnation. Ford already
believes it, and they form a secret
society, of which they are the only
members. (moved to chapter
10/11 in treatment, touched on
in 1. Ragtime (Opening))

6. 12. Your Daddy's Son - Sarah sings
to the baby and explains her
actions.
Coalhouse arrives in his Model T
looking for Sarah. She sends him
away. He sees the baby and
returns every Sunday.
13. The Courtship - Coalhouse
comes looking for Sarah, who
sends him away. Mother asks him
to stay. Father returns and Brigit
sends him away, because she
doesn't know who he is. He is
confused by everything. He and
Mother fight about Sarah and the
baby being there.
Younger Brother visits Emma
Goldman's office.
14. New Music - Father feels left
behind, Mother wishes he would
catch up. Younger Brother is
enamored with Coalhouse.
Coalhouse pleads for Sarah to
come down. She does, and they
sing together.
"The courtship of Sarah has
begun." Younger Brother is the
only one who knows this music.
Sarah comes downstairs to
Coalhouse and agrees to marry
him. Younger Brother is enamored
with him.
15. Wheels of a Dream - Sarah and
Coalhouse sing of hope for their
baby and themselves.
16. The Night that Goldman Spoke
at Union Square - Emma uses
Tateh working at the loom as an
example. She makes fun of
Younger Brother and he joins the
cause. The workers go on strike.
The Little Girl gets on a train, and
Tateh catches up and joins her.
17. Gliding - Tateh makes the flip
book for The Little Girl. He
mentions her mother. The
Conductor buys the flip book.
pharoah reincarnate. He invites
Ford to his house, tells him his
idea of truly great men, shows him
Seti I's sarcophagus, and asks him
to go with him to Egypt to prove
his reincarnation. Ford already
believes it, and they form a secret
society, of which they are the only
members. (moved to chapter
10/11 in treatment, touched on
in 1. Ragtime (Opening))
2.21 - Coalhouse Walker Jr. shows
up in his Model T looking for
Sarah. She sends him away. He
sees the baby, and comes back
every Sunday. Mother serves him
tea, and he plays Scott Joplin's
"Wall Street Rag" and then "Maple
Leaf Rag." Only Younger Brother
has ever heard ragtime before.
Sarah starts cleaning the house.
Father thinks Coalhouse doesn't
know he's a Negro. Sarah finally
agrees to see him. He takes her in
his car and asks her to marry him.
2.22 - Younger Brother goes to
New York again. He can make
better weapons than the armory.
He pays prostitutes but doesn't
have sex with them. He goes to
Goldman's office and a rally for
Emiliano Zapata. Goldman tells
him to get over Evelyn. He reminds
her of Leon Czolgosz. The train
wheels remind him of the left
hand of a rag.

7. 2.23 - Coalhouse is stopped at the
fire station, and goes to the police.
When he returns, his car roof is
torn and the car has human
excrement on it. Coalhouse is
arrested, and Father bails him out.
Younger Brother discovers that the
car has now been wrecked. (11a.
Firemen/Coalhouse Crossover
and 19. The Trashing of the Car)
The car has been trashed, and
Coalhouse calls Father to be bailed
out of jail. Will Conklin is the
aggressor. Coalhouse vows not to
marry until his car is replaced.
2.24 - Younger Brother is on the
brink on a nervous collapse. He is
empathic towards Coalhouse. We
learn Coalhouse's story (moved to
8. His Name Was Coalhouse
Walker .) Will Conklin is the Fire
Chief. No lawyer will help
Coalhouse, and the police and city
hall are useless. Younger Brother
defends Coalhouse to Father.
Coalhouse will not marry until the
car is fixed.
Coalhouse has trouble seeking
legal redress.
2.25 - Sarah is happy, and The
Little Boy is entranced by her and
the baby. Sarah tells of
Coalhouse's vow. Coalhouse skips
a visit. Sarah goes to Vice
President James Sherman, is
mistaken for an assassin, and is hit,
due to the nervousness after
Roosevelt's assassination attempt.
She is sent to the hospital and
catches pneumonia. Coalhouse
and the whole family go to see
her. She dies.
Sarah goes to the Vice President
and is beaten. She is taken to the
family's home because she refuses
to go to a hospital.
19a. President - Sarah goes to talk
to the Vice President, and the
Secret Service think she has a gun.
She is beaten.
2.26 - Sarah's funeral, including a 5-
piece brass band.
Sarah dies. A 5-piece brass band
leads the funeral.
20. Till We Reach That Day - Sarah
has died. Sarah's Friend and the
ensemble sing of hope for the
future. The whole cast sings and
takes this as a call to arms.
18. Booker's Speech, 19. The
Trashing of the Car, Justice -
Booker T. Washington speaks. Fire
Chief Willie Conklin bars
Coalhouse from passing by and
trashes the car. No one will help
Coalhouse. Father's Lawyer says
to retrieve the car and forget
about it. The Black Lawyer won't
waste his time on vandalism when
there is real injustice happening.
Coalhouse won't marry Sarah until
his car is returned. Mother tries to
comfort Sarah.

8. 2.27 - It is Spring, and Grandfather
has broken his hip. Thaw escapes
prison to Canada, returns, and is
caught- "Call me Houdini."
Houdini's mother has died. He is
sad, and cancels bookings. He
visits her grave often, and plays
her music box. He tries to get in
touch with Thomas Edison to talk
to the dead. Eventually he meets
with Steinmetz from GE. He goes
back to work. There is an
explosion at the theatre.
2.28 - The Emerald Isle Engine has
exploded. 4 died, 2 of gunshot
wounds. Horses were shot
answering a fire call. The fire box
on the truck fell and ignited the
station's boiler. A black man with
accomplices is the culprit. Father
wants to turn Coalhouse in, and
Younger Brother yells at him.
Coalhouse has already taken credit
for the explosion and listed his
demands. Father goes to City Hall.
Sarah's grave turns into Houdini's
for an escape trick - the trick is
now successful. There is an
explosion at the theatre. Four
firemen are dead. The attacker
was a Negro, looking for Will
Conklin. Father and Younger
Brother fight, Younger Brother's
words are Doctorow's. Coalhouse
lists his demands. Father takes
Coalhouse's picture to the police.
ACT TWO 22. Coalhouse's
Soliloquy (Your Daddy's
Son/Wheels of a Dream) -
Coalhouse is distressed and vows
to teach the world a lesson.
23. Coalhouse Demands -
Coalhouse lists his demands. A
boiler explodes and kills 13
firemen. The firemen turn out
Willie Conklin. Booker T.
Washington is interviewed.
Ragtime becomes a symbol for
justice. Father has gone to the
police. He and Younger Brother
fight.
3.29 - Father's childhood is
revealed. He feels old and invisible
to Mother. He serves as expert
witness to the police. Will Conklin
is brought in. Coalhouse's letter is
printed by black newspapers. The
Mayor and Chief of Police are
scared. Coalhouse's demands are
published, along with Scott
Joplin's picture, which is retracted
and replaced with a picture of
Coalhouse. Reporters come to the
house, and Welfare wants to take
the child.

9. 3.30 - Father and the Little Boy go
to a baseball game. The Little Boy
catches a foul ball and gives it to
the bat boy, Charles Victor Faust,
a crazy fool.
24. What a Game! - Father takes
Edgar to a baseball game.
Younger Brother approaches
Coalhouse: "I can make bombs. I
know how to blow things up."
24a. Fire in the City! - Conklin
flees the city. A Welfare Official
tries to take the baby. Father
throws all the reporters out of his
house. He doesn't want to deal
with the child's welfare.
3.31 - Father and Mother feel
normal. The baby walks. The
family goes to Atlantic City. The
Police Chief decides that
Coalhouse couldn't have made the
bombs. Coalhouse's Model T is
pulled from the pond. Willie
Conklin receives letters telling him
to leave New Rochelle.
The family goes to Atlantic City.
Baron Ashkenazy and his daughter
are there.
25. Atlantic City - Evelyn and
Houdini introduce Atlantic City.
Father decides to take the family
because welfare can't take the
child away if they live there, and it
close enough that he can still do
his business. Father feels the light
of his family going away. The
family goes to Atlantic City
without Father.
3.32 - Younger Brother finds
Coalhouse and says he can make
bombs. He steals materials and
sets off a second bombing.
Coalhouse shaves his head and
mustache, and bans music.
(moved before Atlantic City in
treatment, and #30 in final)

10. 3.33 - The family's summer in
Atlantic City is great. Father and
Mother have sex every day, which
Mother resents. They hear a band
playing one of Coalhouse's rags.
They meet other vacationers:
Captain Von Papen and the French
Couple. They also meet Baron
Ashkenazy, who makes movies
and owns Buffalo Nickel Photoplai,
Inc. One day, Mother sees his
silhouette from afar and
recognizes him.
A ragtime band plays. Evelyn's life
has not panned out as successfully
as she had thought. Houdini's
Mother has died. He makes his
tricks harder in the hopes that he
will die and see her. Baron
Ashkenazy is making a film with
Evelyn Nesbit and Houdini.
25c. Nothing Like the City
(reprise) - The family passes by
Ashkenazy (Tateh) and he explains
his job and that it "is same" as his
old job, but he makes $10,000
instead of $500.
26. Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc. -
Tateh tells his journey to the
American Dream.
26b. Houdini and the Little Boy -
Houdini does a trick for Edgar.
"Warn the Duke!"
26c. A Day at the Beach - Tateh
and Mother talk. She misses
Coalhouse and Younger Brother.
Mother inspires Tateh.
27. Our Children - Tateh and
Mother sings about their children
"hearing music of their own."
Tateh tells Mother his story. Now
she knows him.
28. Harlem Sequence/Harlem Pas
De Deux - Younger Brother follows
a man to Coalhouse's hideout.
29. Sarah Brown Eyes -
Flashback/dream sequence.
Coalhouse and Sarah meet. Is he
crazy or just sad? "I said no music."
3.34 - Baron Ashkenazy is revealed
to be Tateh, and we learn how he
succeeded. The Little Boy and the
Little Girl bury each other in the
sand - it is sexual. Their
relationship is explored in depth.
They hide during a storm, and
Tateh and Mother go to find them.
Coalhouse barricades himself in
J.P. Morgan's house. Father leaves
Atlantic City to negotiate with
Coalhouse.
The Baron describes movies'
appeal. The Little Boy and Little
Girl become friends.

11. 30. He Wanted to Say - Coalhouse
and Younger Brother want to let
everything out but don't. "I know
how to blow things up."
3.35 - Coalhouse's plan was to
take Morgan hostage in his own
home to flush out Willie Conklin,
who has gone into hiding. It is too
late to turn back, though. New
York District Attorney Charles S.
Whitman is put in charge of the
situation. He tries to send a man
into the house through a sky light,
and they discover that the library
has been mined.
Coalhouse and his men have taken
over the Pierpont Morgan's
library. Father's presence is sought
as a mediator. Police
Commissioner Rhineland Waldo
and District Attorney Charles
Whitman are there. Also a
Museum Curator and Army
Colonel.
30a. Booker's Second Speech -
Coalhouse has turned his attention
from Conklin to Morgan. In
Atlantic City, Father has decided to
go to New York. He wants things
to be like they were. They never
will be.
31. Back to Before - Mother is
stronger now.
3.36 - Whitman has run out of
ideas - they must talk to
Coalhouse. They call him in the
library, and he repeats his
demands- he wants his car and
Conklin's life. They have 24 hours
to compy before the building
blows up. Whitman arrests Emma
Goldman, who is quoted in articles
about Coalhouse. Whitman asks
Booker T. Washington to come fix
things.
Emma Goldman is arrested as a
precaution. She is interviewed by
reporters.
32. Look What You've Done - DA
Charles S. Whitman brings Conklin
to fix the car. Father says to bring
in Booker T. Washington. Emma
Goldman is proud for the
resolution. Morgan arrives and
rants about the civilizations'
treasures that are inside.
3.37 - Booker T. Washington
enters the house and sees Younger
Brother sitting at a detonation
plunger. There are only three or
four other people. He talks with
Coalhouse, and Coalhouse says he
will cease this action if Conklin
fixes the car and delivers it
personally. Washington does not
realize that this is a change in
Coalhouse's demands. Washington
leaves the house.
Booker T. Washington talks to
Coalhouse. Coalhouse requests
only that Conklin repair his car and
deliver it to him.
Washington goes to talk to
Coalhouse, who makes no bargain
with him.

12. 3.38 - Washington tells Whitman
that Coalhouse is crazy and
assembles a vigil. Father
recognizes the change in demands.
Morgan says to give Coalhouse the
car and then hang him. Father
serves as intermediary. Whitman
finds Conklin. Coalhouse concedes
surrender if his men can go. His
men refuse.
Morgan telegram: "Give him his
automobile and hang him."
Father is taken as hostage in
exchange for the men escaping.
Father is sent in as a hostage. The
men escape, though Younger
Brother resists.
Father goes in as a hostage.
3.39 - The Ford parts are brought
in, and Conklin fixes the Model T.
Father and Younger Brother talk,
and trade places - Younger Brother
escapes and Father stays inside.
Coalhouse asks Father about his
son.
Younger Brother and Father talk.
The car is returned. Coalhouse
asks about his son.
33. Make Them Hear You -
Coalhouse pleads to his men that
his death will not be in vain.
Younger Brother and Father trade
places. Coalhouse asks about his
son, and asks if he will be killed.
Father says no.
4.40 - Two hours later, Coalhouse
comes out of the library and is
gunned down.
Coalhouse leaves the library and is
killed.
Coalhouse is killed.

13. Younger Brother travels through
Georgia during the Leo Frank trial.
He goes to Mexico and joins
Francisco Villa. He also meets
Emiliano Zapata and tells him he
can make bombs. Morgan travels
to Europe, buys a lot of stuff, and
goes to Egypt without Ford. He
spends a night in the Great
Pyramid and later dies in Rome.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand is shot.
Houdini reads about it, performs,
and remembers the Little Boy's
warning. He visits the family, but
no one is home when he arrives.
Father dies on the RMS Lusitania.
Tateh and Mother marry after a
year of mourning. The era fades
away.
There was a war in Europe. We
won. Hurrah! Grandfather is dead.
Younger Brother has joined
Zapata. Father died on the
Lusitania. Mother and Tateh
marry. Houdini recognizes the
Little Boy. Thaw to Houdini: "Fuck
you." Emma Goldman had been
deported. Evelyn Nesbit fell into
obscuity. The crowd begins to
disperse, eventually leaving only
Coalhouse at the piano and
Younger Brother. Coalhouse leaves
and the piano continues to play.
Houdini is lowered and spins in the
wind. He and the little Boy discuss
the Duke, and the Little Boy runs
off. Younger Brother tells us the
era of Ragtime was running out.
He leaves, Houdini remains
spinning. The piano stops. The
curtain falls.
34. Epilogue - Younger Brother
goes to Mexico and joins Zapata.
Booker T. Washington is successful
and dies. Evelyn Nesbit becomes
obscure. Houdini understands
"Warn the Duke" after Ferdinand's
assassination. It is the one mystical
experience of his life. Father dies
on the Lusitania. Mother and
Tateh marry and move to
California. They take Coalhouse's
baby, Coalhouse Jr. Coalhouse and
Sarah return, and the company
sings Wheels of a Dream .