“It was a cinematic story about the Jewish immigrant experience in the early part of the last century. “Rags began as a screenplay Stein had written in the early 1980s,” explains Thompson, who calls the late writer one of his heroes. Songs were repurposed or cut, lyrics were changed, new scenes written. Then Thompson, along with Schwartz, Strouse, and Rubbiero, set out to chart a course for new and improved RAGS. With the endorsement of Joseph Stein’s widow, Elisa Stein, and the Stein Estate, Thompson penned a revised book for RAGS.
Originally, RAGS had all the elements of a great musical, but for some reason the show hadn’t been fully solved.”Įnter David Thompson, the talented playwright of several hit shows, including “Steel Pier,” “The Scottsboro Boys,” and “Prince of Broadway.” He wanted something more profound and meaningful: a complete re-working and re-examination of the piece. He was not interested in what he called a ‘rearranging the deck chairs’ revival – meaning strategic edits, a few small changes or cuts, rearranging things, etc. “Goodspeed could produce it only if we really pulled it apart and re-visited everything. “I give Stephen (Schwartz) the credit for his brave and inspired condition for producing this revival of RAGS,” says Rubbiero. The new production, Ruggiero is quick to point out, is a “reworking and re-examination” of the original musical, and not just a “revival” – thanks in large part to Schwartz. “As artists, there are projects that remain alive within us,” says Rob Ruggiero, who is the director a “refurbished” version of RAGS at the Goodspeed Opera House that opened last week and will run through Dec. Still, some stories, it would seem, simply need to be told. Sadly – and surprisingly – no sooner did the curtain go up then it came down. When RAGS opened on Broadway in August of 1986, it had all the makings of a hit: a spectacular score by Charles Strouse (Annie, Bye Bye Birdie) lyrics by the incomparable Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell) and an original book by the brilliant Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof, Zorba). “Our hope is that this compelling story of courage and self-affirmation will remind us that this great country was built by generations of immigrants, and enriched by the gifts they contributed to a young nation.”
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