NEW ROCHELLE, NY (September 16, 2025) — The New Rochelle Public Library will honor the 50th anniversary of “Ragtime,” the novel by longtime New Rochelle resident E.L. Doctorow, with a celebratory weekend of programs on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2025.
Published in 1975, “Ragtime” was hailed as a groundbreaking work that interwove historical figures with fictional characters, capturing the sweeping social, cultural, and political changes of early 20th-century America. Its resonance endures five decades later, inspiring award-winning adaptations for film and Broadway.
The library’s Ragtime Celebration Weekend invites the community to revisit this literary masterpiece through film, live performance, and conversation with leading artists who helped bring Doctorow’s vision to the stage.
The schedule includes a “Ragtime” film screening on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. The event features Miloš Forman’s epic adaptation of “Ragtime,” nominated for eight Academy Awards.
Presented in its latest digital restoration, the film features an all-star cast including James Cagney, Howard E. Rollins Jr., Elizabeth McGovern, Mary Steenburgen, Debbie Allen, and Mandy Patinkin. The film is 155 minutes and rated PG.
On Sunday, October 5, 2025, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., the program is titled “Celebrating 50 Years of Ragtime.”
It begins with “Caroline Doctorow: Ragtime at 50” from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Musician Caroline Doctorow honors her father’s legacy with a multimedia program featuring family photos, personal stories, passages from the novel, and a live performance of period-inspired songs.
From 3:15 to 4:00 p.m., there will be a virtual interview with Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. The Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist reflect on the creation of “Ragtime the Musical,” its cultural impact, and its much-anticipated Broadway revival opening October 16, 2025. The conversation will be moderated by Ralph Sevush, Executive Director of Business Affairs, The Dramatists’ Guild.
“New Rochelle has always been proud to call E.L. Doctorow one of our own,” said Eugenia Schatoff, Executive Director of the New Rochelle Public Library. “Fifty years after its publication, Ragtime continues to inspire and challenge us with its exploration of identity, justice, and the American dream. We’re thrilled to bring together artists, family, and community members to celebrate this milestone.”
All events take place in the Ossie Davis Theater at the New Rochelle Public Library, 1 Library Plaza, and are free and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and registration is requested at bit.ly/NRPLRagtime.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.q
