Pebblebrook's "Ragtime" Performers Say Last Show Will Be Bittersweet

When describing the musical, “Ragtime,” many people say the subject matter is heavy or sensitive. However, the students of Cobb County’s Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts magnet at Pebblebrook High School can certainly carry the show’s weight.

The elite performing arts school is in the business of churning out Broadway actors and actresses.

Since the school began 25 years ago, there have been at least 36 Broadway shows with cast members from Cobb County because of the school, said School Director Frank Timmerman.

“You can go to New York at any time now and see one of our grads on Broadway,” Timmerman said, unable to hide his smile.  “These high school students are what I like to think to be Broadway-quality, and we have a school board that supports us and a community that supports us, too.”

The musical offers audience members a slice of  life from the early 1900s for three groups of people–white people from New Rochelle, black people from Harlem and immigrants– all living in the same New York community and dealing with issues of racism and xenophobia.

“It pushes the envelope on racial language at times,” said Timmerman. “However, the show reminds people of what it used to be like.”

The cast members and Show Director Robert Adams had a tight schedule of only about three weeks to get the show ready for opening night.

However, these students were more than prepared for such a challenge, showing absolutely no sign at their Thursday night dress rehearsal that they pulled the show together in less than a month. These students are far more than amateurs, and with the direction and teaching from dedicated faculty, they never miss a beat. Literally.

They lost one full week because most of the show’s cast attended the Regional High School Dance Festival, and they lost another three days because many members went to audition for the University of Oklahoma’s musical theatre program, one of the premier programs in the nation.

Timmerman said the college only accepts six women and six men into its program out of the hundreds who audition.

Victoria Abhalter, a senior playing the role of Mother in the musical, will attend the University of Oklahoma in the fall.

Abhalter said that she hopes the audience walks away with a peek into the past and can closely watch the transformative interactions of the three different groups.

“In the end, we all got intermingled together, and it’s kind of beautiful that way,” she said.

This show, which sold out on Friday night, will be the last high school production for many of the cast members, and they say that it’s bittersweet.

“It’s really sad to know this is our last musical. We’re going off in separate directions and won’t see each other for weeks, months,” Abhalter said.

“We’re performing with these people for the last times, and we can finally say we’ve made it together. It’s heartwarming. We’ve been through the good times, the bad times … You see each other a lot like you see your Mom and Dad. You see them Monday through Friday,” said Sterling McClary, who plays the lead role of Coalhouse Walker Jr. and will attend Pittsburgh's Point Park University this fall.

“They’re like family,” Sam Yabrow agreed. The senior is playing the role of Younger Brother, and he will attend the University of Michigan in the fall.

All four shows were almost completely sold out by Thursday afternoon. Today the show begins at 8 p.m. at the Earl Strand Theatre. On Sunday, the first show begins at 3 p.m. and the second at 8 p.m.