Dedham resident to perform in 'Ragtime'

Ben Sharton, of Dedham, will be performing in "Ragtime: The Musical." Photo provided by Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts.

By Sarah Favot, Town Correspondent

A Dedham resident will be performing in “Ragtime: The Musical” that will be playing at the Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord next month.

Ben Sharton will be playing the mother's younger brother in the white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant family whose experiences reflect the changes in American society in the early 1990s.

The Tony Award-winning show is running for the first three weekends in April. It is based on a 1975 novel by E.M. Doctorow about the struggles of African-Americans and immigrants in a white-dominated American society in the early 20th century.

“Ragtime” will be backed by a 20-piece live orchestra, which is nearly un-heard of in a community theater, according to a press release from the production. The show will feature actors, actresses, and technical staff from cities and towns throughout Massachusetts.

According to the press release, the production does not come around very often to community theaters in the area.

Performances will run April 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 at 8 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinee performances on April 9 and 16. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors.

Sarah Favot can be reached at sarah.yourtown@gmail.com.