‘Rags’ Gets a Rich Production

Since the abrupt Broadway closure in 1986 of “Rags,” the recording of its Charles Strouse/Stephen Schwartz score has acquired cult popularity. The reason is obvious during the musical’s devout resurrection at the Colony Studio Theatre. Haunting ballads such as “Nothing Will Hurt Us Again” and “Blame It on the Summer Night” deserve a second chance.

It’s also obvious why “Rags” closed after three performances. The Joseph Stein plot about Jewish immigrants in ragtime New York shamelessly exploits patriotic fervor, but rarely communicates heartfelt feelings. What poses as character are symbols: noble immigrants battling the squalid new world of sweatshops, Tammany Hall corruption, gangsters, anti-Semitism and a multitude of other melodramatic evils found on 1910 Hester Street. No accident that its Broadway premiere occurred during the Statue of Liberty centennial hoopla.

Worse, “Rags” borrows desperately from Stein’s classic “Fiddler on the Roof.” Here Stein recycles Tevye as a woman named Rebecca Hershkowitz. Like Tevye, Rebecca has fled a Russian pogrom. Like Tevye, she must dominate the stage for the musical to succeed. On Broadway, the acting demanded too much of diva Teresa Stratas. On the Colony stage, the semi-operatic score demands too much of musical comedy singer Jan Pessano.

However, this faithful revival is beautifully choreographed by director Todd Nielsen and earnestly performed by an obviously hard-working ensemble. The Colony has given “Rags” the best second chance a Broadway flop could hope for. By studying this production, those interested in the future of American musicals could learn from its mistakes.

* “Rags,” Colony Studio Theatre, 1944 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles . Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m., Sunday matinees, 3 p.m. Ends July 11. $18-24. (213) 665-3011. Running time: 2 hours , 30 minutes.