David Harris

The Boston Pops performs Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert, prepared by the original creators Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens, and Stephen Flaherty especially for the Pops. Based on the 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, Ragtime weaves together the stories of three intersecting groups in the U.S. in the early 20th century: Eastern European immigrants, the African American community in Harlem, and an upper-class white family. Together, they confront history's timeless tensions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair.

Diana Goodman, a suburban mom, comes to terms with her bipolar disorder and the effect her struggle has on her family. It is a gripping and honest portrayal of how one suburban family grapples with mental illness touching on issues such as grieving, suicide, drug abuse and ethics in modern psychiatry. This contemporary musical deals tenderly with how far two parents will go to keep their family’s world intact.

Ragtime. Anastasia. Once On This Island. A Man of No Importance. My Favorite Year. Lynn Ahrens has created lyrics for award winning songs for Broadway, Hollywood, and television earning Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, in addition to Academy Award, Grammy Award and Golden Globe nominations. As one of the most revered and prolific contemporary lyricists—a woman in a world where few have flourished—it's time to shine a light on her incredible talent!