Caissie Levy, who originated Elsa in Broadway’s “Frozen,” is earning the strongest acclaim of her career for playing Mother in the Broadway revival of “Ragtime.” The role has brought Levy, 45, her first Tony nomination, and she is now widely seen as a leading contender for the award. In an interview at Lincoln Center Theater, she reflected on the significance of the nomination, the meaning of being recognized after two decades in the business, and why the timing felt right. She said the honor matters deeply, even though awards are not the reason performers enter the profession.
Levy described “Ragtime” as a show whose themes feel urgently relevant. Based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel and featuring music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the musical examines early 20th-century America through questions of injustice, inequality, and hope. She said its lyrics and dialogue feel as if they could have been written yesterday, and that audiences are responding because the story speaks to the present moment. Her character, Mother, begins as a conventional wife in a wealthy suburban family and gradually becomes a more independent and radical thinker. Levy said she sees the role as that of “a modern woman in a very unmodern time.”
To shape Mother’s transformation, Levy said she uses both physical and vocal choices. At the start of the show, Mother is rigid and controlled, while by the end she becomes freer and more open. Levy said she reflects that evolution by changing her posture, energy, and voice, saving more powerful belting for later in the performance. She said the character is a “slow burn,” with growth unfolding step by step across the musical.
Levy also discussed the importance of playing Jewish roles and how she connects to Mother even though the character is not Jewish. She said that while performances in “Caroline, or Change” and “Leopoldstadt” allowed her to draw directly on her culture and identity, she feels equally connected to Mother, building the character from her own mother and grandmothers.
The actress spoke candidly about choosing not to leave “Ragtime” for a planned new project, “The Lost Boys,” explaining that family needs made it impossible to begin another demanding rehearsal cycle. Levy, who has a 10-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter, said working parents often face difficult trade-offs and that she wants to show that it is possible to have both a family and a career, even if the balance is imperfect. She also suggested Broadway should explore more role-sharing and alternates to make it easier for parents and other artists to remain in the industry.
Looking back on earlier projects such as “Ghost” and “Frozen,” Levy said those productions taught her resilience, self-advocacy, and confidence, even when they were not major commercial hits. She also praised the London production of “Next to Normal,” saying she would return to it in a heartbeat, while acknowledging there are no current plans for a Broadway transfer. On the broader state of Broadway, she said audiences are hungry for new stories and that the industry must find better ways to support and stage original work.
