Ragtime Roles: Henry Ford

Most Americans are familiar with the name Henry Ford. How did he come to be one of the wealthiest men of his time? More importantly for this feature, why is he a character in Ragtime and how does an actor prepare to play him?

[pullquote color=”wolfpackred” align=”alignright”]It can be hard to find the line where the historical figure ends and the character begins.[/pullquote]

Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan. His family owned a large farm, but Ford was much more interested in learning mechanics than farming. So, at the age of sixteen, he moved to Detroit to work as a machinist’s apprentice. By the time he was in his 30s, he had become Chief Engineer for Edison Illuminating Company. He spent his time and resources experimenting with internal combustion engines, which ended with his creation of a self-propelled quadricycle that would serve as the basis for his future cars. In 1903, Ford founded Ford Motor Company and just five years later, rolled out the Model T. Though the assembly line had already been invented, Ford used it to streamline the car building process, making the Model T cheap enough for the middle class. This would help develop assembly line techniques that are still used today for mass production of products.

Henry Ford was one of the greatest entrepreneurs in American history and has been remembered as a “Titan of Industry.” Having amassed a great deal of wealth following his humbler farm upbringing as the child of immigrants, Ford represented a new aristocracy and the American Dream. That is what he is in Ragtime – a representation.

Carl Staub is the student who has been tasked with portraying Henry Ford onstage in University Theatre’s upcoming production of Ragtime. I sat down with Carl to discuss his character process and outlook on the production, which is still in the earlier stages of rehearsal.

A little background on Carl, he hails from Archdale, North Carolina and is currently a senior in Communication Media with a Theatre minor. He is an extroverted person who thoroughly enjoys talking to and connecting with new people, especially when cast in a show with them; certainly not unexpected from someone who studies both communication and theatre. Ragtime is not his first show with University Theatre. You may have seen him as Starbuck in The Rainmaker, or as Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray.

Like for many, acting is Carl’s creative outlet. It allows him to immediately see the positive impact his creativity can have on others. He loves that theatre can be spontaneous and human, where the people on stage are alive and actively part of the art happening alongside the sets, lighting and costumes.

When asked how much he knew about Henry Ford before being cast, his response was that he did not know much. In addition to what his history-buff dad shared with him, he had done some research to get an understanding of Ford’s background and worldview. As Carl found in his research, Ford has become the subject of several internet memes tied to modern capitalism and today’s societal views on it.

In working with the show’s director, Mia Self, Carl has been approaching the role as both a historical figure and a character through the script. It can be hard to find the line where the historical figure ends and the character begins, which is why it was decided that the approach needed to be two-fold. Carl shared that Mia had gathered some information about the six historical figures and used it to come up with a version that would read well on stage. For Ford, they want him to read a bit like a car salesman attempting to sell the American Dream.

It is not a far stretch to say that theatre and communication as a field of study are connected, especially for Carl. As an actor, Carl says it is important that he feels he is conveying messages accurately. It’s about making sure that Ford’s purpose in the show as a representation of a new aristocracy and the American Dream is realized.

To finish our talk, I asked Carl how he was feeling about the production, with emphasis on the fact that they are only about two weeks into rehearsals. His response is exactly what anyone involved in theatre would want to hear – he has a positive outlook and has been excited with how prepared everyone has been in contrast to other shows. On the first night of rehearsal, all of the characters seemed to know their songs, which made Carl feel appreciative to be part of a show where everyone is putting forth their time and effort for a great outcome.

Ragtime runs February 19-23 in Stewart Theatre
Tickets available online, by phone or in person. Visit or call Ticket Central at 919-515-1100

Written by Sarah Poole, NCSU class of 2018

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