With the play taking place at the turn of the century, there are many references to new beginnings, dreams, new technology, and the future. And in music history ragtime is one of the first mainstream music genre’s created by black Americans that leads to an enormous amount of music and music genres (jazz, blues, rock,rnb, hip hop, etc.). In addition, ragtime and music that evolves from ragtime has influences from other cultures as well such as Caribbean and African cultures. This melting pot of culture is shown in the music and the setting of NYC and these cultures are constantly mentioned in the script.

This idea is what the sound design was based upon. In transitions of travel, music representing the next character would play, as well as music underscoring their scene as if they were listening to it. The playlist to the right served as inspiration for the types of music that represented the feelings and dreams of the characters. Pray You Catch Me by Beyonce began and ended the show as a modern-day reminder that this play does not end in 1908.