Titanique
2017 jukebox musical
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Titanique (sometimes stylized as Titaníque) is a jukebox musical featuring music of Celine Dion, with a book by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli, and music supervision, arrangements, and orchestration by Nicholas James Connell. The musical is a parody of the 1997 film Titanic, and the story is a retelling of the movie's events from Dion's perspective.[1]
| Titanique | |
|---|---|
2022 Off-Broadway poster | |
| Music | Various |
| Lyrics | Various |
| Book | Tye Blue Marla Mindelle Constantine Rousouli |
| Basis | Titanic by James Cameron |
| Premiere | 14 December 2017: Sorting Room Theatre |
| Productions | 2022 Off-Broadway 2024 West End 2026 Broadway |
| Awards | Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play |
The show premiered in Los Angeles in 2017. It played off-Broadway at The Asylum Theatre in June 2022, before later transferring to the Daryl Roth Theatre. At the 2023 Lucille Lortel Awards, the off-Broadway production won three awards, including Outstanding Musical.[2] The show opened in the West End in 2025, winning two Olivier Awards including Best Entertainment or Comedy Play, and on Broadway in 2026, where it was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Premise
In the present-day, Celine Dion hijacks a Titanic museum tour, where she claims to have survived the Titanic's sinking. Celine begins to narrate her version of what really happened to Jack and Rose, and the other characters from the movie on the night the Titanic sank.[3]
The musical is partially improvised, and uses several pop culture references, including references to RuPaul's Drag Race and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.[1][3]
Productions
Los Angeles (2017) and New York (2018) concerts
The first version of the show played at Los Angeles' Sorting Room Theater as a one-night-only experience titled Titanique: In Concert on 14 December 2017. Book writer Tye Blue directed, with co-writers Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli starring as Céline Dion and Jack, respectively, with Alex Ellis as Rose and music direction by Nicholas Connell who also arranged and orchestrated the music.[4] Other cast members included Peter Porte, Tom Lenk, Drew Droege, Sebastian La Cause, Katherine Tokarz, Tom Detrinis, and Adam Zelasko.[5]
Another concert staging was given at New York City's Green Room 42 inside the Yotel hotel on 25–27 August 2018 with Mindelle, Rousouli, Ellis, La Cause, and Zelasko returning. Joining the cast were Stephen Guarino, Kathy Deitch, Mikhail Thompson, and Mykal Kilgore.[6][7] It returned to the Green Room for six more performances from 30 November to 3 December 2018.[8]
Off-Broadway (2022–2025)
A fully-staged off-Broadway production began previews at The Asylum Theatre in New York City on 14 June 2022, with an official opening on 23 June 2022. It was once again directed by Blue, music directed by Connell, and choreographed by Ellenore Scott. It starred Mindelle as Dion, Rousouli as Jack, Ellis as Rose, Frankie Grande as Victor Garber, Deitch as Margaret "Molly" Brown, Ryan Duncan as Ruth, John Riddle as Cal, and Jaye Alexander as The Iceberg. The creative team was rounded out with scenic design by Gabriel Hainer Evansohn, costumes by Alejo Vietti, sound design by Lawrence Schober, lighting by Paige Seber, and hair/makeup/wigs by Tommy Kurzman.[9] The production was seen by several people associated with the film, such as Garber,[10] as well as Dion's manager and publicist.[11] The production won Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Musical, lead performer in a musical (Mindelle) and costume design (Vietti). Also nominated were Scott for choreography and Riddle as featured performer.[2]
In November 2022, the production transferred to the Daryl Roth Theatre with the same creative team. Several members of the company remained, except for Ellis, Deitch, Duncan, and Alexander, who were replaced by Carrie St. Louis, Desireé Rodriguez, Russell Daniels, and Avionce Hoyles, respectively.[12] Mark Evans took over the role of Cal, and Wulf Clark was a replacement as Garber, on 24 December 2022. Rosé assumed the role of Garber on 26 January 2023,[13] followed by Willam Belli who took over the role on 5 September 2023.[14] The show closed at the Daryl Roth Theatre on 29 June 2025.[15]
Australia and Canada
An Australian production opened at The Grand Electric in Sydney. The musical began performances on 12 September 2024, and starred Marney McQueen as Dion.[16] It closed on 22 June 2025.[17][18]
A Canadian production of Titanique played at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts in Montreal from 27 October to 24 November 2024. The production then transferred to the CAA Theatre in Toronto, running from 5 December 2024 through 19 January 2025.[19] After this, the production returned to the Segal Centre between 2 and 16 February 2025.[20] In 2026, the musical is expected to have its first French language production in Montreal and then tour to Quebec City.[21]
West End (2024–26)
Titanique opened in the West End at the Criterion Theatre in previews on 9 December 2024, with an official opening on 9 January 2025. It is scheduled to play until 30 August 2026 [22]. It starred Lauren Drew as Celine Dion, Rob Houchen as Jack, Kat Ronney as Rose, Darren Bennett as Victor Garber, Charlotte Wakefield as Margaret "Molly" Brown, Stephen Guarino as Ruth, Jordan Luke Gage as Cal, and Layton Williams as The Iceberg. [23] In June 2025 Houchen, Ronney, Guarino, Gage and Williams left the production and were replaced by Luke Bayer, Hiba Elchikhe, Carl Mullaney, Richard Carson and Tosh Wanogho-Maud respectively.[24] Astrid Harris took over the role of Dion on 15 July 2025. Jenny O'Leary took over the role of Brown on 22 July 2025. Tim Walton took on the role of Garber on 2 September 2025. Ryan Carter took over the role of The Iceberg on 7 October 2025. It adopts British cultural references such as Gemma Collins, EastEnders and Jonathan Bailey's musical dance number "Dancing Through Life" in the film Wicked.[25][26] It was nominated for three Olivier Awards, winning Best Entertainment or Comedy Play and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Layton Williams.
Chicago, Paris and Brazil (2025)
Titanique was produced in Chicago by Porchlight Music Theatre and Broadway in Chicago, directed by Tye Blue.[27] It opened at the Broadway Playhouse on 25 March 2025,[28] starring Clare Kennedy McLaughlin as Céline Dion, and closed on 13 July 2025.[29]
The musical opened in Paris, France, on 24 April 2025 at the Théâtre du Lido on the Champs-Élysées.[30] It played in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2025 at the Teatro Frei Caneca, starring Alessandra Maestrini, Giulia Nadruz and Marcos Veras.[31]
Broadway (2026)
The musical began performances at Broadway's St. James Theatre on March 26, 2026, with an opening night on April 12.[32] Mindelle, Grande, Riddle and Rousoli reprised their roles, joined by Melissa Barrera as Rose, Deborah Cox as Molly Brown, and Jim Parsons as Ruth. Layton Williams reprised his role as the Seaman/Iceberg from the West End production.[33] The production was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, Leading Actress (for Mindelle) and Featured Actor (for Williams).[34]
North American tour (2027)
A North American tour is expected to begin in 2027.[35]
Musical numbers
|
|
Notes
- The actor playing Seaman performs this song as Peabo Bryson
- The actress playing Molly Brown performs this song as the "Irish Lady" character
Cast and characters
| Character | Off-Broadway | West End | Broadway | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022[36] | 2022[37][a] | 2024[23] | 2026[38] | |
| Céline Dion | Marla Mindelle | Lauren Drew | Marla Mindelle | |
| Jack Dawson | Constantine Rousouli | Rob Houchen | Constantine Rousouli | |
| Rose DeWitt Bukater | Alex Ellis | Carrie St. Louis | Kat Ronney | Melissa Barrera |
| Victor Garber | Frankie Grande | Darren Bennett | Frankie Grande | |
| Molly Brown | Kathy Deitch | Desireé Rodriguez | Charlotte Wakefield | Deborah Cox |
| Ruth DeWitt Bukater | Ryan Duncan | Russell Daniels | Stephen Guarino | Jim Parsons |
| Cal Hockley | John Riddle | Jordan Luke Gage | John Riddle | |
| The Seaman / Iceberg | Jaye Alexander | Avionce Hoyles | Layton Williams | |
Notable replacements
Off-Broadway
- Céline Dion: Nicole Parker, Jackie Burns, Dee Roscioli
- Jack: Max Jenkins
- Rose: Lindsay Pearce, Cassadee Pope
- Victor Garber: Rosé, Willam, Tommy Bracco
- Ruth: Drew Droege, Nathan Lee Graham, Lea DeLaria
- Molly Brown: Lisa Howard
- Cal: Mark Evans, Brandon Contreras
West End
- Jack: Luke Bayer
- Rose: Hiba Elchikhe
- Ruth: Tom Allen, William Hanson[39]
Reception
Titanique developed an audience through word-of-mouth referrals.[40] The original off-Broadway production moved to the larger Daryl Roth Theatre.[40] GLAAD attributed the musical's extended run to its celebration of queer culture, campy humor and pop culture references that appealed to theater fans and the LGBTQ community.[41]
Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Times praised the show's absurdity and campy nature, mentioning that it embraces the over-the-top elements of both Titanic and Céline Dion.[42] Johnny Oleksinski, in the New York Post, also praised the show's campy humor, describing it as "outrageously funny", and Mindelle's performance as Dion.[43] Robert Hofler of The Wrap said the show was "really funny" and offers a refreshing take on familiar material.[44]
Charles Isherwood of The Wall Street Journal found the music to be "blandly adult contemporary", although he thought the show entertaining and praised the infectious joy of the cast.[45] James Kleinmann of The Queer Review highlighted the show's appeal to queer audiences, praising the wit of its book and array of pop culture references.[46] He stated that the production's campy and festive atmosphere sets the tone for a show that is "both beautifully crafted and joyfully irreverent".[46]
Awards and nominations
2022 Off-Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Lucille Lortel Awards[2] | Outstanding Musical | Won | |
| Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical | Marla Mindelle | Won | ||
| Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical | John Riddle | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Choreographer | Ellenore Scott | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Costume Design | Alejo Vietti | Won | ||
| Drama League Award | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Distinguished Performance Award | Marla Mindelle | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, Tye Blue | Nominated | |
| Outer Critics Circle Award[47] | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, Tye Blue | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical | Marla Mindelle | Nominated | ||
| 2024 | Obie Award | Distinguished Performance | Marla Mindelle | Won |
Original West End Production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Laurence Olivier Awards | Best Entertainment or Comedy Play | Won | |
| Best Actress in a Musical | Lauren Drew | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Layton Williams | Won | ||
2026 Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Nominated | [48] | |
| Distinguished Performance | Marla Mindelle | Nominated | |||
| Constantine Rousouli | Nominated | ||||
| Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical | Layton Williams | Nominated | [49] | |
| Tony Awards | Best Musical | Pending | [34] | ||
| Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Marla Mindelle | Pending | |||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Layton Williams | Pending | |||
| Best Book of a Musical | Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli | Pending | |||
| Dorian Award | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Broadway Musical | Layton Williams | Won | [50][51] | |
| Melissa Barrera | Nominated | ||||
| Broadway Showstopper Award | "River Deep, Mountain High", Layton Williams | Nominated | |||