The musical Titanic examines the causes, the conditions and the characters involved in the tragic drama that played out in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912. This is the factual story of that ship—of her officers, crew and passengers. The show was written before the blockbuster movie that everyone is familiar with.
Titanic, the Musical opened in New York in 1997 and won 5 Tony awards, including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score. Story by Peter Stone (1776, Sugar, Will Rogers Follies) Music by Maury Yeston (Nine, Grand Hotel, Phantom).
This is very much a ‘choral ensemble’ piece with lush harmonies and many opportunities throughout for the entire company to sing together. The story is told through music and dialogue.
The sinking of Titanic remains the quintessential disaster of the 20th century. A total of 1,517 men, women and children lost their lives (only 711 survived). The fact that this, the finest, largest, strongest ship in the world should have been lost during its maiden voyage is so incredible that this story still captures our imagination over 100 years later.
Thomas Andrews — the ship’s designer and builder, late 30’s
J. Bruce Ismay — the ship’s owner, late 40’s, fastidiously dressed, dark hair and moustache
E.J. Smith — captain of the Titanic, grey-bearded
Murdoch — first officer
Harold Bride — radioman
Frederick Barrett — stoker, 24
Frederick Fleet — lookout
Henry Etches — senior 1st-Class Steward
Joseph Bell — chief engineer
Isidor Straus — 1st-Class Passenger; doubles as 3rd-Class Passenger
Ida Straus — Mrs. Isidor Straus; doubles as 3rd-Class Passenger
Alice Beane — 2nd-Class passenger
Kate McGowan — a young Irish girl
Lightoller — second officer
Pitman — third officer; doubles as Bandmaster Wallace Hartley
Boxhall — fourth officer; doubles as Taylor
Hitchens — quartermaster; doubles as Bricoux
Bellboy — doubles as 3rd-Class Passenger
John Jacob Astor, 47
Madeleine Astor, 19 — the very young Mrs. Astor
Benjamin Guggenheim — an American millionaire
Mme. Aubert — Guggenheim’s French mistress
John B. Thayer
Marion Thayer — John’s wife
Jack Thayer — their nine-year-old son
George Widener
Eleanor Widener — George’s wife
Charlotte Cardoza, a handsome woman in her 40’s
Edith Corse Evans
J.H. Rogers
The Major
Alice Beane – middle-aged, American with middle-west accent
Edgar Beane — husband of Alice
Charles Clark — young, British and middle-class
Caroline Neville — young, British and aristocratic
Third-Class Passengers
Jim Farrell, a handsome Irishman
The Three Kates – young Irish girls
Frank Carlson — an American on shore
Andrew Latimer — steward in First Class
Stewardess Robinson
Stewardess Hutchinson
The DaMicos — professional dancers
Wallace Hartley – bandmaster
Taylor — bandsman; doubles as Boxhall
Bricoux — bandsman; doubles as Hitchens
Stevedore
Stokers
Sailors
Stewards — for all three Classes
Additional 1st-Class Passengers
Additional 2nd-Class Passengers
First Man — from 3rd Class
Second Man — from 3rd Class
Third Man — from 3rd Class
Fourth Man — from 3rd Class
German Man — from 3rd Class
Italian Couple — from 3rd Class; double as Mr. & Mrs. Astor
Additional 3rd-Class Passengers