‘TITANIQUE’: Marla Mindelle. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

TITANIQUE
Book by Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli & Tye Blue
Music supervision, orchestrations & arrangements by Nicholas James Connell
Choreography by Ellenor Scott
Directed by Tye Blue
Through September 20, 2026
St. James Theatre
246 West 44^th Street
https://titaniquebroadway.com/

By Scott Harrah

C’est si bon! All aboard for the Broadway transfer of the Off-Broadway splash-hit musical sensation Titanique. Like the equally outrageous Oh, Mary!, it arrives with a devoted fan base and is poised to win over a new crowd on the Broadway stage.

Marla Mindelle returns as French-Canadian pop superstar Céline Dion. She serves as emcee, narrator, and guide through this satirical retelling of both the Titanic tragedy and the mega-hit, Oscar-winning 1997 film. For its Broadway run, the show is splashier and glitzier. It now features major stars, including Jim Parsons as Ruth DeWitt Bukater and R&B legend Deborah Cox as Molly Brown.

Story & parody

Titanique is a double spoof of both the James Cameron film and Céline Dion. Ms. Dion, of course, never appeared in the movie, but she famously sang the theme “My Heart Will Go On.” However, in her version, she is on the ship. She also plays a major role in the love story of Jack (Constantine Rousouli) and Rose (Melissa Barrera).

All the major plot elements of the 1997 film are here. These include Jack and Rose, as well as her wealthy fiancé Cal (John Riddle). Familiar figures also appear, including Rose’s overbearing mother, the “unsinkable” Molly Brown, and the ship’s crew. Each character is reimagined with exaggerated flair. As a result, Titanique gleefully satirizes the original story into a campy, music-filled spectacle driven by Ms. Dion’s offbeat narration.

The show is a complete parody. It mixes the serious emotional stakes of the 1997 film with zany comedy and hammy theatrics. In turn, the wacky narrative transforms Titanique into an atypical jukebox musical. Céline Dion’s hit songs are cleverly repurposed to fit the absurd retelling.

As the iceberg approaches, Titanique becomes both a loving homage and a nonstop send-up. The show also pokes fun at some of the film’s more unexpected elements. For example, Frankie Grande doubles as both Victor Garber and Luigi, leaning fully into the absurdity. Meanwhile, Layton Williams steals scenes in a dual turn as a seaman and the Iceberg, reimagined as a Tina Turner–inspired drag persona.

On deck: The cast

Marla Mindelle is brilliant, commanding the stage as global pop superstar and Québécois icon Céline Dion with great comic timing and powerhouse vocals. Her over-the-top portrayal borders on caricature, but never feels mean-spirited. Instead, she anchors the show’s chaos with confidence. She guides the audience through the many outrageous twists while never missing a punchline.

Constantine Rousouli brings all the requisite charm to Jack. He highlights the character’s earnestness while embracing the show’s irreverent tone. Melissa Barrera’s Rose stands out, particularly for her vocals. When she teams up with Deborah Cox for the duet “Tell Him,” the two achieve rapturous harmony with matching vibratos. The number becomes even stronger when Ms. Mindelle joins in.

Deborah Cox makes a striking departure from her past glamorous Broadway roles. Here, she plays Molly Brown in the spirit of Kathy Bates, as a boisterous and outspoken woman who cuts through first-class pretensions. Known for both her R&B club hits and Broadway roles in Aida, Jekyll & Hyde, and The Wiz, she delivers a rousing rendition of “All By Myself.”

John Riddle plays Cal as a preening, entitled cad. He heightens the character’s arrogance for comic effect without losing the menace.

Jim Parsons chews up the scenery with comic aplomb as Rose’s overbearing mother, Ruth. Frankie Grande is delightfully absurd in his dual roles as Victor Garber and Luigi.

One of the show’s highlights is Layton Williams as the Iceberg. He delivers a high-energy, show-stopping rendition of “River Deep, Mountain High” that brings down the house.

High camp, lowbrow laughs

At times, the humor is unapologetically raunchy. For instance, a duet between Rose and Molly Brown devolves into a barrage of visual innuendos involving a very suggestive plastic eggplant. This moment reflects the show’s naughty, sometimes lowbrow approach. Along with its LGBTQ-inflected jokes, it pushes the material into PG territory. Even so, Titanique remains suitable for families with older children. At the performance this reviewer attended, several families were in the audience, and the jokes landed with consistent laughter. This sensibility will feel familiar to audiences accustomed to contemporary pop culture and television.

Sailing off in style

Titanique is not only a clever, intelligent parody but also an unabashedly joyful, crowd-pleasing spectacle. It sails along on humor, heart, and vocal fireworks. The show knows exactly what it is and leans into the absurdity with confidence. As a result, it delivers big laughs, powerhouse vocals, and a thoroughly entertaining night at the theater. Director Tye Blue, who co-authored the book with Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli, steers the production with a sure hand. He keeps the laughs coming while embracing the show’s shameless sense of excess.

Like its namesake, Titanique proves unsinkable. If audiences have anything to say about it, this voyage should extend well beyond its initial 16-week run.

Published April 12, 2026
Reviewed at press preview on April 11, 2026.

Editor’s Note: Titanique runs at the St. James Theatre in New York through September 20, 2026, and the Olivier Award-winning production plays London’s West End through August 30, 2026 (London tickets).

The French-language Canadian production, starring Véronique Claveau, plays Montreal (Studio-Cabaret de l’Espace St-Denis) June 6 to August 23, followed by Gatineau (Théâtre du Casino) September 1 to 5 and Quebec City (Salle Albert-Rousseau) September 10 to 14, 2026. Tickets and details (Canada).

‘TITANIQUE’: Marla Mindelle (center) & cast. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE”: The cast. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Marla Mindelle (center) & cast. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

TITANIQUE’: Melissa Barrera, Constantine Rousouli & cast. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Constantine Rousouli & Melissa Barrera. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Melissa Barrera & John Riddle. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Jim Parsons & Melissa Barrera. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Deborah Cox. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Jim Parsons, Frankie Grande & Deborah Cox. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Layton Williams. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Frankie Grande. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

TITANIQUE: Deborah Cox & Melissa Barrera & (right) Marla Mindelle. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

‘TITANIQUE’: Marla Mindelle & cast & (right) John Riddle & Melissa Barrera. Photo: Evan Zimmerman.

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‘THE WIZ’: Wayne Brady (center) & cast. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

THE WIZ
Book by William F. Brown
Additional material by Amber Ruffin
Score by Charlie Smalls
Directed by Schele Williams
Choreography by Jaquel Knight
Marquis Theatre
1535 Broadway at 45th Street
(877-250-2929), www.WizMusical.com

By David NouNou

Believe it or not, it was the original The Wiz that actually saved Broadway in the 1970s. Broadway was dangerous—from 42nd Street going northbound, there was a lot of crime and drugs. Geoffrey Holder, the great director and designer, reimagined The Wizard of Oz as an Afro-centric fantasy and turned it into one of the most exciting, original, and innovative musicals. It rescued the commercial New York theatre industry and started filling seats on Broadway.

This version is not as innovative or clever as the original production. Sure, it still has the classics of “Ease on Down the Road,” “Believe in Yourself,” “Home,” and “He’s The Wiz,” but now it uses more camp than genuine humor. The humor here, in most cases, seems a bit forced. However, this is still a fun show.

Dorothy (Nichelle Lewis) gets caught in a tornado, her house splits, and lands in Oz, killing the Wicked Witch of the East. There is no Toto nor any munchkins here. Glinda is the Good Witch of the South (played by the ever-gorgeous Deborah Cox). She warns Dorothy to put on the silver sneakers and never give them to the Wicked Witch of the West because they are the only thing that will keep her safe and get her back to Kansas. In order to do that, she has to go see the Wizard to grant her wish.

Along the way she meets the Strawman, who like to be called Dorothy (Avery Wilson, who needs a brain). Next is the Tinman (Philip Johnson Richardson), a rusty old tinman who wants a heart to feel.  Finally, the cowardly lion (Kyle Ramar Freeman) is seeking courage. They join forces to see the Wizard and are derailed by Evillene (Melody A. Betts), making them go through a poppy field.

They eventually wake up, end up in Oz and meet the Wizard (Wayne Brady), and what a handsome Wizard he makes. He asks them for proof that they killed Evillene. By now he has shown himself as a fraud and flees. With the help of Glinda, they all possessed what they wanted but had to find out for themselves.

Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy is a delight and has a lovely singing voice. Wayne Brady is dynamic and charming as The Wiz. R&B legend Deborah Cox is one of the show’s highlights, and her powerful vocals on such songs as “He’s the Wiz” with Addaperle (Allyson Kaye Daniel) and the townspeople are a bright spot in the first act. The direction by Schele Williams isn’t exactly crisp or original.  It relies mostly on cheap jokes, letting the actors do their thing with very loose discipline until it gets a laugh.  Jaquel Knight’s choreography is rhythmic and delightful. If you want to relive the fun of The Wiz, this is the time for it.

Editor’s note: This is the last review by David Nounou, written two days before he passed away on April 27, 2024. Everyone at StageZine remembers David fondly and we all miss him.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published May 9, 2024
Reviewed at April 24, 2024 press performance

‘THE WIZ’: Deborah Cox & Nichelle Lewis. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

‘THE WIZ’: Kyle Ramar Freeman, Nichelle Lewis, Phillip Johnson Richardson & Avery Wilson. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

‘THE WIZ’: Deborah Cox. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

‘THE WIZ’: The cast. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

‘THE WIZ’: Nichelle Lewis & Melody A. Betts. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

The post ‘The Wiz’ revival eases on back to Broadway appeared first on StageZine.

THE GROUNDBREAKING MUSICAL

THE WIZ WILL OPEN ON BROADWAY ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2024

 LIMITED ENGAGEMENT BEGINS PREVIEWS MARCH 29, 2024 AT MARQUIS THEATRE

New York, NY– Producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker announced that the all-new production of the Tony Award-winning hit musical The Wiz will open on Broadway on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in a limited engagement at the Marquis Theatre (210 West 46th Street). Preview performances will begin on March 29, 2024.

To sign up to be the first to buy tickets to this highly anticipated Broadway musical, please sign up for first access at www.wizmusical.com. The Wiz will go on sale exclusively to fans on November 3, 2023 starting at 10 AM ET before going on sale to groups and the general public.

The Wiz launched its pre-Broadway national tour last month with a triumphant opening in Baltimore, where the musical had its original world premiere nearly 50 years ago. The Baltimore engagement is sold out.

The Broadway cast will feature Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Deborah Cox as Glinda and Melody A. Betts as Aunt Em and Evillene, Kyle Ramar Freeman as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Tinman, Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow, and Wayne Brady as The Wiz. The Wiz ensemble includes Maya Bowles, Shayla Alayre Caldwell, Jay Copeland, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Judith Franklin, Michael Samarie George, Collin Heyward, Amber Jackson, Olivia Jackson, Christina Jones,Polanco Jones, Kolby Kindle, Mariah Lyttle, Kareem Marsh, Anthony Murphy, Cristina Rae, Matthew Sims Jr, Avilon Trust Tate, Keenan D. Washington, and Timothy Wilson.

‘THE WIZ’: Funny man & ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ host Wayne Brady plays The Wiz & R&B icon Deborah Cox plays Glinda.Photo: Courtesy of OMDKC.

Featuring a book by William F. Brown and a Tony Award-winning score by Charlie Smalls (and others), director Schele Williams (The Notebook, revival of Disney’s Aida), award-winning choreographer JaQuel Knight (Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies,” Black is King), additional material by Tony-nominated and Emmy-nominated writer and TV host Amber Ruffin (“The Amber Ruffin Show,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers”), Joseph Joubert (music supervision, orchestrations, & music arrangements), Allen René Louis (vocal arrangements, music arrangements), and Emmy Award®-winning music director and Grammy Award® -winning writer, Adam Blackstone (Dance Music Arranger), are conjuring up an Oz unlike anything ever seen before. A dynamite infusion of ballet, jazz, and modern pop will bring a whole new groove to easing on down the road.

 The Wiz design team will include scenic design by Academy Award-winning Hannah Beachler (Black Panther, Beyoncé’s Black is King and Lemonade), costume design by Emmy Award-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated Sharen Davis (Ray, Dreamgirls), lighting design by Barrymore Award-winning Ryan J. O’Gara (Thoughts of a Colored Man), sound design by Jon Weston (Parade), projection design by Daniel Brodie (Motown the Musical), wig design by Charles LaPointe (MJ the Musical) and make-up design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche (The Piano Lesson).

The production will include ‘Everybody Rejoice’ music and lyrics by Luther Vandross, as well as the ‘Emerald City Ballet’ with music by Timothy Graphenreed.

Joining the producing team with Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker are Elizabeth Armstrong, James L. Nederlander, Hudson/Mann, Cody Lassen/Matthew D’Arrigo, Independent Presenters Network, Amanda DuBois Productions/Ari Edelson, Dori Berinstein, Spencer Ross/Stephanie Cowan, Terry Schnuck/Gabrielle Palitz, Pippa Lambert/Alissa Norby, Gina Vernaci, Common, DECO Entertainment, MC Lyte, Patty Baker, Marlene & Gary Cohen, Concord Theatricals, The Fabulous Invalid, Fakston Productions, Brian & Nick Ginsberg, Gabrielle Glore, Grove Entertainment, Haffner-Wright Theatricals, House Woods Productions, John Gore Organization, Kawana Entertainment, Willette Klausner, MMC Productions, Lamar Richardson, Runyonland Productions, Erica Lynn Schwartz, The Shubert Organization, Lu-Shawn Thompson, Lana Williams-Woods, The Araca Group, Blakeman-Robinson Entm’t/Ricardo Marques, Robert Tichio/Score 3, Best Yet Entertainment/Branden Grimmett, Dkim Caldwell/Mickalene Thomas, DMQR Productions, Jason Turchin, Epic Theatricals/Jeffrey Grove, Joel Glassman/Westin Hicks, Jamrock Productions/Sonya Houston, Sally Johnston/Ann Scott, Judith

The Wiz launched a national tour in Baltimore, MD, home of the 1974 world premiere of the musical opening September 24, 2023, and performances are currently playing through September 30, 2023. Following its run at the Hippodrome Theatre, the tour will slide into Emerald cities across the country before it begins its limited engagement on
Broadway. Additional information on tour cities, venues, performance schedules and single ticket on sale dates are available at WizMusical.com. Fans can now sign up for an email newsletter with up-to-date information as well as follow The Wiz on social media
channels.

Based on L. Frank Baum’s children’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” The Wiz takes one of the world’s most enduring (and enduringly white) American fantasies, and transforms it into an all-Black musical extravaganza for the ages.
The Wiz premiered on Broadway in 1975 and became an instant sensation, going on to win seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Ted Ross), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Dee Dee
Bridgewater), Best Choreography (George Faison), and in a Broadway first, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Costume Design (Geoffrey Holder). “Ease on Down the Road” became the show’s break-out single, and “Home” has since become a
bona fide classic. That original production ran for four years (first at The Majestic Theatre and later at The Broadway Theatre) – and 1,672 performances – on Broadway. A 1978 film adaptation starred Diana Ross, Ted Ross, Mabel King,
Richard Pryor and Lena Horne, and marked Quincy Jones’ first collaboration with Michael Jackson.

For more information, please visit the following:

www.wizmusical.com

www.facebook.com/thewizbway

www.instagram.com/thewizbway

www.twitter.com/thewizbway

The post ‘The Wiz’ opening on Broadway in April 2024 appeared first on StageZine.