‘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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CHITA RIVERA, GIVING ONE OF HER BEST PERFORMANCES EVER: (left to right) Tom Nelis, Chita Rivera, Chris Newcomer & Matthew Deming in ‘The Visit.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

THE VISIT
Book by Terrence McNally
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Directed by John Doyle
Choreography by Graciela Daniele
Lyceum Theatre
149 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), www.thevisitmusical.com

By David NouNou

She enters from the rear of stage right in a beautiful white, fur clad-coat and cane in hand and the applause begins. She has a long, slow walk to center stage and halts and the ovation is genuine and rapturous and it doesn’t stop. Chita Rivera: Broadway legend and one of two remaining superstars who can command the stage and elicit an ovation upon an entrance. I promised myself that I wouldn’t start my review by gushing over her, but how can one not? After all, we have come to praise Chita. Her roles are indelible and immortal by now: Anita in West Side Story, Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie, Anyanka in Bajour, Velma Kelly in Chicago. The Rink and Kiss of the Spider Woman earned her two Tony Awards, and she received Tony nominations in a recent revival of Nine and her one-woman show Chita Rivera: A Dancer’s Life; and she was in the 2012 revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She now adds to this roster Claire Zachanassian, which ranks among her greatest performances.

The play The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt is a compelling drama unto itself, and it is very difficult to musicalize. I know it is tempting for Kander and Ebb to reach for the dark subject matters in shows and try to make them more enthralling by adding a score; it certainly worked in Cabaret and Chicago, but there was also humor there that could be tapped into. However, in The Visit there is no room for musical numbers; they distract from the drama and weaken it. Sure, there are some melodies that are reminiscent of both musicals, but these don’t linger.

Set in the desolate and impoverished town of Bracken, somewhere in Europe after World War II, Claire returns to her hometown with her ominous black bags, and there are lots of them, and her valet and two eunuchs. Why is she back after many years of ostracism to this bleak, desolate wasteland? We learn that when she was young, she gave herself to Anton Schell (Roger Rees) who went on to marry Matilde Schell (Mary Beth Peil) because her father owned a store and he could better himself. In a mock trial, Claire was thrust out as a whore with a child. After leaving Bracken, Claire married many men who died on her and left her lots of money, making her the richest woman in the world.

She has not forgotten how badly she was treated by the citizens, but she is willing to strike a deal with them. She will pay 10 billion marks for the city to rebuild and each person in it gets an additional two million apiece for the life of Anton Schell. At first everyone is appalled by such an offer, but slowly greed and the taste of the finer things start creeping into the lives of Anton’s friends and even his family. One asks oneself how much is a person’s life actually worth when it comes to revenge and to what lengths would one go to get their pound of flesh?

Durrenmatt’s story is a gorgeous morality play. It’s a pity it hasn’t been revived since 1973. Terrence McNally has written a book that plays to Ms. Rivera’s strengths and the score tries to have a sentimental lilt about it. However, John Doyle’s gloomy direction sucks up everything. Even having young counterparts/shadows of the younger Claire and Anton (a device lifted from young counterparts in Follies) is not very original. John Riddle and Michelle Veintimilla are gorgeous together, and you can see the passion there, but they add very little to the story after a while. Roger Rees, as the older Anton, is a hollow shell of a man now and seems quite uncomfortable in his part and in his singing. One even wonders why Clare wastes all that money on him. Oh, venomous revenge is never sweet.

And so we are back to Chita Rivera. Her singing voice has gotten slower and raspier; she doesn’t do her immortal high kick steps anymore, but good God, can the woman act and still break our hearts. In truth, Ms. Rivera is now 82, and another magnificent role like Claire Zachanassian will be hard to come by. Any theatergoer who cherishes a great performance from a legend must go to the Lyceum Theatre and marvel at the beauty and craftsmanship of the diva La Rivera. In years to come, I know I will be thrilled to say that I was there to see her giving one of her finest performances ever.

VIEW OF ‘THE VISIT’: The superb Chita Rivera & the cast. Photo: Thom Kaine

DANCING WITH HERSELF: Chita Rivera dances with her younger self, Michelle Veintimilla, in ‘The Visit,.’ Photo: Thom Kaine

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY: Townspeople sing of their greed in ‘The Visit.’ Photo: Thom Kaine

TOWN WITHOUT PITY (left to right) Roger Rees, John Riddle, Michelle Veintimilla & Chita Rivera in ‘The Visit,’ about a woman seeking revenge on the man & town that ostracized her decades ago. Photo: Joan Marcus

KANDER & EBB’S LAST MUSICAL’: Michelle Veintimilla, Matthew Deming, Rogers Rees, Chita Rivera, Chris Newcomer & cast of ‘The Visit’. Photo: Thom Kaine

LA DIVA RIVERA &
‘THE EUNUCHS’: Chita Rivera & cast members in ‘The Visit.’ Photo: Thom Kaine

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 29, 2015
Reviewed at press performance on April 28, 2015

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