Marriott Theatre: Titanic The Musical
The cast of Titanic The Musical
Marriott Theatre Presents TITANIC THE MUSICAL Review - Bringing Life To The Passengers and Crew
TLDR: Taking a more serious tone for a musical, Titanic The Musical writes storylines for real passengers aboard the ship and we see what perhaps their days on the Titanic would have looked like aboard the five days they sailed. It spans the different hopes and dreams of the passengers, touching on their personal lives, and how the tragedy impacted everyone aboard the ship in different ways.
Laura Guley, Erica Stephan, and Victoria Okafor
All Aboard the Titanic!
Video screens on the back walls of the house brightly display the date of Titanic’s maiden voyage. It’s April 10, 1912. The cabin crew stands center stage looking up at the grand majesty of the ship. They make their way to the gangway to board. Next the architect, Mr. Thomas Andrews (Christopher Kale Jones) counts off each head of lettuce, each bottle of wine, each fork and spoon with the utmost precision as crates of supplies make their way onto the ship. The captain, E.J. Smith (David Girolmo) greets fellow officers and provides a calming and steadfast presence. Finally the passengers board, each with the same wide eyed stare, looking up at the gigantic ship before them.
The set is staged in Marriott's usual theatre in the round, square stage, so building a gigantic ship was probably always out of the question. We still get the feeling of being on the deck with the set designed by Collette Pollard. Off to one corner railings peak together to make the bow. Short, pillars stand both as part of the top deck when we’re outside and turn into dining tables when they’re covered in tablecloths and we venture inside for dinner. Chandeliers dripping with crystals are raised into the rafters giving us that hint of luxury Titanic was known for.
The Voyage Starts With Hope
Once we’ve boarded and waved our handkerchiefs goodbye, we’re off on our adventure and dive into the inner workings of each of the passenger class groups and crew aboard. Starting from the bottom (literally) of the ship, we’re taken down to the boiler rooms where these men are bathed in red lights and shovel coal endlessly to keep the ship moving. In the radio room, Harold Bride, played by Matthew Hommel, shares his bright eyed enthusiasm for this newfound technology.
We move to the third class passengers who can’t believe they’re even here and are hopeful life in New York will bring them better fortunes than staying in Ireland.
The second class passengers live comfortably in their suites, but some long for the glamour of first class.
First class parades down their exclusive decks in their finest furs and gowns (with costumes designed by Sully Ratke), almost ambivalent to the grandeur around them because after all, this is to be expected.
Finally up in the bridge, Captain Smith and his officers battle the White Star Line executive, J. Bruce Ismay (Adam Pelty), as he urges them to push the ship into top speed in order to make headlines by arriving in New York a day early.
Though each of these groups of people have their own set of problems, one thing runs true for all. No matter what their class on the ship is, they all have hope. They all left something behind in hopes of creating a better future for themselves. The first act holds a bittersweetness as we feel each passenger and member of the crew’s optimism, but we know what lies ahead for them in just a few short days.
Man’s Hubris Knows No Bounds
As the cast boarded the ship, they sang the opening song about man’s greatest achievements - the pyramids, Stonehenge, the Great Wall of China - modern engineering marvels for their time and Titanic now among them. But when it’s sung a second time, the tone shifts as the shock of what has happened sets in.
When the realization of the tragedy that is about to take place sinks in, everyone is faced with the gravity of the situation. Girolmo, Jones, and Pelty face off in “The Blame” with a heated exchange as they point fingers at what decisions led to this unthinkable situation.
Two of the three accept their doing in the tragedy, but of course nothing can be done and we continue to watch as the ship goes down. As the lifeboats are lowered from the ceiling and more and more passengers make the difficult decision to leave their loved ones behind, we get that emotional impact. Titanic The Musical is full of these full scale musical numbers that will hit you hard, especially during this pivotal moment.
Matthew Hommel
The After Party Thoughts
Because we follow multiple storylines, it feels like a double edged sword because on the one hand, how do you even begin to capture the enormity of the ship itself and paint a story for 2,200 people on board? But if you do pare it down, how do you still capture the huge emotional impact it had on every single person aboard that ship?
Because we need to move quickly to cover six or so storylines in addition to the sinking itself, it’s a large ask to do in just two and half hours. So my biggest critique of the show is that it was hard to feel emotionally connected to all the characters because we moved so quickly from one to the other and also then needed to be emotionally prepared for the ending.
That being said the musical itself and the company at Marriott handle the gravity of the subject matter with a sensitive hand. It doesn't make light of the disaster, but tries to make these people real for us alongside the inevitable end. The company pulls out their finest acting chops and give us the breadth of emotions these folks may have felt.
For those that are Titanic enthusiasts this production of Titanic The Musical does the ship’s legacy justice. For those that are also fans of traditionally structured musicals with big ensembles and large musical numbers this show would also be a good fit for you.
RECOMMENDED
The cast of Titanic The Musical
When
Now through June 1, 2025
Where
Marriott Theatre
10 Marriott Dr.
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
Runtime: 2hrs 20min, including an intermission
Tickets
$70+
Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 847.634.0200 or through the Marriott Theatre website
Photos
Justin Barbin Photography
The cast of Titanic The Musical
CAST
David Girolmo (Captain E.J. Smith)
Adam Pelty (J. Bruce Ismay)
Christopher Kale Jones (Thomas Andrews)
Lillian Castillo (Alice Beane)
James Earl Jones II (Edgar Beane/Fourth Officer Boxhall)
Erica Stephan (Kate McGowan)
Garrett Lutz (Jim Farrell)
Eric Amundson (Bellboy)
Joel Gelman (Second Officer Charles Lightoller/John Jacob Astor
Darian Goulding (Frederick Barrett/Benjamin Guggenheim
Laura Guley (Kate Murphey/Eleanor Widener)
Kelli Harrington (Charlotte Cardoza)
Matthew Hommel (Harold Bride/Joseph Bell/Bandmaster Wallace Hartley)
Mark David Kaplan (Isidor Straus/Quartermaster Robert Hitchens)
George Keating (First Officer William Murdoch)
Heidi Kettenring (Ida Straus)
Will Lidke (Charles Clarke/George Widener)
Francesca Mehrotra (Caroline Neville/Mme. Aubert)
Victoria Okafor (Kate Mullins/Stewardess/Madeleine Astor)
Lucas Thompson (Frederick Fleet)
Kevin Webb (Henry Etches/Third Officer Herbert Pitman)
Anna Louise Bramlett, Andrés Enriquez, David Gordon-Johnson, Michael Metcalf and Schyler Vargas
CREATIVE
Conor Gallagher (Director and Choreographer)
Ryan T. Nelson (Music Director)
Katie Johannigman (Associate Director and Choreographer)
Collette Pollard (Scenic Designer)
Sully Ratke (Costume Designer)
Miguel Armstrong (Wig, Hair & Makeup Designer)
Jesse Klug (Lighting Designer)
Michael Daly (Sound Designer)
Sally Zack (Props Designer)
Adam Goldstein (Dialect Coach)
Brad Haak (Conductor)
Colt Luedtke (Stage Manager)