Porchlight and Broadway in Chicago: Titanique Review
Members of the cast of TITANIQUE
Porchlight Music Theatre & Broadway in Chicago Present TITANIQUE - Titanic As Told By Céline Dion
TLDR: Titanique is Titanic told through the lens of Céline Dion because, obviously, she was there the whole time. Full of recognizable Céline Dion songs alongside original ones written for the show, Titanique embraces over the top, campy humor to tell this parody and each of the performers showcases their musical and comedic abilities.
Clare Kennedy McLaughlin (Céline Dion)
Surprise! It’s Céline Dion!
The cast comes walking through the aisles led by their tour guide Lorenzo Shawn Parnell as he shows them various artifacts from the Titanic. As he shows them the piece de resistance, The Heart of the Ocean, a shadowy, cloaked figure cries out that that’s not the whole story. Her cloak flies off and there stands none other than Céline Dion! In a sparkly pink dress, she claims she was there on the Titanic and witnessed Jack and Rose’s romance aboard the sinking ship. She takes center stage, microphone in hand, ready to tell us her version of that fateful journey.
Clare Kennedy McLaughlin plays our leading lady and captures the essence of Dion. She has the slight French-Canadian accent and mannerisms including her catchphrase, “Shall we go for it then?” She kicks us off with a rendition of “I’m Alive” that has the crowd eating out of her palm, cheering and clapping along with her. With the band onstage, it feels like we could be at her residency in Vegas.
But McLaughlin does not just make an appearance every once in a while to sing a song, oh no. As she narrates the story as she remembers it, she makes sure to pop-up everywhere. When Jack and Rose are about to share their first kiss she’s right in the middle, when someone else is singing their solo she’s sliding out from backstage onto the piano, and when someone needs a tutorial on the birds and the bees she’s right there with an eggplant for demonstration.
Bringing Out the Laughs
So while McLaughlin is making sure her presence isn’t missed anywhere onstage, the rest of the cast makes sure they match her energy with their characters. They make them silly and campy and heighten each of their characters’ personalities.
Adam Fane as Jack mugs to the audience like a regular male model (or aging twink depending on who you ask) and makes sure his hair looks perfect at every turn. Maya Rowe as Rose embraces her role as the young, naive, ingénue desperate for a way out of a loveless marriage and longing for a rich and fulfilling lifestyle being poor. The two were made for each other as they shyly exchange glances across the stage, but ham it up when it’s time for Fane to paint Rowe like one of his French girls.
Jackson Evans is as kooky, crazy as ever, bouncing back and forth between Jack’s loyal Italian sidekick, Luigi (who looks strangely like a certain Mario character…) to the ship’s captain. He bops back and forth holding the ship’s tiny pink steering wheel until he can’t hold it in any longer and the stairs turn on their rainbow lights and we’re making a stop in Boystown so he can dance it all out.
Not to be outmatched by their over the topness, Rob Lindley steals the spotlight as Rose’s mother Ruth. She absolutely cannot believe Rose doesn’t want to marry the strikingly handsome Cal (Adrian Aguilar) and does everything she can to get Cal to look her way, even though he may be distracted by his newest Grindr match.
The two powerhouse belters bring the house down when it’s their time to shine. Parnell transforms from tour guide to Tina Turner with a rousing rendition of “River Deep Mountain High.” And Abby C. Smith as the unsinkable Molly Brown delivers the most unhinged Southern turns of phrase while also giving us not one, but two of the most iconic “Defying Gravity” riffs.
And while there are many recognizable Céline Dion songs throughout the show, this talented cast gets to show off each of their musical talents with original songs written for the show as well.
Music Director Dr. Michael McBride and Rob Lindley (Ruth)
The After Party Thoughts
I’ll be honest, I have seen Titanique before in its off-Broadway production in New York, so seeing it here in Chicago was always going to be a comparison for me (though I did my best to be unbiased!).
One thing that I absolutely love about this version is that they made it their own, very much Chicago style. It’s an all Chicago based cast and they update references to make us Chicagoans laugh and say, we know that place! The set design is also completely refreshed making it feel more like a Céline Dion concert with the band set-up and a giant staircase running up center stage. There’s also so many pop culture references, adult humor, and jokes that the gays and queers in the audience will love. It’s non-stop comedy from start to finish.
Titanique hits the mark for a lot of different reasons and will have you doubled over, laughing out loud at all its absurdities. If you are a fan of the movie Titanic and all its parodies, various content, etc etc., there’s no doubt that you will also love Titanique because it was tailor made for you. For those that love making fun of Titanic, you would also love this show. And if you don’t fall into either of those categories but you’re in the mood for a parody musical chock full of jokes, this would be a good fit for you.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
When
Now through July 3, 2025
Where
Broadway Playhouse
175 E Chestnut St.
Chicago, IL 60611
Runtime: 100min, no intermission
Tickets
$45+
Tickets can be purchased through the Broadway in Chicago website
Photos
Michael Brosilow
The cast of TITANIQUE
CAST
Clare Kennedy McLaughlin (Céline Dion)
Adam Fane (Jack)
Maya Rowe (Rose)
Jackson Evans (Victor Garber/Luigi)
Rob Lindley (Ruth)
Adrian Aguilar (Cal)
Abby C. Smith (Molly Brown)
Lorenzo Shawn Parnell (The Seaman/Iceberg)
Eric Lewis (Background vocalist)
Caroline Lyell (Background vocalist)
Elaine Watson (Background Vocalist)
Understudies: Jordan Douglas Ellis, Kaitlin Feely, and Luke Nowakowski
CREATIVE
Tye Blue (Director)
Michael Weber (Director)
Kasey Alfonso (Choreography)
Dr. Michael Mcbride (Music Director)
Jeffrey D. Kmiec (Scenic Designer)
Jos N. Banks (Costume Designer)
Kevin Barthel (Wig Designer)
Greg Hofmann ( Lighting Designer)
Milo Blue (Assistant Scenic Designer)
Jessica Neill (Associate Light Designer)
Stephanie Farina (Co-Sound Designer)
Sarah Ramos (Co- Sound Designer)
Rita Vreeland (Production Stage Manager)
Drew Donnelly (Assistant Stage Manager)
John Mctaggart (Technical Director)
Danny Carraher (Assistant Technical Director)
Lydia Moss (Scenic Charge)
Kayne Bowling (Lead Carpenter)
Bette Schneider (Costume Director)
Rachel West (Lighting Director)
Riley Woods (Assistant Lighting Director)
Stark Winter (Lx Programmer)
Morgan Dudaryk (Audio And Video Director)
Matthew R. Chase (Assistant Audio And Video Director)
Bek Lambrecht (Rigging And Automation Specialist)
Kim Carbone (A1)
Stephen Ptacek (A2 - Ia Steward)
Ali Westendorf (Assistant Costume Director/Wardrobe Supervisor )
Amanda May (Hair And Makeup Director)
Ray Jones (Wardrobe Supervisor Swing)
Patrick Mcguire (Properties Director)
Linda Madonia (Music Supervisor)
Justin Kono (Electronic Music Designer)
Heather Gervasi (Associate Production Manager)
Jessica Minogue (Production Assistant)
Majel Cuza (Director Of Production)
Frankie Leo Bennett (Producing And Casting Associate)