Review: TITANIC at Signature Theatre - It is a Night to Remember

I was so thrilled when I learned that Signature Theatre's Artistic Director Eric Schaefer had chosen the musical TITANIC to be a part of the 1916-17 season. Schaefer has undertaken the herculean task of directing this masterpiece and thanks to the marvelous 20 person cast he has assembled, a cadre of talented designers, and a superb 17 piece orchestra which can be seen in a balcony overlooking the stage. Conducting the orchestra is James Moore and Josh Clayton did the yeoman's work of writing new orchestrations for the Signature orchestra.

A week after TITANIC opened on Broadway in 1997, it was nominated for five Tony Awards and it won all five including "Best Musical". I remember how thrilled I was seeing this show at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Peter Stone wrote the Story and the Book of the musical while Maury Yeston did the Music and Lyrics. Original Orchestrations were by Jonathan Tunick.

The cast was loaded with talent. The magnificent Bryan d'Arcy James had his coming out as a future Broadway star playing Stoker Barrett while English star Allan Corduner was radio-operator Bride. Michael Cerveris was terrific as ship owner Ismay. Victoria Clark played Alice Beane.

According to Composer Maury Yeston in a lovely description in the program..."...the music has symphonic dimensions, with echoes of Elgar and Vaughn Williams mixed with the pennywhistles of the common folk, and I poured my heart and soul into it." Go the theater's web site for a nice description of the music by the composer. It was fascinating to hear him describe how he used a major chord on the right hand and a minor chord in the left hand which led to a haunting sound.

Yeston adds that he realized that the hit song of 1912 was "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and it was a smart decision to include a ragtime number and the only really choreographed number "Doing the Latest Rag".

I highly recommend listening to the CD prior to seeing this unforgettable musical. The music is sweeping, majestic, lush, and unforgettable.

I also recommend "Titanic, The Complete Book of the Musical" by Peter Stone, the author of the musical's story and book and composer Yeston. It is here I first learned that in 1990 Stone and Maury Yeston were initially brought together in Boston to assist during the tryouts for the musical GRAND HOTEL (which I enjoyed at the Colonial Theater). It was there that Yeston suggested the idea they work together on a musical about the Titanic and they agreed it would be a wonderful concept.

It was Walter Lord's best-selling book "A Night to Remember" which kindled a huge interest in the ship's demise. An English film based on the book in the early '50s starred Clifton Webb. I loved the book and must have done at least three different book reports on it during my younger days. What really catapulted the subject occurred in 1985 when The Remains of the ship was discovered on the ocean floor.

While the hit film TITANIC came out the same year as the Broadway show it was Stone and Yeston's decision to only use "actual" persons. They would invent no one like the film did.

As you enter the "Max" Theatre configuration, you will notice that the theater has been transformed into a round setting, a so-called 360 degree production, only the second time in Signature's history.

Paul Tate DePoo III is responsible for the imaginative Scenic Design. You will notice 5 ramps that work as gangways high above the stage. Three gangways made of steel lead up upwards and are rigged to the ceiling held by aircraft cable Two more are used to get actors onto the stage. One actor, Matt Connor sustained an injury on the ramps. He was seen on crutches after the show. He mentioned to me that the cast feels it is their duty and responsibility in giving their performances to honor those involved in the tragic event.

The stage is eight feet higher than the usual signature stage and there are three trap doors that are used for the stokers to shovel coal. There is a great spread in the Dec. 16 edition of the Washington Post by Nelson Pressley with photos. Thanks Nelson!

Titanic set sail from Southampton, England on April 10, 1912, stopped in Cherbourg, France, and made its final stop in Queenstown, Ireland. This small town is now named Cobb and I have visited a lovely small museum there regarding the ship.

Even after being warned of ice fields in the frigid waters of the Atlantic, the ship continued at full speed until being warned by sailor Frederick Fleet (the talented Stephen Gregory Smith) in the "crow's nest" who is the first to notice the iceberg and yells "iceberg right ahead!"

The ship was fitted with only twenty lifeboats when fifty-four were needed. The first boats were lowered nearly empty. All but two of first class women survived while 155 women and children from 2nd class made it. Almost all in 3rd class did not. A total of 1,517 men, women, and children lost their lives.

Stone mentions in his book, the main characters were presented in groups of three. The first trio consisted of Fred Barrett, a stoker, radioman Harold Bride, and Fleet, the lookout who had never seen an iceberg in his life.

Barrett and Bride perform one of the many highlights of the evening with the duet "The Proposal/The Night Was Alive". Stoker Barrett arrives in Bride's room which houses the new Marconi wireless radio machine and when he realizes he could send a message to his girlfriend Maureen back in Ireland, he dictates his marriage proposal to Bride. Bride, a lonely individual, sings proudly how he can with the help of the radio, speak to the world. It is Bride who for the first time used the Morse code "SOS" to attempt to get the closest ship to assist the Titanic.

Then there were the three men with responsibility for the ship. White Star Line owner J.Bruce Ismay , Thomas Andrews the designer and builder, and Captain E. J. Smith who planned this voyage his last before retirement. Each demonstrated considerable flaws.

The third class trio was composed of three "Kates" (McGowan, Mullins,and Murphy) all Irish who were on the passenger list. They comment on their desires for America in "Ladies Maid". (One even mentions she's seen "Maryland" on the map.)

From among the 2nd class passengers, there were Edgar and Alice Beanes (a shopkeeper and his ambitious wife), and Charles and Caroline Clarke, a young English couple.

Some of the wealthiest individuals in the world were on board and they included John Jacob and Madeline Astor, Isidor and Ida Straus, George and Eleanor Widener, and John and Marion Thayer.

Officers mentioned besides Captain Smith are 1st Officer William Murdoch, 2nd officer Charles Lightoller, 3rd Officer Herbert Pitman, 4th Officer Joseph Boxhall, and Quartermaster Robert Hitchens. Only Lightoller survived miraculously. Of the staff, fifty bellboys, none over 15, went down.

Capt. Smith, Ismay, and Andrews sing two trios. In Act 1 they sing to their praises "The Largest Moving Object" and confront each other in Act II discussing accountability in "The Blame".

A highlight is the moving duet by the elderly Strauses after Ida refuses to leave her husband Isidor (owner of Macy's Department store) in the song "Still". They had been married 41 years. Following the song, a crew member places a glass in a napkin under Isidor's foot to allow Mr. Straus to recreate the Jewish tradition of the "breaking of the glass" after a wedding. A very nice touch which not all theaters include.

There has recently been a debate how which musical has the best opening number. Many believe this honor belongs to TITANIC. It is the ship's architect Thomas Andrews (played by the incomparable Bobby Smith) who nails this important number as he slowl, assuredly, and quite softly sings the beginning of this long opening number with "Prologue: In Every Age" in which he mentions many of the world's former achievements like China's endless wall, Stonehenge, the Parthenon, and the pyramids. It is a powerful moment.

"The Launching" is a compilation of seven numbers: "How Did they Build Titanic" (Barrett), the stunning "There She Is" (the crew), "Loading Inventory" (Capt. Smith and Ship Personnel), "The Largest Moving Object" (Smith, Ismay, and Andrews), "I Must Get on That Ship" (Company), "The First-Class Roster" (Herbert Pitman and Alice Beance), and finally "Godspeed Titanic" by the Company which will bring you goose-bumps.

Making the magic of this show are: Frank Labovitz (Costume Design), Amanda Zieve (Lighting Design), Ryan Hickey (Sound Design) and Mathew Gardiner (Choreography).

This could be one of the finest ensembles ever assembled at the Signature.

Playing Captain E. J. Smith in a smart looking white beard is one of my favorite actors, Christopher Bloch who once again proves what an amazing presence he brings to every role. Sam Ludwig (Barrett) and Nick Lehan (Bride) are astounding together in their duet.

Lawrence Redmond nails his role as the evil ship owner, Ismay.

Playing the three "Kates" are the talented trio of Erin Driscoll, Jamie Eacker, and Katie McManus.

Tracy Lynn Olivera and Russell Sunday are superb as Mr. and Mrs. Beane.

What a couple Florence Lacey and John Leslie Wolfe play as Mr. and Mrs. Isidor Straus. They actually met and performed together as the leads in EVITA on Broadway. Their "Still" is just amazing.

Kevin McAllister plays Murdoch in a complex role which he is ideal for. Look for him playing the lead in the Ford's Theatre production of RAGTIME March 10 to May 20, 2017.

Other stand-outs are Hasani Allen, Iyona Blake, Sean Burns, Matt Conner, Christopher Mueller, and Chris Sizemore.

Patrons will find in their program the name and history of a passenger on the ship. To find out their fate, one must visit SigTheatre.org/TitanicTicket. My third class passenger was Miss Honor Healy, age 33.

There are Discussion nights following the January 4 and January 10 performances.

One of the most poignant moments of the Titanic's sinking is the story of the ship's band who played on at Captain Smith's request to the very end to keep up the spirits of those about to perish.

In September, 1912, the Boston Symphony unveiled a memorial plaque listing the names of the musicians who drowned while still playing "Autumn" according to survivor Bride. The plaque was donated anonymously but it was later revealed that arts patron Isabella Steward Gardner, a close friend of BSO founder Henry Lee Higginson, was so moved by the story of the musicians that she commissioned the marble plaque that can be found in the main hallway of Symphony Hall.

The first monument ever erected in memory of the Titanic in America was built in the small town of Libertytown, Maryland at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church dedicated on April 19, 1912.

There are two memorials in Washington, DC. The "Titanic Memorial" stands next to the Washington Channel near Fort McNair. Two victims memorialized in the Butt-Millet Memorial Fountain are Archibald Butt and Francis Davis millet. It is located in President's Park and was dedicated in October, 1913.

TITANIC continues only until January 29, 2017. For tickets, call 703-820-9771 or visit Tickets:SigTheatre.org. Act quickly because these tickets will be hard to get.

THIS AND THAT

Please excuse a little self-promotion. My father, the late Rabbi Leo Shubow joined the International Ice Patrol, part of the Coast Guard, and chased icebergs following the Titanic disaster. He became obsessed with the Titanic story and had articles about it published in the Boston Traveler. He would later write a book about his experiences called "Iceberg Dead Ahead" in which he writes about the tragedy. He would later visit the memorial to the victims in a cemetery in Nova Scotia which is still maintained by under a trust established by the White Star Line. My father took 16 millimeter movies of the memorial there and then would show his film and lecture about his experiences throughout New England.

Coming to the Signature:

"Inside Signature: Bobby Smith" January 5 at 1 p.m. is a free lecture by Bobby Smith who talks about his career and history with the Theatre.

Nicholas Rodriguez, fresh off his performance at Arena Stage in CAROUSEL will cross the Potomac for five nights at the Signature performing in the intimate "Ark" theatre from January 31 to February 4. Tickets are $35.

There is a New Play Reading on Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Mead Lobby called THE HOMECOMING by Dani Stoler. It's Free.

Next up at Signature is Mrs. Miller DOES HER THING by Pulitzer Prize winner James Lapine starring Debra Monk

I highly recommend the Italian restaurant Osteria da Nino where you will get 15% off your meal with a Signature ticket. It is right around the corner from the theater at 2900n S. Quincy Street. Visit www.oteriadaninova.com.

Just saw the terrific film LA LA Land and noticed that Marc Platt, Baltimore native responsible for WICKED and father of Ben Platt star of DEAR EVAN HANSEN now in previews on Broadway. I predict it will become a Broadway production in the future.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

cgshubow@broadwayworld.com