Titanic

[children&art]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:02am

Can anyone tell me about the Bway production? I recently dusted off my CD and love the music. How did they do the sinking? Was it as breathtaking visually as it sounds musically? Was it a spectacle, if so how?

[Bluewatergables]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:08am

i saw it and i loved it. the sinking...i dont personally rememeber. i remember the lead up to it. and particularly to ghostly aftermath which i found brilliant. i know alot of people complained about the sinking,,but i loved the whole show

[children&art]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:12am

did the stage "tilt" at all?

[J.J.]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:15am

The sinking ultimately occured during "Mr. Andrew's Vision". As Andrew is singing in the lower level, all the action (people rushing 'up' the boat) happens the the level on top of him. As the song ends, the set is almost completely vertical, the piano crushes Andrews against the bulkhead below, as we see people holding on for dear life above. Curtain drops.

[PottstownTeacher]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:20am

Actually, your recollection is nearly perfect, J.J. But at the end of Mr. Andrews' Vision, as the stage is tilting, and he is crushed by piano in the Red Room, the curtain came UP from the stage floor to give the illusion that the water was rising up over the ship and the poor people up on the 3rd level of the set. It really was a brilliant effect and, in my opinion, a marvelous show. I actually just finished a run of this show at our local theatre in Reading, PA. I was Harold Bride (and the rehearsal accompanist) and my wife was Alice Beane. Great time!

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:23am

This show was dreadful. Painfully so.

Yes, the stage tilted, but the millions it cost to do it wasn't justified.

(bleeechhhh)

About the ONLY thing I liked was the choral singing. The ensemble sounded great. That's it. The rest was garbage.

I had a comp seat... and I felt like asking for my money back after the show.

[J.J.]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:24am

Drops...rises...I was close...
Vicky Clarke stole the show as Alice...

[PottstownTeacher]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:27am

Drops ... rises ... falls off the stage into the audience ... who really cares?!!?

And yes, you are right, Victoria Clark was worth the $45.00 I paid for my 1/2 price ticket for my front mezzanine seat! And, for the $20 it cost our audience, my wife stole the show, too! (Not that I am biased or anything! hehehehe)

I really did love that show. My only "problem" (lack of a better word) was the book. I remember thinking, "Ya know, when they sing, it's a freakin' awesome show. STOP TALKING for the love of God!"

[children&art]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:33am

wow best12bars, tell us how you really feel about why dont ya.

[Bluewatergables]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:41am

thanks..i totally remember that. i remember Cerveris struggling to stay standing
and for that person on this site who hated it. please why? what did you hate. please be specific other wise you sound like a shrew

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 11:46am

The Broadway production was GORGEOUS. I loved every moment. But it was evident from the tour that without the amazing Broadway set, to attempt the tilt on a budget just looked ridiculous. One of my favorite shows and one of Broadway's best scores in the last 20 years. It deserved every Tony it received.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 12:01pm

I loved this show and the overall sinking effect. The ensemble was wonderful and in the 9 times that I saw this show I never saw an understudy! My only complaint was that the set looked kind of cheap.

There was a production of this show in California and their set was amazing. Can't remember the theatre off hand.

Posted: 2/10/06 at 1:42pm

D: It was South Bay CLO...they spend a TON of money on the interior staircase set..gorgeous...but underused and frankly a bit of a waste of money. It was an excellent production.

I love this show as well...it captured all the emotion, pathos, heartbreak etc. so much better than the movie ever could. The touring company did lack some bells and whistles, but the show itself can overcome that and still be magnificent.

[wishinguweresomehow]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 4:01pm

I completely agree...I think that the show was definitely underrated.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 7:00pm

I saw it on tour and was amazed by it. Those with my didn't share the love, but I still remember the telegraph scene with the small little room years later.

Posted: 2/10/06 at 7:02pm

The only damn thing I remember about the show was the tilting stage. Heh. Perhaps I should listen to some of the songs again. I don't remember any particularly memorable songs, but I was young.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 7:03pm

yup- me too. I remember I wore one of those poofy princess outfits- I was very little.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 10:29pm

The set was indeed tacky looking. I would like to have seen the actual sinking but they could not do it. The model that went across the stage at the end of Act 1 was great

I was hoping for a better song for the Strauses but it did not happen.

Overall, we enjoyed it & the idea of doing a musical about it was quite daunting. For the most part, they pulled it off

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 10:39pm

Judging from what was described here, there were substantial changes made in TITANIC after I saw the 1st preview. It was three hours long and b-o-r-i-n-g.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 10:51pm

I would have loved to seen this show. I love the music, and I REALLY love the cast.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 2:49am

The original Broadway production was poorly directed. I think the director spent so much time on the stage mechanics he left the cast to fend for themselves. The score is quite good with nice variety.

The book is a bit awkward: Act One is mostly filler until the crash at the end of it, but we do get to meet some of the characters. Trouble is most of them aren't terribly interesting. Act II is very much better, tighter and more dramatic.

The tableau at the end of Act Oen was brilliant. When I heard about it from a friend who saw the show in previews I thought it sounded awful but he said it worked and boy, did it ever. I notice that people who never saw the show complain about it. those who saw the production liked the effect a lot.

The sets were neither elaborate and ornate enough nor minimalist enough. It was half-way between and looked half-assed. The tilting and sinking was impressive however.

In all not a perfect show but a decent.

I just saw an excellent community production here in Toront and many scenes played better here than on Broadway.