Melissa Barrera, John Riddle, and Layton Williams Join TITANIQUE Broadway Cast
They join the previously announced Marla Mindelle, Jim Parsons, Deborah Cox, Frankie Grande and Constantine Rousouli.
By: Stephi Wild Feb. 20, 2026
Titanique has announced the remaining principal cast for its Broadway voyage! Film and television star Melissa Barrera (In The Heights film, “The Copenhagen Test”) will make her Broadway debut as Rose DeWitt Bukater, opposite Lortel Award nominee John Riddle (Frozen, Phantom of the Opera) returning to the role of Cal Hockley, which he originated Off-Broadway. West End star Layton Williams (Cabaret, Everybody's Talking About Jamie) who won an 2025 Olivier Award for his turn as The Iceberg in London, will make his Broadway debut in the role this spring.
Barrera, Riddle and Williams star in the musical alongside previously-announced Olivier & Lortel Award winner Marla Mindelle (Sister Act, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella) as Celine Dion, four-time Emmy Award winner and Tony nominee Jim Parsons (“Big Bang Theory,” Mother Play, Our Town) as Ruth Dewitt Bukater; multi-platinum Grammy-nominated singer and actress Deborah Cox (The Wiz, The Bodyguard Musical) as Unsinkable Molly Brown, Frankie Grande (Rock of Ages, Mamma Mia) as Victor Garber; and Olivier Award-winning Titanique co-creator Constantine Rousouli (Wicked, Cruel Intentions: The Musical) as Jack Dawson.
Titanique – a wildly funny send-up of the blockbuster film Titanic, powered by the songs of pop icon Céline Dion – has played eight cities across the globe, including a record-breaking three-year Off-Broadway run through 2025, and an Olivier Award-winning production still playing in London’s West End. The musical makes its Broadway debut this spring in a 16-week limited engagement beginning March 26, 2026. Opening Night is set for Sunday, April 12, 2026, and the production will run through July 12, 2026, at the historic St. James Theatre.
Co-written by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli, the Olivier Award-winning musical comedy Titanique fuses a kooky crazy reimagining of the eleven-time Oscar–winning Titanic from the perspective, and certified-platinum hits, of Céline Dion. Want to find out what really happened to Jack and Rose on that fateful night? Just leave it to Céline to enchant the audience with her wild take, recharting the course of Titanic’s beloved moments and characters with her iconic song catalog. Sailing on fierce powerhouse vocals in show-stopping performances of such hits as “My Heart Will Go On,” “All By Myself”, and “To Love You More” – backed by the unparalleled energy of a full live band – Titanique is a one-of-a-kind theatrical voyage bursting with nostalgia, heart, and campy chaos. Co-creator Tye Blue (“RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Rumer Willis’ Over the Love Tour) will direct the Broadway production, with choreography by Ellenore Scott (Ragtime, Funny Girl, Little Shop of Horrors). Titanique is produced on Broadway by Tony Award winner Eva Price (&Juliet, Liberation, Oklahoma!).
Titanique has charted a route to Broadway that is rarer than a blue diamond from Jared’s: a former Fiyero, Sister Mary Robert, and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” producer walked into a bar in Los Angeles, stirred up a musical fever dream over martinis, and never let go. Several readings later, the musical made its bow Off-Broadway in summer 2022 at The Asylum Theatre (also lovingly known as “the basement of a Gristedes"). After multiple sold-out extensions, and a move to a bigger boat at the above-ground Daryl Roth Theatre, Titanique became the most decorated Off-Broadway musical of its season – winning seven major awards, including the Lucille Lortel Award and Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best New Musical, a Las Culturistas Culture Award, and the Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Performer for Marla Mindelle. Concurrent with the Off-Broadway Production’s three-year run, international productions opened in London’s West End, Sydney, Toronto, Montréal, Chicago, Paris, and São Paulo — each adding to the show’s global acclaim and momentum. In 2025, Titanique won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy, joining the ranks of Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage, The Play That Goes Wrong, and Michael Frayn’s Noises Off.
Joining Blye and Scott on the Broadway creative team are: Music Supervisor, Arranger, and Orchestrator Nicholas James Connell; Scenic Designer Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace Laubacher for Iron Bloom Creative Production; Lucille Lortel Award-winning Costume Designer Alejo Vietti (Beautiful, Smash), Lighting Designer Paige Seber; Sound Designer Lawrence Schober; and Drama Desk Award-winning Hair & Wig Designer Charles G. LaPointe (Death Becomes Her). Casting is by The Telsey Office/Rachel Hoffman, CSA, and General Management is by ShowTown Theatricals.
Biographies
Melissa Barrera (Rose DeWitt Bukater), born and raised in Mexico, has captivated audiences worldwide through her versatile performances. She can currently be seen in the Peacock spy series “The Copenhagen Test” opposite Simu Liu — which premiered in December and quickly hit #1 on the streaming platform — and on Netflix in the 2024 Sundance Film Festival romance, Your Monster. Melissa’s upcoming screen projects include the thriller Black Tides co-starring John Travolta, and The Collaboration opposite Jeremy Pope and Paul Bettany.
Recent film credits include the Universal horror film Abigail, which reunited Melissa with the Radio Silence directing team, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett – whom she worked with on two installments of the iconic horror franchise Scream, and Scream VI. In 2022, Melissa starred in Sony Pictures Classics’ modern musical reimagining of Carmen opposite Paul Mescal, and in Gravitas Ventures’ All the World is Sleeping. Melissa also led Netflix's global survival hit, "Keep Breathing," and STX's supernatural thriller Bed Rest, which she starred in and produced. In 2021, she reached international recognition for her performance as Vanessa in Warner Bros. movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical In the Heights.
Melissa began her career starring in popular telenovelas in her native Mexico, including "La Mujer de Judas," "La Otra Cara del Alma," and the renowned "Siempre tuya Acapulco" and "Tanto Smor.” In 2017, she made her Netflix debut in the popular comedy "Club de Cuervos”, quickly followed by her U.S. television debut in STARZ's critically acclaimed series "Vida." She's starred in musicals such as "Spring Awakening," "Young Frankenstein" and the Spanish pop-rock hit musical "Hoy no me puedo levantar" in Mexico City.
John Riddle (Cal Hockley) was nominated for a Lortel Award for the role of Cal, which he created for the Off-Broadway run of Titanique. He recently played the final performance as Raoul in the historic 35-year Broadway run of The Phantom of the Opera, and originated the Broadway roles of Hans in Disney’s Frozen and Young Anton in The Visit opposite Broadway legend Chita Rivera. National tour: Evita. Regional: George in Sunday in the Park…at Glimmerglass Opera, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the MUNY, Kennedy Center, Long Wharf Theatre, Goodspeed, PCLO, Casa Mañana, and Cape Playhouse. Other: Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods (Town Hall), The Secret Garden in Concert (Lincoln Center), Disney’s Festival of the Arts, soloist with the Cincinnati Pops, American Pops, Omaha Symphony and The Naples Opera. @thejohnriddle
Layton Williams (The Iceberg) was born in Bury, Manchester and he began his career at the age of 12 playing the title role of Billy in the West End production of Billy Elliot. He made his debut TV appearance as Kylie in the BBC comedy ”Beautiful People.” He went on to train at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts which was documented on CBBC’s ”School For Stars.” Theatre credits include: Titanique (Criterion); Cabaret (Playhouse); Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Apollo); Kiss Me Kate (Sheffield Crucible); Hairspray (UK Tour); Rent (Other Palace); The Car Man and Lord of the Flies (Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures); Thriller Live (Lyric), Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace).
TV & Film credits include: “Bad Education” (BBC); People We Meet on Vacation (Netflix); “Strictly Come Dancing” (BBC); “I Hate Suzie” (HBO); “I Kissed A Boy” (BBC); “The Cleaner” (BBC); “Murder, They Hope” (BBC); “Benidorm” (ITV); “School For Stars” (CBBC); “Postcode” (CBBC); “Beautiful People” (BBC). Layton is the director of ‘Pros From The Shows’ which provides high quality performing arts experiences for young performers at his "Slay Clubs". He is also a passionate advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. This year marks Layton's Netflix series debut as he takes on the role of stylist Onassis in “Geek Girl”. Awards include three Black British Theatre Awards, a What's On Stage Award and an Olivier Award for his role in Titanique on the West End. Layton is thrilled to be making his Broadway Debut reprising his role as Iceberg in Titanique.
