BWW Reviews: TITANIC: THE MUSICAL at the Muny

Titanic: The Musical is just the sort of production that's perfectly suited to the vast expanse the Muny provides. After all, it's a big show, and there's no space quite as mammoth in size and scope as the Muny stage. And, I'm happy to report that their current presentation of Titanic: The Musical that's playing through July 11, 2010, is a grand and entertaining spectacle that's powered by a top notch cast and sharp direction.

The action follows the crew and passengers of the R.M.S. Titanic as it heads out on its maiden voyage. If you know your history then you know that 1,500 of the 2,200 people on board never returned home, perishing when the mighty ship was torn asunder as it encountered an iceberg. Peter Stone's book captures this moment in time with remarkable clarity and honesty. By choosing not to focus our attention on some fictional "boy meets girl" angle, he's also going against the typical way that Hollywood has treated this subject matter to date. There is a certain amount of romance to be sure, but it's not the focal point. Instead, Stone lays out the facts, and while some of the characters are rather thinly drawn, he makes an effort to tell us as many of their stories as he can. That weakens the play dramatically, because we don't really get a chance to get beneath their individual skins, but it paints a more accurate portrait of the tragedy that occurred.

This play has an exceptionally large cast, and though at times it plays more as an ensemble piece, there are several notable performances including: Joneal Joplin's turn as the stalwart Captain Smith; Tom Hewitt's efforts as architect Thomas Andrews; William Youmans' work as the ship's condescending owner, J. Bruce Ismay; the ever-amusing Michele Ragusa's turn as starstruck, social-climber Alice Beane; Ron Raines and Claudia Catania, as the lovingly devoted Isidor and Ida Strauss, respectively; Telly Leung's job as the beleaguered radio operator; and Ben Crawford's role as the stoker. Additional support is solid across the board.

Don Stephenson's direction is very well done, and he manages to keep this huge cast focused and committed throughout the performance. He's aided by Liza Gennaro's choreography which adds a level of energy and exuberance to the show that helps to propel it along. Michael Anania's scenic design smartly captures the open sea and the ship itself with startling backdrops and nicely rendered set pieces. The lighting design of David Landers is especially dramatic during the end of the first act as the ship strikes the iceberg that eventually brings it down to the ocean depths. Musical director Kevin Stites brings Maury Yeston's serviceable score to life, taking full advantage of the orchestra he's utilizing to produce a very rich sound.

The Muny's poignant and compelling production of Titanic: The Musical continues through July 11, 2010.

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