Review Roundup: Signature Theatre's TITANIC

Signature Theatre presents Titanic, directed by Signature Theatre Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Gigi, Follies, Million Dollar Quartet), now playing thru January 29. The show features a cast, crew and orchestra of more than 50 artists and an inventive new 360-degree staging in Signature Theatre's intimate 330 seat MAX Theatre.

The production features Hasani Allen (1st Stage's Floyd Collins) as Jim Farrell; Iyona Blake (Signature's Jelly's Last Jam) as Caroline Neville; Christopher Bloch(Signature'sKid Victory) as E.J. Smith; Sean Burns (Signature's Elmer Gantry) as Bell Boy; Matt Conner (Signature's The Fix) as Charles Lightoller; Erin Driscoll (Signature's Road Show) as Kate Murphey; Jamie Eacker (Signature's The Fix) as Kate Mullins; Nick Lehan(Signature's The Fix) as Harold Bride; Florence Lacey (Signature's Sunset Boulevard) as Ida Straus; Sam Ludwig (Signature's The Hollow) as Frederick Barrett; Kevin McAllister(Signature's Brother Russia) as William Murdoch; Katie McManus (Signature's Chess) as Kate McGowan; Christopher Mueller (Signature's The Fix) as Henry Etches; Tracy Lynn Olivera (Signature's The Fix) as Alice Beane; Lawrence Redmond (Signature's The Fix) as J. Bruce Ismay; Chris Sizemore (Signature's Miss Saigon) as CharLes Clarke; Bobby Smith (Signature's Freaky Friday) as Thomas Andrews; Stephen Gregory Smith(Signature's The Fix) as Frederick Fleet; Russell Sunday (Signature's Elmer Gantry) as Edgar Beane; and John Leslie Wolfe (Signature's West Side Story) as Isidor Straus.

The creative team includes Choreography by Matthew Gardiner; Music Direction by James Moore; Orchestrations by Joshua Clayton; Scenic Design by Paul Tate DePoo III; Costume Design by Frank Labovitz; Lighting Design by Amanda Zieve; Sound Design by Ryan Hickey; Wig Design by Anne Nesmith; Production Stage Manager Kerry Epstein; and Assistant Stage Manager Kristen Mary Harris; Casting by Walter Ware III, CSA.

Let's see what the critics had to say:

Jennifer Perry, BroadwayWorld: To be truthful, my jaw dropped multiple times during the lengthy opening number that serves as an introduction to the ship, the officers and crew, and some of the more noteworthy passengers. The sound of a seventeen-piece orchestra (playing Josh Clayton's orchestrations) and a multitude of strong voices fill the black box in a way that no other Signature musical (that I can recall) has. Strong soloists abound - with a special shout out to Christopher Mueller who finally gets to show off his unbelievable pipes - and the harmonic blend is delightful. Every note is clear, crisp, and exact with just the right amount of emotion. In fact, I would dare say that the opening is the best sung number I can remember in my years of attending musicals at Signature. Even more impressive, that glorious singing continues for the duration of the performance.

Peter Marks, The Washington Post: The glories of Yeston's craftsmanship are honored fully on Signature Theatre's stage, in director Eric Schaeffer's splendidly sung - and steered - revival in the company's Max theater. Configuring the seating on all four sides of Paul Tate DePoo III's innovative set, a design dominated by a network of nautical gangplanks and bridges splicing the air, Schaeffer places the audience within virtual arm's length of the action. This proves to be a huge help with a work that, aside from its robust, music-driven emotionality, lacks a thoroughly engaging theatrical rationale.

John Harding, DC Metro Theater Arts: Signature veteran Sam Ludwig performs with Lehan in the wireless love duet "The Proposal/ The Night Was Alive," one of the show's truly heart-rending moments. Ludwig leaves an indelible stamp on it and his solo as Frederick Barrett ("Barrett's Song"), but also scores on his own purely dramatic terms as business tycoon Benjamin Guggenheim.

Michael Errigo, The Diamondback: Luckily, Signature tackles the musical with typical quality and grace. From the set design to the lighting to the effects, the whole thing feels wonderfully grand in a theater that seats an intimate 350. A 17-piece orchestra accompanies the production, drawing as much clarity and power as possible from the more traditional, somewhat dull songs, and rousing strong emotion from the rest. The cast, too, puts in great ensemble work-outside of a few iffy accents there isn't a real flaw to be found.

Check back for more reviews!

For tickets and more information, go to www.sigtheatre.org.

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