‘Titanique’ is fantastique: Why this musical comedy is making waves

“Titanique,” a campy, irreverent musical comedy opened in previews on March 25, and has already been extended to July 13! We didn’t know what to expect when we attended the 100-minute (no intermission) production at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, but let’s just say it is a one-of-a-kind, nostalgic voyage that will have you clapping and standing in the aisle. 

It was packed at the intimate, charming, jewel-box theatre at 175 E. Chestnut. The room was buzzing with excitement when we sat down so I knew it would be a very special experience, and I was so right.

The story begins when Céline Dion, (brilliantly played by Clare Kennedy McLaughlin) hijacks a Titanic Museum tour. What follows is a crazy, whirlwind of fun, laughter and great music, all played by some of the most capable performers I’ve seen in a long time.  

The musical includes hits such as “My Heart Will Go On,” “All By Myself” and “To Love You More” – backed by the energy of a full live band.

The production features powerhouse voices and numbers that you never want to end. Pair that with a nod to contemporary pop culture and specially curated Chicago-based innuendos and you have a surefire winner. In fact, the production is up for a prestigious Olivier Award for “Best Entertainment and Comedy Show” at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Sunday, April 6!

The production was cast perfectly (all Chicago actors!) with everyone being a standout in their roles. On the night we attended, McLaughlin played Céline; Adam Fane (Jack); Maya Rowe (Rose); Jackson Evans (Victor Garber/Luigi) and Rob Lindley (Cal). Two of our favorites were Eric Lewis (The Seaman/Iceberg) and Abby C. Smith (Molly Brown). There was more talent in this show than you could shake a stick at.

We were lucky to meet the co-creator/director Tye Blue, thanks to friend Whitney Lasky, who loved the show so much the first time she saw it that she is now a producer! (The book is by Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Blue.) 

The backstory, as told by Tye, started during Covid when he and a group of writer friends were working at a “lousy” dinner theater. Covid hit and then they were all out of jobs. Tye mentioned he had a little money on his credit card, so why not write a show? They teamed up in his apartment and asked, “What would happen if Celine Dion was on the Titanic”? And that, my friend, is when the magic began.

I quizzed Tye on what he likes best about doing the show. “I love the way it makes people feel. Everyone seems to be carrying around so much trauma, tension and anxiety, worrying about finances and politics. And I think, what I've found in doing this show, is that it really is the antidote for day-to-day living. I love sitting in the back of the theater and watching 300, 500, 700 people and seeing their reactions. I remember seeing one the show’s current producers, Whitney Lasky, seeing it for the first time and having the time of her life. It’s just such a privilege to be able to give that to people as your job,” he said. 

Looking toward the future, Tye has a few irons in the fire. He and Whitney have a new project coming up. “That's another perk of doing a fun show is you meet wonderful people who love theater and who love to feel good. And so, we just kind of aligned around this property that speaks to both of us. It's a movie called “Jackie's Back”, which was made as a British TV documentary movie in 1999. It's about a woman who was a child star, had a multi-decade career and then her comeback. It's the joy of second chances and having people give you a break,” he said.

What’s next? Tye will directing a new play called “Joan” about the life of Joan Rivers. He said, “It will open in Cape Cod, hopefully, Labor Day weekend and, when it opens, it will run for three weeks, but who knows? It’s a fabulous new play and there’s been some interest in it. Joan’s daughter, Melissa Rivers, will be in it too, playing herself. It really boils down to being a woman in a time period where women had to be a housewife or have a job and having to choose.”

Titanique has been running off-Broadway in New York for a little over three years and in Sydney, Australia, for about eight months now. Three months ago, the musical opened on the West End in London. Canada is on hold and now it’s running in Chicago with Paris is coming soon.

Tye shared, “I leave Chicago literally the morning after opening night, fly directly to Paris and then go directly into rehearsal. It's pretty amazing and surreal. I'm just a kid who comes from a tiny town on the outskirts of Texas and I get to make people laugh as I travel all over the world. I have a fun job that I love that makes me feel good and I can’t imagine anything better.” 

He added, “If this town, which loves comedy and theater, embraces this show, it could be something that could live here for a little while, and that's my mission… I would love that.” And we would too Tye, we would too….

(Presented by Broadway in Chicago and Porchlight Music Theatre, Titanique is recommended for ages 12+ for sexual innuendo, adult humor and language. Now through July 13. For tickets/more info, click here!)