CELINE TAKES THE WHEEL

An irreverent Titanic spoof that goes
all in on camp and pop spectacle

Jim Parsons and Melissa Barrera

Titaníque, the Titanic parody which premiered in Los Angeles in 2017, opened at The Asylum Theatre in June 2022 and later transferred to the Daryl Roth Theatre, has finally docked on Broadway. And it is irreverent, energetic, and hilarious. Directed by Tye Blue, on a set that gives just a hint of the enormous ship, the action never stops (scenic design by Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace Laubacher for Iron Bloom Creative Production) .

The main idea is that Céline Dion (the incredible Marla Mindelle), who sang the theme song in the movie, survived after the ship hit an iceberg and sank in 1912—even though that would make her well over one hundred years old. She appears in the middle of a Titanic museum tour, determined to tell the story of what really happened to Jack (Constantine Rousouli, lusciously sexy) and Rose (Melissa Barrera, innocent and hot) and a host of other characters, many of whom were neither on the ship nor in the movie.

Deborah Cox

The show is filled with references to not only the James Cameron 1997 blockbuster but also various other icons, including RuPaul, Patti LuPone, the “unsinkable” Molly Brown (the unsinkable Deborah Cox), and, most hilariously, Tina Turner in a scene where the evil Iceberg (Layton Williams) channels the megastar singing “River Deep – Mountain High,” a song also covered by Céline Dion. But even people who have lived under a rock since 1950 will enjoy the mayhem.

Jim Parsons, wearing a bird-themed hat, steals the show when he stalks onstage as Rose’s avaricious mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater. When she’s not complaining that the birds are shitting on her head, she’s admonishing her slutty daughter (“a walking yeast infection”) that she’d better forget about Jack and marry the rich Cal Hockley (John Riddle).

Marla Mindelle (center) and the cast

The songs are all from Dion’s pop hits and ballads. Members of the audience will recognize “My Heart Will Go On,” “Because You Loved Me,” and “All By Myself.” Mindelle, irrepressible and mugging with a French-Canadian accent, sings many of them as she weaves herself into the story and interacts with the audience. But so do Jack and Rose and the other characters.

There is considerable doubling up of the actors. Frankie Grande plays Victor Garber (who portrayed the shipbuilder Thomas Andrews in the movie) as well as Luigi, the loyal younger brother in the Mario game; and Williams shines as both the icy berg and the hot Tina.

As the ship sinks, the voices soar and high jinks lift all boats. Don’t miss this one.

Marla Mindelle

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photos by Evan Zimmerman

Titaníque
St. James Theatre, 246 W 44th Street, New York
100 minutes, no intermission
ends on July 12, 2026
for tickets ($70–$280), visit titaniquebroadway.com

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