Milwaukee Rep Launches ‘Titanic,’ Its Biggest Musical Ever

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In 1912, the fabled ocean liner Titanic never made it to its destination in New York City. In 2021, it seemed as though the Milwaukee Repertory Theater would never launch its version of Titanic: The Musical. With the pandemic taking hold in America, the prospects of mounting a show as complex and formidable as Titanic seemed bleak, indeed. For a time, it seemed as though the whole country was coming to a standstill.

Happily, life is beginning to return to normal. And Milwaukee Rep’s production of Titanic finally set sail last weekend at the largest of the complex’s three theaters, the Quadracci Powerhouse. And the 700-seat theater is an ideal fit for this miraculous undertaking, which has stretched the Milwaukee Rep’s considerable resources to their limits. This is the largest musical in the Rep’s 67-year history.

The result is a not-to-be-missed theatrical experience, which blends spectacular storytelling, music and dance to create a stirring and memorable production.

Titanic: The Musical is the winner of five Tony Awards. The book was written by Peter Stone, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and orchestrations by Joshua Clayton. The musical takes the theatergoer on a journey through the lives of real-life passengers and crew. It details the aspirations of third-class passengers seeking to build better lives for themselves, to the first-class quarters far above them. On the top deck, the super-rich and celebrated passengers stroll about in small groups, displaying their finery for all to admire.

The show’s first act is mainly a celebratory ode to the grandeur of the ship itself, an engineering marvel of its time. During the musical’s overture, the audience watches a series grainy, black-and-white projections that depict the ship’s actual blueprints being drawn, and then phases of construction. As the sweeping, majestic overture continues, dozens of workers are seen working in the Titanic’s shipyard. They look like ants creeping below the huge frame of this massive ship, which grows to become 11 stories tall.

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Passenger Boarding Passes – Who Will Survive?

The audience’s immersion into the Titanic’s world begins even earlier than this. In the theater lobby, each patron is handed an authentic-looking boarding pass for the Titanic’s maiden voyage. On one side is imprinted the name, age and eventual destination for a single passenger.

The fate of this person can only be seen when waving the card underneath a special reader device, located elsewhere in the lobby. (Here’s a tip: If you’re given a pass belonging to a male passenger, chances are he didn’t survive the voyage).

If this hasn’t piqued the audience’s interest sufficiently enough, the large cast does a fantastic job in drawing attention to the comings and goings on this historic voyage. After many vocal tributes to the ship, including accolades to “the Largest Floating Object in the World,” all the upper-class guests are greeted aboard with great fanfare. There’s an undisputable aura of celebration, as the ladies’ feather-covered hats and swirling skirts (costumes by longtime designer Alexander B. Tecoma) set the scene alight with color and movement.

An Ironic Envy of Wealth and Position

One of the show’s focal points is a gossipy, second-class passenger (Lillian Castillo). She provides (sometimes scandalous) details of famous and wealthy guests as they stride towards the dock. One of the most prominent men, she reveals, is traveling with a woman who is not his wife. Then she spots John Jacob Astor (Jamey Feshold), stepping onboard with his new bride, a woman who is 29 years younger than himself.

Once onboard, the sneaky Castillo tries every trick to enter the first-class areas, much to the consternation of her hardware store-owning husband, Edgar (Steve Watts). But Castillo is so bubbly and lovable that one cannot fault her for wanting to rub shoulders with the upper crust. She flatly tells her husband that life does not meet her expectations. Edgar, a steady, unflappable man with infinite patience, reminds her to be grateful for what she has. His words become eerily prophetic when disaster strikes.

The ship’s crew gives far less attention to the third-class characters, who nonetheless sing of their adventures ahead in the New World. Stuffed into a cramped hold far below the first-class cabins, the passengers tell of their individual dreams. One woman sees herself as a lady’s maid, while another wants to be a seamstress. A third woman wants to be a governess. Several of the men speak up, too. One longs to be a constable, while another wishes to be an engineer. One just wants to become a millionaire.

Their upbeat song is also tinged with sadness, as the audience knows what lies ahead. When the ship inevitably hits an iceberg, most of the first-class passengers are directed to the lifeboats. Many of the lower-level passengers are left to fend for themselves.

A standout among the third-class passengers is Kate McGowan, one of several Irish Kates who’ve booked passage on the Titanic. With her fiery red hair, the feisty and plain-speaking Kate seeks not only a new life, but also a husband and father for her unborn child. To that end, she strikes up a shipboard romance with Jim Farrell (Brian Krinsky).

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Very Different Perspective than in ‘Titanic’ Film

Many of those who attend the Milwaukee Rep show will be familiar with James Cameron’s award-winning film of the same title. Well, don’t look for steamy romantic scenes, or dramatic rescues between lovers at the Rep. However, audiences may come away with a more informed and well-rounded perspective of this historic event.

However, one thing Milwaukee Rep audiences will not see is the prow or side of a large ship. Set designer Tim Macabee takes a unique approach in creating this Titanic world. Ably illuminating the design is Jason Fassl’s lighting, with video and projection designs by Mike Tutaj. Sound designer Cricket S. Myers creates a realistic atmosphere throughout.

Some characters will be familiar to both film and musical fans. Actor Andrew Varela is a dominating presence as Ismay, chairman of the White Star. In the increasingly competitive world of ocean liners, he claims that speed has become a priority. He wants Titanic to arrive in port a full day ahead of schedule. Ismay pushes Captain Smith (David Hess, in a beautifully restrained performance) to constantly increase the ship’s speed, further hurtling it towards disaster. (Also in an attempt to mollify Ismay, the captain switches to a more northern route that has a greater chance of encountering icebergs. In addition to the cast members mentioned above, impressive performances are turned in by Jeremy Landon Hays as Thomas Andrews, Titanic’s designer, and Steve Pacek as Harold Bride, the telegraph operator.

Nathaniel Hackmann demonstrates a strong onstage presence and a beautiful voice as Barrett, a veteran crewman who works in the boiler room. Early on, he questions the captain’s orders to increase the ship’s speed, as he warns of the consequences that may follow. Nonetheless, someone who works in the boiler room is in no position to speak up; he must only follow orders.   

An Increasing Sense of Dread Settles Onboard

The fateful iceberg collision occurs at the end of Act I. The second act mostly focuses on revealing bits of information to crew members and passengers as the ship continues to sink.

The women (and a couple of children) are forcibly pulled away from the men and herded onto lifeboats. But one of the first-class couples decides to stay together onboard. Philip Hoffman and Carrie Hitchcock portray the elderly couple with a great deal of sensitivity and warmth.

Much of the show’s authenticity is conveyed by the period costumes, from the wool caps and cotton duffel bags for the sailors, to the dark blue suits festooned with rows of gold buttons and gold-striped sleeves for the ship’s officers. (The first-class passengers’ attire is completely gorgeous, especially the ladies’ dinner gowns.)

In fact, all the first-class sequences convey a sense of opulence and luxury, from the number of massive wood-trimmed trunks and leather traveling valises, to the number of crew members assigned to accommodate their passengers’ every desire.

The actor Matt Daniels draws on his experience in portraying the character Jeeves in another show to give us Mr. Etches, the Titanic’s first-class steward. Whether he is whisking away stray second-class passengers from the upper decks or expressing his personal thoughts on serving some of these folks for so many years, Daniels is letter-perfect in his delivery. He also has a fine singing voice, although it is not often heard on local stages.

In fact, Daniels is one of a handful of Milwaukee actors who appear in this production alongside nationally-known actors from elsewhere. Some other Milwaukee actors include: Kelley Faulkner, Carrie Hitchcock, Rana Roman, Andrew Varela and Steve Watts. A number of the Rep’s emerging artists who appear in this show also hail from Milwaukee, as do the young children. It is nice to see the Milwaukee Rep’s efforts in tapping local talent as well as importing actors for key roles.

Staging all of the 30 actors, plus incorporating dance sequences (by Jenn Rose) and musical interludes (by Music Director Dan Kazemi) is, in itself, a gargantuan task. Yet Milwaukee Rep Artistic Director Mark Clements makes it all seem to flow so effortlessly. Clements also captures the century-old fascination with this ill-fated cruise. And audiences can’t help but feel a stronger attachment to those who survived—and those who didn’t—after being “introduced” to them through this epic musical.

Titanic: The Musical continues through May 14 at the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. For tickets, click on MilwaukeeRep.com, call 414-224-9490, or visit the box office at 108 E. Wells St.