Wagner College Theatre’s ‘Titanic’ opens Feb. 23
Wagner College Theatre’s production of the musical, “Titanic,” runs in the Main Hall auditorium Feb. 23-25 and March 2-5.
Winner of five Tony Awards — including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score — Maury Yeston (“Nine”) and Peter Stone’s (“1776”) musical about the heart-stopping, riveting ride through the final moments of the Titanic’s fateful journey features a cast, crew and orchestra of more than 70 artists.
Wagner College Theatre’s “Titanic” is directed by Drew Scott Harris (WCT’s “The Most Happy Fella,” “Carousel,” “Beauty and the Beast”), musical staging by Carissa Bellando (WCT grad year), and music direction by Lauri Young (WCT’s “Anything Goes,” “A Chorus Line,” “The Most Happy Fella”).
Wagner College Theatre first presented “Titanic” in 2002 on its main stage, directed by Drew Scott Harris, with music direction by Lauri Young.
Wagner College Theatre’s 2017 production features Daniel Marconi (Thomas Andrews), Gregory Ippolito (Bruce Ismay), Ryan Garber (Captain E.J. Smith), Matthew Drinkwater (Frederick Barrett), Joseph Cowdrey (Frederick Fleet), Dean Marino (Henry Etches), Garrett Toole (Wallace Hartley), Zachary Norris (Harold Bride), Nicholas Barakos (William Murdoch), Zach Blanchette (Herbert Pittman), Madeline Kendall (Bellhop/Jack Thayer), Bill Wetherbee (Charles Lightoller), Clint Maddox Thompson (Robert Hitchens), Travis Harley (Bell/Boxhall), Santa Clara Hirsch (Ida Straus), Nick Manna (Isidor Straus), Matt Healey (Benjamin Guggenheim), Rachael Houser (Madame Aubert), Liam Abate (John Thayer), Carolyn Savoia (Marion Thayer), Jonah Hale (John J. Astor), Addi Berry (Madeline Astor), Kellen Gaughan (The Major), Miranda Abbott (Lady Countess Bothes), Michael Motkowski (Mr. Rogers), Abigail Brazler (Mrs. Rogers), Ryan Moroney (George Widener), Julia Adams (Eleanor Widener), Kaitlin Quann (Charlotte Drake Cardoza), Jasmine Canziani (Edith Corse Evans), John Drinkwater (Charles Clark), Dana Kluczyk (Caroline Neville), Natalie Schaffer (Alice Beane), Stephen Kallas (Edgar Beane), Albert Neithropp (Jim Farrell), Gabrielle Baker (Kate McGowan), Lauren Dennis (Kate Mullins), Maggie Eley (Kate Murphey), Emma Pittman and Kolten Bell (The DaMicos).
The creative team includes Phill Hickox (scenic design), Polly Kendrick (costume design), Joanna Catalano (hair/wig/makeup design), Vicki Neal (lighting design) and Richard Kroth (sound design). Anabel Caba is production stage manager.
In the final hour of April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, collided with an iceberg, and “the unsinkable ship” slowly sank. It was one of the greatest maritime disasters of the 20th century; 1,517 men, women and children lost their lives.
Following a delayed preview period and gossip in the newspapers and television, “Titanic the Musical” opened on Broadway, March 29, 1997. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical and played 804 performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with a cast that featured Michael Cerveris, John Cunningham, David Garrison, Victoria Clark, Brian D’Arcy James and WCT Professor Theresa McCarthy.
Staten Island was the destination for two passengers on the ship of dreams. Second-class passenger Mary Charlotte Davies was headed to Tottenville. William Mellors, another second-class passenger, was hired by the Richmond County Country Club.
Performances of “Titanic” run Feb. 23-25 and March 2-4. Showtimes are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m.
Note that there will be no Sunday matinee performance on Feb. 26 so that the Main Hall auditorium can be used to audition candidates for next year’s class of Wagner College Theatre students.
The Wagner College Theatre box office, located in Main Hall, can be contacted at (718) 390-3259 or boxoffice@wagner.edu. Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. Single tickets are on sale, with price ranges for children, seniors and adults. Wagner College students attend free with current ID.
Next on the WCT main stage: Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein’s Tony Award-winning musical, “La Cage aux Folles,” directed by WCT Dance Head Rusty Curcio, opening April 20.
Wagner College’s Stage One studio theater continues its season with “The Dance Project 2017” (Feb. 28-March 5) and Aaron Posner’s take on Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” called “Stupid F@%king Bird,” directed by Mickey Tennenbaum (April 25-30).