‘Titanique’ parody hits high notes on Chicago stage

Did the 1997 James Cameron movie “Titanic” leave you with a sinking feeling – pun intended – that everything was taken too seriously? Are you a super-fan of the music of Céline Dion, whose “My Heart Will Go On” won the Best Original Song Oscar for that film? Do you just need to laugh?

If you answered “Yes” to one or more of those questions, get your tickets for the Chicago premiere of “Titanique,” a Porchlight Music Theatre production now on stage at Broadway in Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse Theatre in the Loop. Trust me, you’ll be rolling in the aisles, and that isn’t because of the theater hitting an iceberg.

Directed by Tye Blue, who was the original off-Broadway director and co-writer of the show’s book, “Titanique” is like a breath of fresh air for reality-weary audience members. The performers get to poke fun at the characters and actors from the movie (one of Jackson Evans’ characters is “Victor Garber” – the versatile actor who played the ship’s captain), satirize some of the famous scenes and sing their hearts out.

The musical’s opening scene involves a tour guide (Eric Lewis at the press-night performance) showing a group of six around the Titanic Museum, pointing out artifacts such as the monocle used by the ship’s captain: “He had really bad eyesight.”

Before the guide can dive further into the ocean of exhibits, he’s interrupted by an unknown woman who says, “That’s not how I remember it.” Yep, Céline Dion (played to the hilt by Clare Kennedy McLaughlin) has arrived, claiming to have been on the ship, and even though the guide says Dion would have to be 150 years old, she dismisses that issue out of hand, breaking into one of her bigger hits, “I’m Alive,” to prove him wrong.

With the rise of a curtain and quick costume changes, our guide and tourists begin to re-enact the tale of the star-crossed lovers from the film, the impoverished artist Jack (Adam Fane), who wins his way onto the Titanic, and wealthy Rose (Maya Rowe), who’s engaged to a vain man she doesn’t love, Cal (Adrian Aguilar).

“I’m Alive” is actually the second of many Dion songs incorporated into this version of the story – everything from songs even the most casual fan will recognize (including “If You Asked Me To,” “Because You Loved Me,” “That’s the Way It Is”) to ones that may be more familiar to diehard fans (such as “Taking Chances,” “Seduces Me”).

And it’s important to note that the songs aren’t all performed by McLaughlin, who inserts herself into the middle of the story fairly often. For instance, it’s Evans’ captain character who sings “I Drove All Night” as he speeds through the Atlantic and eventually crashes into that iceberg, and the iceberg even becomes a character (Lewis again, this time playing another famous singer as he belts out “River Deep Mountain High”).

The humor in the script – as interpreted by this talented group of actors – ranges from puns (Fane singing a bit of the theme song to “Full House” before showing his poker hand) to localized one-liners (“Chicago is a union town, hussy!“) to pop-culture references (“Ghost,” “Wicked”) to sight gags (fur-lined handcuffs when one character is taken into custody; two halves of a car; and a steamed-up window being held by three background vocalists during a passionate Jack-and-Rose moment).

The songs themselves also keep the laughs flowing – for instance, during “Beauty and the Beast” (sung by Céline, “The Seaman” [Lewis yet again] and the entire ensemble), actors’ costumes/props suddenly change to be reminiscent of Mrs. Potts, Lumiere and their compatriots. Later, the minimal number of available lifeboats even inspires a reality-show-type competition for the limited seats.

You may think I’ve spoiled too many jokes, but these are just a drop in the bucket or, rather, the ocean.

Standouts in the cast whom I haven’t already mentioned include Abby C. Smith as “Molly Brown” and “Kathy Bates” (who played Molly in the movie) whose rendition of “All By Myself” is memorable for all the right reasons, and Rob Lindley as Ruth, Rose’s mother. Lindley has a monologue that is guaranteed to bring down the house.

I also was impressed by the work of lighting director Rachel West. From a rainbow of colors illuminating the grand staircase during one song to green neon briefly used when there’s a “Wicked” reference, West knows how to make light of all this comedy using, well, light. Kudos also to the four-member band, including conductor Michael McBride. The band does a wonderful job of accompanying the vocalists and reacting to the craziness on stage, whether a performer is climbing onto a piano or pretending to slap them.

Due to some subject matter and language, you probably want to leave young kids at home. But for the rest of us, this show is a definite hoot.

In the song “Tell Him,” the lyric “Love will be the gift you give yourself” is featured, but in my opinion, “Titanique” tickets are the gift you’ll be glad you gave yourself. In fact, to sum it all up: If you’re a fan of wordplay, parody or slapstick, “Titanique” will keep your laughter afloat.

• Paul Lockwood is a communications consultant at Health Care Service Corporation in Chicago, as well as a local theater actor, singer, Grace Lutheran Church (Woodstock) and Toastmasters member, columnist, former podcaster and past president of TownSquare Players. He’s lived in Woodstock for over 24 years.

IF YOU GO:

• WHAT: “Titanique” musical comedy

• WHERE: Broadway Playhouse Theatre at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago

• WHEN: Through July 13

• INFORMATION: BroadwayInChicago.com