The Fall Quarter production of “Titanic: The Musical,” is slated to be the biggest musical in Northwestern’s history, featuring a projector, moving lights and more than 200 costume changes.
“We’ve done a lot of standard musicals for musical theater before, like ‘A Chorus Line,’ ‘Sweet Charity,’ and ‘Children of Eden,’ but their scope wasn’t nearly as grand as this,” said Speech Prof. Dominic Missimi, the show’s director.
NU’s production, which opens Nov. 9, marks the first time a university has performed a full version of the Tony award-winning show, Missimi said. He said he was unsure how much the show would eventually cost but that it would be “expensive.”
“Musicals are seen as cash cows to bring in money to support other productions during the year,” he said. “This year ‘Titanic’ won’t be making any money, but I think it’s part of the educational mission (to put on the show). My feeling is every now and then it’s okay (to spend more money) because it will challenge the actors technically and dramatically.”
Missimi said he became interested in directing “Titanic” after seeing it on Broadway, where three NU alumni had roles in the show.
“When I did see it, I was very impressed with the show and the choral music,” Missimi said. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to showcase the musical theatre program.”
With 20 principal roles and 37 other cast members, “Titanic” allows many musical theatre students to display their talents.
“I wanted to be a part of it because of how epic the production is going to be,” said Matt Amador, a Speech senior. “The amount of money and time that is going to go into this production is going to be phenomenal. It’s going to be a monumental experience for Cahn Auditorium.”
“Titanic” will bring together a mix of students, faculty and freelance experts to create the NU version of the show.
Chicago projection designer John Boesche, who has worked for the Lyric Opera and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, was hired to develop the projection for some of the background scenery behind the ship. Dan Ordower, a Broadway stage lighting designer, will create moveable stage lights for the show. And Brad Haak, a former NU student, will serve as musical director for the show.
Fashioning the show’s elaborate, historic costumes will present a challenge, Missimi said. Normally, costumes are made in-house or pulled from storage, but for this show, costumes will be rented from the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and the Stratford Festival Theatre in Canada.
“It’s been constant work,” said Pam Brailey, a costume draper working on “Titanic.” “We take an hour for each actor and we have fittings all day long.”
Cast members said they look forward to seeing how the scenery and costumes will turn out.
“You can tell right away in the planning and the look of things it’s going to be tremendous,” cast member Matt Naclerio said. “It’s going to be a great, elaborate set that’s going to give us a feel for what it’s like to be on the ship.”
To help the cast visualize the music of “Titanic,” Missimi brought Kevin Stites, the original music conductor for the show on Broadway, to conduct a one-day workshop with the actors.
Many cast members said working with Stites helped enrich their performances.
“It was a really great experience in the sense that you’re working with someone who has worked with somebody who has worked with the actual Broadway cast,” Naclerio said. “He’s very admired on Broadway.”
“Titanic” will sail on weekends from Nov. 9-12 and 15-18 at Cahn. Tickets are $11 for students, $20 for faculty, staff and senior citizens, and $24 for the general public.
