Nicole Parker to Replace Jackie Burns as Céline Dion in TITANIQUE

Comedian and screen & stage star Nicole Parker (“Mad TV,” Wicked, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me) will re-board the ship of dreams for a limited return engagement as Céline Dion, in the 2023 Lortel Award-winning Best Musical Titanique. Parker, who replaces current star Jackie Burns (Wicked, If/Then, Hair) will perform the role beginning February 9, through March 31, 2024. The irresistibly funny and irreverent musical send-up of the blockbuster film Titanic, driven by the songs of pop icon Céline Dion, continues its smash-hit run through June 16, 2024 at the Daryl Roth Theatre in Union Square.

All aboard NYC’s must-sea musical comedy! When the music of Céline Dion makes sweet Canadian love with the eleven-time Oscar®-winning blockbuster film Titanic, you get Titanique, off-Broadway’s most award-winning splash hit, which turns one of the greatest love stories of all time into a hysterical musical fantasia. Want to find out what really happened to Jack and Rose on that fateful night? Just leave it to Céline Dion to enchant the audience with her totally wild take, recharting the course of Titanic’s beloved moments and characters with her iconic song catalog. Sailing on fierce powerhouse voices in show-stopping performances of such hits as “My Heart Will Go On,” “All By Myself”, and “To Love You More” – backed by the unparalleled energy of a full live band – Titanique is a one-of-a-kind theatrical voyage bursting with nostalgia, heart, and campy chaos.

Co-written by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli, Titanique celebrated its Off-Broadway premiere in June 2022 at Asylum Theater, starring the musical’s co-authors Mindelle (Sister Act, Netflix’s “Special”) and Rousouli (Cruel Intentions, Hairspray) as Celine Dion and Jack Dawson. After several sold-out extensions, the musical transferred to the Daryl Roth Theatre on November 20, 2022. 

Titanique currently stars Jackie Burns in the role of Céline Dion – who will play her final performance on January 28, 2024. Lindsay Heather Pearce (Mean Girls, “Glee”, Wicked) continues as Rose, Michael Williams (Cruel Intentions The Musical) as Jack, Willam (RuPaul’s Drag Race, A Star is Born) as Victor Garber through January 7, Drew Droege (Bright Colors and Bold Patterns, “Search Party”) as Ruth through January 7, Brandon Contreras (Almost Famous, “The Homo Sapien Experience”) as Cal, with Anne Fraser Thomas (Hercules) as The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and Marcus Antonio as The Iceberg.  Cayleigh Capaldi, Chani Maisonet, Tess Marshall, Garrett Poladian, and Terrence Williams Jr. round out the current acting company.

As previously announced, Frankie Grande returns to play the role of Victor Garber from January 12 - February 18, and Nathan Lee Graham joins the cast as Ruth from January 12 - February 25.

Titanique is directed by Tye Blue (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”, Rumer Willis’ Over the Love Tour), and choreographed by Ellenore Scott (Funny Girl, Little Shop of Horrors). Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations are by IRNE Award-Winner Nicholas Connell. Scenic Design for Titanique is by Gabriel Hainer Evansohn andGrace Lauchbacher for Iron Bloom Creative Production; Costume Design is by Alejo Vietti; Lighting Design is by Paige Seber; Sound Design is by Lawrence Schober; Wig Design is by Tommy Kurzman; Original Prop Design is by Eric Reynolds. Casting is by The Telsey Office/Rachel Hoffman, CSA and Henry Russell Bergstein, CSA and Andrew Fem.

Titanique’s storied history includes a smash hit live-streamed concert – Titanique: The Maiden Voyage Concert – on the premium streaming service Stellar, on May 2, 2021, which followed sold-out pop-up concert engagements in Los Angeles and New York, earning the show a 2019 BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award. Upon the show’s Off-Broadway premiere in 2022, The New York Times praised the musical as, “very funny! This ‘Titanique’ Musical Finds Its Sea Legs…. Near, far, wherever you are, Celine Dion will be there, in this camp reimagining of the maritime blockbuster that revs up into increasing absurdity.” Vulture raved, “Titanique is f*cking great. Swim, Don’t Walk, to see this Celine Dion jukebox fantasia!” The New York Post hailed the show as, “Sensational, hilarious and deranged! Titanique is, by a nautical mile, the funniest musical in town!” Upon the show’s reopening at the larger Daryl Roth Theatre, People Magazine declared, “Just when you think it couldn't get better, Titanique makes you love it more, with a glow-up that makes the show even more impactful and irresistible. Yet, there's still a scrappy, endearing "let's put on a show" energy to it, that gives the musical its Titanic-sized charm. You're guaranteed to laugh your iceberg off.” Titanique won seven major awards of the 2022-23 theater season, including three Lucille Lortel Awards (Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Lead Performer: Marla Mindelle, Outstanding Costume Design: Alejo Vietti), the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best New Musical, Las Culturistas’ Culture Award for Best Indoor Performance, and two Dorian Awards (Outstanding Off-Broadway Production, Outstanding Off-Broadway Performance: Marla Mindelle). The show earned an additional nine award nominations, including two 2023 Drama League Award nominations (Outstanding Musical; Distinguished Performance: Marla Mindelle), two Outer Critics Circle Award nominations (Book of a Musical, Lead Performer: Marla Mindelle), two Lortel Award nominations (Choreography, Featured Performer: John Riddle), and a Drama Desk Award nomination (Book of a Musical).

Photo credit: Evan Zimmerman