The story how Titaníque moved from a concept to a concert, gained momentum traveling from venues to its final ascension to premiere on Broadway, garnering awards along the way, is as miraculous as the survival of any passengers from the ship it is named after with a French-Canadian flourish. Thanks to its solid team who adore Céline Dion and her music, their ingenuity, prodigious talents and playfulness couldn’t resist a parody of the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then Titaníque, which is at the St. James Theater through July 12, surely “represents.”

At the top of the zany, fanciful musical, tourists come down the audience aisles and go onstage to enter the museum of the Titanic to view the artifacts collected, and learn the history. All of a sudden, who emerges but Céline Dion (Marla Mindelle) dressed to the sparkling gold nines, looking every inch a star, because she is a star, and she has a new gig. She’s rocking-out a re-imagining of what happened on the Titanic that seems vaguely familiar if you saw the James Cameron film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett.

However, surprise! You didn’t see it this way, through the perspective of Dion with references to Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Rent, A Chorus Line and more, spilling out its fun-filled, chaotic, pop-culture vibrancy into the audience. They hop on the roller-coaster for the thrills, jokes and clowning and never want to get off. As Mindelle’s Dion tells it, she was was on the doomed Titanic, though it’s an impossibility, because she would be over 150 years old. However, through her mega-watt celebrity, force of personality, our suspension of disbelief and love of farce, she convinces the audience she was there to bring us her LOL version of events.

Quickly, the time reverts to the early twentieth century and we see the costumes of the period (Alejo Vietti) which are simply, tastefully designed so that Dion’s over-the-top, gold lame-like outfit outshines the other women’s outfits, maybe with the exception of Molly Brown (the anointed Deborah Cox plays a feisty Unsinkable Molly Brown with Kathy Bates’ riffs) and Ruth De Witt Bukater (a phenomenal Jim Parsons who enjoys being in drag every moment). Parsons who wears a hat with two large birds, that are presumably live because he refers to their incontinence, portrays the cruel, broke, “aristocratic” mother of Rose (the lovely Melissa Barrera). Parson’s Ruth is not adverse to physically slapping the disobedient Rose (leaving two feet of airspace between them) as Ruth’s hand makes contact with Rose’s cheek in the perfect timing of “slapstick,” seamlessly shepherded by Tye Blue’s direction.

By this time, the curtain has long fallen away to show the innards of the ship with scaffolding, erector set, lighted beams (Gabriel Hainer Evasohn & Grace Laubacher for Iron Bloom Creeative Production and Paig Seber lighting design). The band is situated upstage center with an elegant, lighted staircase on either side, and a balcony connected to the stairs where Mindelle’s Dion sometimes narrates events. The director also stages her on the balcony for signature songs from Dion’s well known music catalogue. She is helped by the glorious cast whose voices are top-notch under Geoffrey Ko’s music direction.

Intruding into the action and serving as the guide to “what really happened” with ad libs, one-offs and her endearing, audience- interactive, Dion essence, Mindelle supervises and sings. She is the glue that holds the show together. Mindelle originated Dion’s character. She also co-authored the show with actor Costantine Rousouli (the heroic and romantic Jack Dawson), and Tye Blue who also directs. Titaníque is every inch a farce that speeds from beginning to end, covering most of the important scenes from the film sending them over-the-top and into gales of audience laughter.

Not one character escapes farcical treatment with bits that actually reference the film and take the opportunity to send up the characters’ foibles with affectionate humor. Frankie Grandie who perfectly plays Luigi from the Mario Brothers gaming universe also plays Victor Garber, the actor who portrayed the Titanic’s architect in the film. John Riddle is LOL boorish and always behind the 8-ball, as Rose’s fiance Cal Hockley. Rousouli’s Jack Dawson, Rose’s escape hatch from a disastrous betrothal with Cal, makes reference to his “bootleg Newsies outfit.” The tight, form-fitting khakis feature his muscular, dancer’s athleticism and hottie persona. As Dawson, Rousouli’s costume offers Mindelle’s Dion a chance to make an untoward advance, winking at the audience which she lovingly plays to throughout.

From the very beginning Mindelle shatters the fourth wall with ease and capitalizes on the audience energy to stoke their response and in turn find new ways to electrify her performance. She is a comedian with superb timing, waiting for the audience to get the humor which they always do. Yet, Mindelle’s superb voice faultlessly vibes with Dion’s musical instrument and stage presence. She manages to be adorable and funny at the same time even as she does high fives with the front row at the conclusion.

As the ship steams toward disaster and Rose and Jack go to steerage and enjoy the dancing with the poor folks who will perish, then consummate their love, the iceberg is looming and ready to take Victor Garber’s poorly designed ship to the ocean bottom. In an enlightened moment, the creators decided to “soften the blow” of the cataclysmic event by casting a ferocious performer as the iceberg who knows how to sing “hard” like a b&tch. Layton Williams dressed in a glorious, white, spiky wig (Charles G. LaPointe) and Tina Turner-type rhinestone drag outfit made just for him, cavorts with fury, sings and dances raucously and amazingly to bring on the riot. Williams who won the UK’s Olivier Award for “Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical” kills the part with comedy, dance and song a la Tina Turner. His height-defying split perfectly lands and is just smashing, which is what Williams’ Tina Turner iceberg does to the ship.

Every aspect (from spectacle to performances, voices, dancing {Ellenore Scott’s choreography}) of this gobsmacking show is worthy of its second 2025 Olivier Award for “Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play.” It is no coincidence that the show continues to draw crowds in a time where much-needed live farce holds a special place in audience hearts to stave off the dire headlines and news stories that beat the same egregious drum of our sinking ship of state. Thankfully, there’s live theater to offset censored news which, if truth be told, is probably much worse than what is reported. In contrast even the rats refuse to desert Titaníque. They are having too much fun.

Titaníque runs 1 hour 40 minutes through July 12 at the St. James Theater. titaniquebroadway.com.