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| Olin Davidson, Matthew Mello, and Kiel Klaphake Photo by Scott Samplin |
Click here for more information on this production that runs through November 10th.
"...Since it's hard to recreate a sinking ship on stage or the vast and expansive rooms and decks of the Titanic, Arizona Broadway Theatre's production, which has an exceptional cast, goes for a more minimalistic approach. While the creative aspects may not be as effective as other productions I've seen of this show...it still makes for a moving and emotional journey and a captivating look at a tragic event from over a hundred years ago that fascinates us to this day....provides plenty of details on the ship and skillfully weaves together dozens of characters...Arizona Broadway Theatre's cast is exceptional. ...Danny Gorman's direction is fine, though somewhat uneven. His cast creates realistic, identifiable roles and he delivers fluid scene changes. However, many of the comic lines in (Peter) Stone's Tony Award winning book are rushed and, while his first act is infused with an appropriate sense of urgency and fascination with the ship, the second act lacks, somewhat, the sense of fear and dread that most of the passengers should be exhibiting once they realize their unfortunate fate. He isn't helped by Nate Bertone's scenic design which, while the two-tiered design is beautiful and evokes the sleek, powerful and seemingly impenetrable riveted metal walls of the ship, doesn't ever truly give you any sense of the magnitude of the splendor of the ship. Also, having several members of the cast practically stroll, unburdened, across the stage toward the middle of act two, when the ship is already beginning to tilt into the water, seems very odd. There is also a stagnant sense throughout, with only the use of a few small set pieces and three moving ladders to give much sense of any location change. Only in the second act, once the back wall begins to crack and various objects descend from overhead as if they are suspended in the water, does the abstract and slightly surreal scenic design begin to show its beauty, as does the superbly staged and sung final scene....While I have a few quibbles with Arizona Broadway Theatre's production of Titanic, the magnificent cast and orchestra deliver a truly moving and incredibly poignant memory of the over fifteen hundred people who perished, along with their dreams, on that fateful night back in 1912. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)
"....With the streamlined set, Brian DeMaris’ outstanding ten-piece orchestra, and director Danny Gorman’s staging where the cast often face the audience directly as they sing, ABT’s Titanic often feels less a presentation of a regular musical and more a spectacular concert presentation in full costume. It’s lavish in sight and inspiring in sound. And best of all, it’s genuinely thrilling..." -David Appleford, Valley Screen and Stage (click here to read the complete review)
"...the dimension and scope of the tragedy that befell the ship and the vignettes that reveal the diversity of the humanity aboard it ~ are embraced by Danny Gorman, the director of Arizona Broadway Theatre's production of TITANIC, and translated into a monumentally uplifting experience...There's not an actor in this show who does not excel in his/her performance...To reflect the immensity of the RMS Titanic, scenic designer Nate Bertone has gone brilliantly simple...Under the direction of Brian DeMaris, the band roars with richness and depth...this production of TITANIC is equal to anything you'd see on the Great White Way, exemplary in its stagecraft. Opening night (October 12th) was epic! ..." - Herbert Paine, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)
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