5th Avenue theatre honors centennial of Titanic disaster

By Jill Russell Published: Apr 11, 2012 at 9:27 AM PDT Last Updated: Feb 1, 2013 at 11:28 AM PDT
5th Avenue theatre honors centennial of Titanic disaster
Members of the cast rehearse scenes from Titanic: The Concert. To commemorate the Titanic Centennial, a special concert performance of Titanic, one of the most beautiful and least-produced musicals of the modern era. A full orchestra and cast of Broadway veterans and Seattle favorites will perform April 13th-15th. April 10th 2012. (Joshua Lewis)

In April 1912, the great unsinkable ship, the Titanic, set sail on its maiden voyage from England to New York – but, it would never make it. After striking an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean, the ship sank in just a few hours taking more than 1,500 passengers down with it.

A century later, local musicians will honor the memory of the people who survived - and many more that lost their lives- on the ill-fated voyage by performing an anniversary concert. 

Titanic: The Concert will take place at the 5th Avenue theatre this weekend, April 13-15. The concert will feature music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, direction by David Armstrong, and performances by the finest performers including Anne Allgood, David Pichette and Allen Fitzpatrick. The musicians will perform the concert with the support of a full orchestra.

“We have great people to help us fill in the work and make us sound wonderful,” Artistic Director David Armstrong said.

Ryah Nixon, who plays third-class passenger Kate McGowan, grew up in the Seattle-area, but recently moved to New York. When she got the call to audition for the production, she jumped at the chance.

“Any chance to come home is a good one,” she said.

The tragic tale of the Titanic sinking has been retold from many of perspectives. In 1997, the story was brought to life in a musical on Broadway that was based on true stories of the Titanic’s passengers. The same year, the story of the ship was shared on the silver screen in a movie featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

This year’s centennial of the sinking has spurred renewed interest from those curious about the details of the tragedy, its victims and its survivors. The last Titanic survivor, Elizabeth Gladys Millvina Dean, passed away in 2009 at the age of 97. At just nine weeks old, Dean was the youngest passenger on the ship at the time.

Amazingly, the Titanic cast had just 10 days to practice the music and scenes. Armstrong says he feels very excited and confident the production will be successful.

“People will learn something and feel like there were there on the Titanic,” he said. “They will get the true emotion of the stories.”

For ticket and show time information, visit www.5thavenue.org or call the Box Office at (206) 625-1900.

Titanic by the numbers

2,224: number of passengers

1,178: life boat capacity

1,514: number of causalities

Ice berg hit: April 14, 1912 at 11:40 p.m.

Titanic sank: April 15, 1912 at 2:20 a.m.

Titanic recovered: in 1985 at a depth of 12,415 ft.