A "Titanic" Interview

This weekend is your last chance to catch Titanic the Musical at Huntington's City Hall auditorium.

We have a few e-interviews to share with you this week, starting off with my pal Mike Murdock, who plays the part of Thomas Andrews, who designed and built the Titanic.

Q: For those who aren't familiar with the show, tell us about Titanic.

Mike: It's a musical based on the maiden and tragic voyage of the ocean-liner Titanic. It fictionalizes many of the characters on board for dramatic effect, much like the movie did, but much of the musical is historically accurate, as far as who these people were, what happened to them, etc.

To be fair, the musical is nothing like the movie (i.e. there's no Jack and Rose), but the events that transpired on the voyage are latently dramatic, and it walks a fine line of excitement and tragedy.

The show leads up to the events of the sinking of the Titanic, as well as bit afterward with the survivors.

Q: This is a huge show - big set, big event. How does that make it challenging for the cast?

Mike: It was a challenge because it took a long time to come together. The cast is enormous, and the music is easily the hardest I've ever had the pleasure to work with. It's a musical written in the last quarter century, and, as such, it's almost an opera, inasmuch as Rent or Les Mis or anything by Andrew Lloyd Webber is an opera. The actual dialog is sparse, and there's just a metric ton of singing. The opening number is 25 pages long, weaving characters in and out and just a complete auditory spectacle of music. It'll blow you away.

Q: Why did you want to be part of this show?

Mike: It's a show I've never done, and a role that really spoke to me. Andrews goes mad by the end of the show. This incredible thing he created is literally crashing down around him. Over a thousand people died because of how the ship was built, and he is completely overcome with guilt, because he knows that it could have been prevented, and fairly easily. But it's too late.

Q: What's your favorite part of the show?

Mike: There are several numbers that I really love - like I said earlier, the opening number is fantastic, along with "We'll Meet Tomorrow" toward the end of the show. The songs are beautiful and truly pull at your heartstrings. If people don't have a stir of emotions while watching this show, they're totally robots. (As a side note: this is also a show that robots would very much enjoy.)

Q: Why would you urge our readers to attend?

Mike: The show has never been done here, and I always encourage people to see theatre, in general, but especially shows they've never had the opportunity to see. There's a lot of talent in this show and everyone has worked really hard to bring something special to Huntington. We deserve packed houses, and you deserve not to miss this show.

Q: Tell us when and where the show is staged.

Mike: The show is May 6, 7 at 8 p.m. and May 8 at 2:30 p.m. All shows are at City Hall in Huntington at the Jean Carlo Stephenson Auditorium.

Come sink a ship with us!