Hello, and welcome to the Central Bucks High School South Titan Thespians’ production of Titanic: The Musical. We are so happy to host so many of you virtually, and knowing that you are all sharing the experience right now of watching the school musical is a wonderful feeling. This was a show that came together against all odds, and may we never again take having a theater program, or a chance to be together with the people who bring us joy, lightly. This was an absolute labor of love, a dedication to all the very best of theatre arts, and a testament to the spirits of all of us who love what we do (and who wouldn’t be ourselves without our every waking moments spent in the auditorium).
The musical “Titanic” is a lesser-known despite being the recipient of multiple Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Some of that lack of attention may have been the confusion surrounding the release of the James Cameron movie Titanic in the same year, which was not connected in any way to the musical. The fascination with the themes of this show – class and status, technology and progress, and human ingenuity and endurance – are what keep the story of the RMS Titanic in our modern consciousness. It makes the private hopes and dreams of those aboard so relevant today. It makes these figures from the history textbooks so dimensional and engaging. It makes the sinking that much more an unbearable tragedy.
We as a drama club have been determined to tell these stories with authenticity. As a cast, we researched the real figures and created back stories for our invented characters. Like the Broadway show, the cast fills more than one role in the production, and sought to find the disparate points of view and goals for each unique person they played. We began this process in November of 2020, not sure at the time how our “Titanic” would look or be performed. I had great trepidation about bringing our cast and crew back together after our virtual rehearsal period, but every single student involved was so attentive to our health and safety, and so committed to doing this show, that we were able to succeed in our mission to film an authentically staged musical on our school’s stage. What you see today was filmed over the course of a month, under every precaution. Students were endlessly inventive in creating their costumes and props. At every level, we learned about the differences between a typical theater production, and preparing one for the screen. We hurdled technical difficulties and time crunches, social distancing and surprise blizzards. No matter what was thrown in our path, we persevered.
I now feel that this club has achieved something extraordinary. I could not be prouder of every student on the cast and crew, every adult on my production staff, our administration and district and fellow theater clubs in Central Bucks, and the parents who made this all possible. There are endless opportunities to talk about what has been lost over the past year, but – much like the musical does – I would also like to celebrate the triumphs that emerge from the tragedy, the small acts of good and the large acts of love that comprise the best of our humanity. “Titanic: The Musical” would not exist right now if it were not for immense dedication and sacrifice. The trust placed in me to see this project through will never be forgotten, and the respect I have for the Titan Thespians has grown enormously. If you enjoy our performance today, please, reach out to our club at the email below with your words of praise and shared enthusiasm. We will share your comments with the entire team in lieu of audible applause.
Thank you, all of you, for your part in making this most collaborative, creative, memorable experience for the Titan Thespians.
Sarah LeClair
Director
Titanthespians2021@gmail.com
