Titanic, the musical, is very different from Titanic, the movie; for one thing, there is no Leonardo DiCaprio part. However, the ending is the same. There are no leading parts the musical Titanic. The musical is a total ensemble piece, with actors portraying famous and infamous members of the upper, middle and lower class passengers, many of whom meet their end at the conclusion of the play, based on one of the worst passenger ship disasters of all time.

There are over 50 individual speaking/singing parts, in addition to a chorus of individual singers.

Titanic not only received the 1997 Tony Award for Best Musical, but also Best Music, Best Book, Best Sets, and the first Tony Award ever presented for Best Orchestrations. The long opening number of Titanic is so powerful that it regularly received standing ovations.

Auditions for Titanic will be held Monday and Tuesday evenings, June 19 and 20, at 7 pm, at Joel Barlow High School, 100 Black Rock Turnpike/Route 58. No appointment is necessary.

Casting is limited to 14 to 24 year-olds only. Those auditioning will be asked to dance and read, and should bring two songs of their choosing to sing, one up-tempo and one ballad.

Rehearsals will be held Monday through Friday, from 6:30 to approximately 10:30 pm. The performances are scheduled for August 3-6 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, and Sunday at 3 pm).

There is also considerable backstage work available. Help is needed in building and painting sets, sewing costumes, helping with publicity, and more. There is also a large orchestra, and those wishing to audition should contact Barlow Summer Theatre at the numbers listed below.

Summer Theatre is produced by Andrew Knapp, Sabrina Post and George Vollano. Mr Vollano and Mrs Post will direct. Mrs Post will also serve as musical director and choreographer; Mr Knapp will also design the elaborate sets he promises will “intentionally” sink.

Barlow Summer Theatre was formerly the award-winning New Canaan Summer Theatre. The program changed to its Redding location when the producers and directors coincidentally moved to Newtown and the Barlow school administration expressed a desire to have a similar type program as the one in New Canaan.

BST holds very high standards. Its past productions of Fiddler on the Roof and Barnum were highly praised and are the nearest that can be seen in this area to Broadway quality.

Barlow Summer Theatre also has a theatre day-camp for third to eighth graders during the month of July that will culminate in a production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

For further information on either version of the summer theatre program, call 426-3025.