Céline Dion jukebox musical among Tony nominees with Canadian connections

 

To hear Canadian producer Chad Rogers tell it, the Tony-nominated musical “Titanique” almost didn’t make it to Broadway. 

The show, a parody of James Cameron’s 1997 classic “Titanic” featuring the music of Céline Dion — and a portrayal of Dion herself — had a hit turn off-Broadway, a successful tour and made waves on the West End.

But it hadn’t made it to the Great White Way — until, says Rogers, “a weird set of circumstances emerged” last year.

“It was going to be able to get to Broadway, but only if we could move exceptionally quickly. A number of shows had failed, some theatres had opened up, the cast that had originally written the show and brought it onto the off-Broadway stage was willing to come back,” he says on a video call from a company retreat in Ontario’s cottage country. 

He was included on a “friends and family” email soliciting producers, and he and his business partner Mark Spiro signed on. It’s their first time producing on Broadway.

“There was just this perfect conspiracy of opportunity … where everyone decided to compress the usual 10 month lead-in to open a Broadway show and try and do it in two months.”

By all accounts, they succeeded.

The production was nominated for four Tonys on Tuesday, including for best musical and best book. Days earlier, its run was extended. The show had been due to close on July 12 but will now continue past Labour Day. 

From Rogers’ perspective, “Titanique” came at just the right time.

“I don’t mean to commercialize a great piece of art and comedy, but people like Céline Dion globally, people are still very interested in ‘Titanic’, and there’s a real moment for high camp ensemble comedy,” he says, pointing to the success of the play “Oh, Mary.”

“Titanique” star and co-creator Marla Mindelle, who plays Dion, also got some Tonys love. She is in the running for best lead actress in a musical, while Layton Williams is up for best actor in a featured role in a musical for his portrayal of the iceberg. 

Mindelle will face off against Hamilton-born actress Caissie Levy, who’s nominated for her role as Mother in “Ragtime,” which is based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel of the same name.

Costume designer Linda Cho, who was born in Seoul and raised in Toronto, is nominated for two Tonys. She’s up for best costume design for her work on both “Ragtime” and “Schmigadoon!”

And Lee Kinney, who is from New Brunswick, is nominated for best sound design in a play for his work on the Adrien Brody-starring “The Fear of 13,” about a man on death row who was wrongfully convicted of murder.

The Tony Awards will be handed out on June 7.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2026.