Titanic the Musical
Launch Night & Read-Through: 8th September
Auditions: 13th September
Recalls: 17th September
Rehearsals: Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 22nd Sept, Sundays in Jan
Show Dates: 10th – 13th February 2027
Overview
Titanic the Musical has a huge array of characters from the First, Second, and Steerage (Third) class as well as crew and serving staff. Most of the characters below are based on real people who were aboard the ship on the maiden voyage. Where characters are fictional, they are inspired by real people, with names, ages, and circumstances altered to best fit the narrative. The descriptions below are therefore a blend of historical and creative information of each character to give you an idea of the role.
Where a specific age is mentioned, this was the person’s age at the time of the disaster, and you should have a playing age in line with this, though this may be altered during casting where necessary. Where an age range is specified, this is either due to the character being inspired by multiple people or no specific information is available so has been based on best fit.
Social class is a big factor in the story of Titanic, which would have affected how people spoke, so some accents are broad with information on where they have spent their lives. Thomas Andrews, for example: despite being born in nowadays Northern Ireland, he was part of the elite class and would likely not keep a strong Northern Irish accent wholly. This is your choice on how to portray this best – again in the case of Andrews, some actors go for a straight RP accent (as in the cast recording) or a brogue Irish accent (as Victor Garber did in the 1997 film).
This is a general guide to assist with knowledge on the named characters of the show ahead of auditions. As you will see, there are many roles, who each get a moment of dialogue or singing.
Characters
Thomas Andrews – Designer and shipbuilder. Age 39. RP accent though born and lived in Northern Ireland.
Known for his dedicated work ethic and as a genius in ship design. He knows every inch of the Titanic, often seen brandishing the blueprints. He feels partly to blame for the sinking of the ship, turning from a calm, respectable, and proud member of the crew to a harrowed, guilt-ridden man. Like the real-life Thomas Andrews, he perishes in the sinking.
Involves several large solos and dialogue.
J. Bruce Ismay – Owner. Age 49. Refined RP accent.
A confident and demanding businessman, he wishes Titanic’s maiden voyage to be the fastest ever crossing of the Atlantic. Ever pushing the captain to go faster, he relinquishes the blame after the collision and ultimately takes a place on a lifeboat, though many women and children remain onboard. As with the real Ismay, he survives the sinking.
A large role with a fair bit of dialogue and solo singing.
Captain E.J Smith – Captain. Age 62. RP accent.
He battles with Ismay to keep at the top of the chain of command, commenting the ship is “his”. He can be domineering and sometimes scolds officers though is supportive of Murdoch, even leaving him in charge of the bridge for a period of time. Like the real Captain Smith, he goes down with his ship.
A large dialogue-heavy role with moments of solo singing.
Frederick Barrett – Stoker. Age 24. Lancastrian accent.
Has become a fireman on ships as an alternative to working in the mines at home. He is a strong, hard worker but questions the decisions of those more powerful than him. He plans to propose to his girlfriend when he returns home which, unlike his real-life counterpart, he never does.
A large role with dialogue and solo singing
Harold Bride – Wireless Operator. Age 22. English accent.
A shy and timid man, who finds his voice and confidence in being able to communicate with others via the Marconi telegraph. It is his deep love and where he feels most at home – he stays with the machine as the ship begins to sink, even suggesting to Captain Smith to use a new, stronger emergency call: SOS.
A larger role with dialogue and solo singing
William Murdoch – First Officer. Age 39. Scottish accent.
An excellent officer who Captain Smith encourages to become a captain in his own right due to his ability, though he is doubtful of himself. He is in charge of the bridge when the collision occurs and blames himself and his errors for the accident. As in real life, he dies in the sinking.
Some dialogue and some solo singing
Charles Lightoller – Second Officer. Age 38. Lancashire accent.
Assistant to Captain Smith and First Office Murdoch on the bridge. When Murdoch starts to fall into shock in the collision, he steps up to provide Smith and Andrews with the information they need. He is the most senior member of the crew to survive the sinking.
Mainly some dialogue with some solo singing
Henry Etches – Senior First Class Steward. Age 43. English accent.
A high-ranking member of the serving staff, who dedicates his time to tending to the needs of the first class. He knows many of them, due to serving them on other ships, but has a strictly professional relationship with them. This changes and becomes a bit softer as the show draws to a close as him and many members of the group he has devoutly served are left on the ship.
Supporting dialogue with solo singing
Frederick Fleet – Lookout. Age 24. Liverpudlian accent.
The lookout on duty when the Titanic strikes the iceberg.
Some dialogue with large solos
Wallace Hartley – Bandleader. Age 33. English accent.
The famous bandmaster of the Titanic who, along with his band, heroically continued to play hymns and ragtime music to calm the passengers on deck as the ship went down.
Solo singing with some dialogue
Isidor Straus – First Class Passenger and co-owner of Macy’s department store. Age 67. American accent, born in Bavaria.
Before the show, he has been holidaying in France with his with, Ida, in the luxury only the upper classes can attain. Although an excellent businessman, he is also devoted to his wife – they have been married 40 years and refuse to leave each other, both perishing in the sinking.
Mainly dialogue with one main solo
Ida Straus – First Class Passenger and wife of Isidor. Age 63. American accent, born in Hesse.
At the start of the show, it is explained she hasn’t been well so her and Isidor have been holidaying in France. As in real-life, she is faithful to the end, refusing to board a lifeboat without her husband, saying “after forty years, how can I leave you now? Where you go, I go” and dies during the sinking.
Mainly dialogue with one main solo
Edgar Beane – Second Class Passenger and hardware store owner. Based on 32-year-old Englishman Edward Beane – playing age 30s-early 40s and will be cast with Alice’s casting in mind. American accent.
Less ambitious than his with, Alice, and quite content with his lot in life. This causes friction between the two of them, with their final argument quite unresolved as they are separated in the sinking.
Supporting – largely dialogue with some singing
Alice Beane – Second Class Passenger and wife of Edgar. Age 23 – playing age 30s-early 40s and will be cast with Edgar’s casting in mind. American accent.
Alice sees her trip on Titanic as a way to rub elbows with the upper classes and wants desperately to move up the social structure. She is the comic relief (if there can be any in Titanic) and survives the sinking, the same as her real-life counterpart, Ethel Beane.
Dialogue with decent solos
Charles Clark – Second Class Passenger and journalist. Age 29. English accent.
Engaged to Caroline and eloping to America to get married. He also plans to find work there – he is a journalist and hopes to continue this in America.
Supporting – mainly dialogue with small solos
Caroline Neville – Second Class Passenger. Age 28. RP accent.
Engaged to Charles and eloping to America for a fresh start. Alluded to that she is a member of the first class, stowing away with Charles in the second class.
Supporting – mainly dialogue with small solos
Jim Farrell – Third Class Passenger and fisherman. Age 25. Irish accent.
Travelling to America for a better life. Starts a romantic relationship with Kate McGowan whilst on board. A bit cheeky but a bit serious. He lucks onto a lifeboat during the sinking due to being able to row- a fate not shared by his real-life inspiration.
Mainly dialogue role
Kate McGowan – Third Class Passenger. Age mid-20s. Irish accent.
Travelling to America to find a better life (as many of the steerage passengers were). A prominent part of the ‘Kates’ trio, she is confident and feisty – in the opening song, she points to Jim Farrell, who she has never met, and confidently tells the other Kates she is going to marry him as soon as she meets him. She is bold and funny yet pining for a new life. She is likely a blend of two real passengers of the Titanic – Catherine and Annie McGowan – fortunately for Kate, she takes after Annie in one important aspect and survives the sinking.
Lots of dialogue plus several solos
Kate Mullins – Third Class Passenger. Age 20s. Irish accent.
One of the three ‘Kates’. She is traveling to America for a better life. She is young, naive, and slightly overwhelmed by the size and grandeur of Titanic. The real Kate lived into old age in America and achieved her dream, which is sadly not the case for the musical’s Kate.
Short dialogue with some short solos
Kate Murphey – Third Class Passenger. Age 20s. Irish accent.
More practically minded than the other ‘Kates’ (she finds Kate McGowan’s certainty on marrying Jim more amusing than romantic), but she still dreams of a better life awaiting her in America. She survived the sinking in real life but perishes in the show.
Short dialogue with some short solos
Additional Characters
Herbert Pitman – Third Officer. Age 32. English accent, lived in Somerset.
Usually alongside the other officers on the bridge, monitoring the ship’s progress and assisting with the lifeboats after the collision. He is one of the four officers to survive the sinking.
Short solos
Joseph Boxhall – Fourth Officer. Age 28. English accent, born in Hull.
Part of the bridge crew along with the other officers, monitoring the ship’s voyage. Tasked with firing distress signals to get the attention of nearby ships after the collision and one of the few officers to survive the sinking.
Short solo
Robert Hitchens – Quartermaster. Age 23. English accent, born in Cornwall.
At the wheel when the iceberg warning was called up, swinging the ship hard to starboard when the order was given. He survived the sinking – and went on to have a very interesting life that may inform character decisions.
Short dialogue with short solo
Joseph Bell – Chief Engineer. Age 50. English accent, born in Cumbria.
Died in the sinking alongside all 34 of the other engineers and electricians.
Short dialogue only
Bellboy (Edward) – Age 14. English accent.
An excitable young man, tasked with assisting passengers with luggage, rooms, and general enquiries. All bellboys on the Titanic died in the sinking.
Dialogue only
John J. Astor – First Class Passenger. Age 47. American accent, born in New York.
A character of immense wealth and social prominence, he is aboard Titanic with his young, pregnant wife Madeleine after recently being divorced. He was the richest person aboard, thought to be worth an estimated $2.9b in today’s money. He dies in the sinking.
Short dialogue only
Madeleine Astor – First Class Passenger. Age 19. American accent, born in New York.
Recently married to John J. Astor and pregnant, creating social scandal due to their 29 year age gap. Survives the sinking as a first class woman.
Short dialogue only
Benjamin Guggeneheim – First Class Passenger. Age 46. American accent.
One of the most prominent members aboard the Titanic and perished in the sinking.
Some dialogue with short solo
Madame Aubert – First Class Passenger. Age 30-40s. French accent.
A singer and Guggenheim’s French mistress. Survived the sinking.
Dialogue only
John B. Thayer – First Class Passenger and Executive of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Age 49 (can be younger as has a young child). American accent.
Died in the sinking.
Some dialogue with short solos
Marion Thayer – First Class Passenger, socialite and wife of John B. Thayer. Age 42 (can be younger as has a young child). American accent.
Survived the sinking.
Some dialogue with short solo
George Widener – First Class Passenger and businessman. Age 50. American accent.
Died in the sinking.
Some dialogue with short solo
Eleanor Widener – First Class Passenger, socialite and wife of George. Age 51. American accent.
Survived the sinking.
Some dialogue
Charlotte Cardoza – First Class Passenger. Age 58. American accent.
Recently widowed and looking to break the social norms, claiming there’s “a new world out there.” A bit mysterious as to who she is, but she has booked one of the most expensive suites on board. Survived the sinking.
Dialogue
Edith Corse Evans – First Class Passenger. Age 36. American accent.
One of the four first class women to die in the sinking though she survives the musical.
Very short dialogue
J.H Rogers – First Class Passenger. Age 30s. American accent.
A gambler whose attendance on the ship is contested in real life. He is on the list of casualties but may have actually survived (he dies in the musical). Plays cards with The Major.
Dialogue
The Major – First Class Passenger. Age 40-60s. RP accent.
A well distinguished, respected (though tiresome) first class passenger, who plays cards.
Dialogue
Frank Carlson – Any age. American accent.
A tourist who misses the launching of Titanic due to being delayed by a flat tire.
Short dialogue