Broadway Breakdown – Surprise! TITANIQUE w/ Courtney Bassett

Podcast Host: Matt Koplik
Guest: Courtney Bassett
Date: June 22, 2023

Episode Overview

This lively and unfiltered episode of Broadway Breakdown features Matt Koplik in conversation with Courtney Bassett, star of the off-Broadway musical Titanique. The episode focuses on the phenomenon of Titanique: a parody musical that mashes up James Cameron’s 1997 Titanic film with the music (and persona) of Celine Dion. Matt and Courtney gush about the show’s brilliance, dive into off-Broadway culture, the legacy of Titanic, queer theater, Celine Dion’s quirks, building queer community through musical theater, and Courtney’s remarkable career—including her time in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. The conversation is peppered with raunchy humor, zany digressions, theater in-jokes, and openhearted reflections on the joy and weirdness of theater.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Titanique Works: Smart Camp and Queer Joy

• Titanique is a parody musical blending the plot of Titanic (1997) with Celine Dion's music and persona.
  • Courtney’s pitch: “Titanique is the story of the blockbuster 11-time Academy Award-winning movie Titanic as told by and through the music of Celine Dion, international superstar, pop alien diva.” – Courtney (07:00)
• The show’s campy, “intentionally stupid but so smart” sensibility is seen as a love letter to both 90s pop culture and queer audiences.
  • Matt: “It is a gay fantasia on national themes. On international themes. Gong. Gong. I love it when a show that is intentionally stupid is so smart and tasteful about how stupid it is." (07:28)

2. Off-Broadway vs. Broadway & Audience Makeup

• Titanique deliberately chose not to move to Broadway, sensing the moment and audience was right off-Broadway.
• The audience is a mix: “Fire Island gays” on one side and “a gaggle of Long Island women” on the other (12:06), creating a unique, cross-subcultural New York experience.

3. The Queerness and Community of Titanique

• The show is overtly, joyfully queer—celebrating bi, gay, and non-binary identities in the cast and audience.
• Matt describes the show as a rare space “where bachelorette parties and Fire Island gays come and enjoy each other… we're bridging the cultural gap here at Titanique.” (13:01)
• Discussion touches on queer terminology, representation, and the importance of “embracing the weirdos” in theater: “I love it when the weirdos win. That's gonna be the tagline for this episode.” – Matt (36:07)

4. Celine Dion: From Idol to Stage Persona

• Courtney’s lifelong adoration of Celine Dion—she grew up emulating her voice and style:
  "Listening to her taught me how to sing. Everything she does is just ... technically perfect." – Courtney (09:45)
• The show lets Courtney fully “channel” Celine—mimicking her vocal quirks, physical movement, and sense of wonder.
  • Her impression grew from previous roles, including playing a Celine parody in Bedbugs! The Musical.
  • Celine’s earnestness and childlike joy are central: “She is plucked from another universe … in utter amazement with the world at all times.” (31:05)
• Notable recurring Celine-isms: pounding her chest, her unique accent, and being unguardedly weird and loving.

5. Backstage & Onstage Stories:

• Cast Recognition: Audience interactions include humorous moments, like someone pretending to be Courtney's brother at Great Comet's stage door (02:58).
• Crossover Roles: Courtney has played Celine, Rose, Ruth, and a backup singer—sometimes even in the same week (24:41, 26:46).
• Improv Moments: Each performance features new improv, especially “spooky scary” moments that satirize pop culture news (such as Bill Murray dating Kelis, Al Pacino’s late fatherhood, or Jessica Alba's inscrutable career).
  • “The milkshake brought the guy from Groundhog Day to the yard. And that is so spooky scary to me.” – Courtney (19:32)

6. The Queer Vibe of the Show and Its Characters

• Characters like Jack and Cal are playfully reimagined with an array of queer-coded jokes (“Jack is a high-end gay… Cal is just taking loads, power bottom on Grindr with all the eyeliner.” (18:39–19:01))
• “Dom top vocals with a sub bottom attitude” is how Matt describes the vocal approach (88:58), capturing the show’s mix of musical bravado and campy humility.

7. The Titanique Family—Guest Stars and True Fans

• Titanique has attracted Broadway legends and celebrities: “Amanda Seyfried... Jane Krakowski, Darcy Carden, Margot Robbie…” (64:00)
• Victor Garber, the original movie’s shipbuilder, saw the show and embraced the in-joke of being referred to by actor's name, not his character.
  • “One of my favorite jokes is how Victor Garber is just Victor Garber. They never say his character’s name.” – Matt (14:24)

8. Career Trajectories: From Ruthless to Comet to Titanique

• Courtney’s journey: from playing subversively queer roles in Ruthless (while she was still closeted), to princesses and avant-garde divas in Great Comet, to full-on camp goddess in Titanique.
  • “I understudied Sylvia and I went on covering a man playing a woman. So I was a woman playing a man playing a woman. Very Victor Victoria. Very gay.” – Courtney (04:57)

9. The Titanique Creative Process & The Celine “Dialect”

• Courtney discusses developing the Celine impression with intensive voice lessons, focusing on “the honk”—a specific nasal resonance typical of Celine (73:08).
  • She coaches Matt in Celine’s physicality and speech (“Curl up your left lip... a lot of smirking... goose sound, honk.” (73:27))
• On the shifting script: changes over time have included new punchlines (“Feckless queef” became “Walking yeast infection,” riffs on Rose’s mother Ruth, etc.) (25:57, 63:01)
• Rights issues nixed certain Celine songs (“It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”), requiring creative workarounds that, as Rachel Bloom said of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: “limitations make for better writers.” (38:41–39:46)

10. The Impact and Importance of Weird Theater

• Both Matt and Courtney reflect on why “weird” works matter in theater—highlighting the importance of celebrating outsiders.
• Courtney: “I love it when the weirdos win. That’s the beauty of this show and of theater.” (89:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the essence of Titanique:
  • “It is a gay fantasia on national themes. On international themes.” – Matt (07:28)
• On Celine’s persona:
  • “She is in utter amazement with the world at all times. She has this childlike wonder… I swear to God, every time she hits her chest, the whole world feels it.” – Courtney (31:05)
• On audience mix:
  • “Maybe the only time I can think of where bachelorette parties and Fire Island gays come and enjoy each other's company.” – Matt (13:01)
• On queer theater experience:
  • “I love it when the weirdos win. That's gonna be the tagline for this ep.” – Matt (36:07)
• On the challenge of camp:
  • “I love it when a show that is intentionally stupid is so smart and tasteful about how stupid it is.” – Matt (07:35)
• On Celine’s signature:
  • “That honk, but that's just a part of the French Canadian dialect. This, like, goose sound, like honk. Hello.” – Courtney (73:27)
• On Titanique’s musical energy:
  • “Dom top vocals with a sub bottom attitude.” – Matt (88:58)

Timestamps – Important Segments

• [01:14]: Introduction of Courtney Bassett and the special bonus episode theme
• [06:47]: What Titanique is—Courtney pitches the show for “uncultured” listeners
• [09:45]: Courtney’s journey as a Celine Dion fan and developing her impression
• [12:00]: Discussion of off-Broadway audiences—Fire Island gays vs. bachelorette parties
• [19:32]: Improv moments—Courtney’s “spooky scary” Bill Murray/Kelis gag
• [24:41]: Courtney on rotating between Titanique’s lead and supporting roles
• [31:05]: What makes Celine Dion magical (Courtney’s deep dive on her energy/voice)
• [36:07]: “I love it when the weirdos win.” Embracing queerness in theater
• [46:22]: Deep cut theater TV: loving The Other Two, Great Comet recollections
• [51:54]: Great Comet—rehearsal, energy, and the importance of audience engagement
• [63:01]: Script changes from Asylum to Daryl Roth (venue move)
• [70:19]: The origin story of Titanique
• [85:12]: Celine Dion deep cuts—Courtney’s recommendations for underrated tracks
• [88:58]: “Dom top vocals with a sub bottom attitude”—Titanique’s musical identity
• [91:53]: Matt on seeing multiple versions of the show and cast; show’s consistency
• [96:44]: Closing: Courtney’s shout-out for Patti LuPone as a Broadway diva outro

Additional Highlights

The Titanique Community

• Major celebrities and Broadway insiders have attended or praised the show, from Victor Garber to Margot Robbie.
• Courtney gives insight into the ever-evolving script, the freedom for improv, and the teamwork needed for nights with multiple covers/injuries.

Courtney’s Other Work

• Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: details on the process, the experimental nature of the show, and Rachel Chavkin’s direction.
• Her alt-pop band, Starbird & the Phoenix: “An indie queer pop dream pop band… harmonies on harmonies on long legs.” (57:34)
• Upcoming musical project: Kill the Whale, a Moby Dick rock opera in development. (81:25)

Celine Dion “Techniques” & Influence

• Courtney describes the technical challenges and comedic opportunities of playing Celine—from the chest pounding to the specific “honk” of Francophone English.
• Stories of Celine’s humility, fear before going on stage, and knack for self-parody are lovingly referenced.

Where to Follow & Listen

• Courtney Bassett: courtneybassett.com, Instagram: @courtney.b
• Matt Koplik: Instagram: @mattkoplik
• Titanique Tickets: Official Site
• Podcast Reviews: Encouraged, with shout-outs to thoughtful listeners (see [96:07] for a touching Alaska fan message!)

Closing Diva

• Courtney chooses Patti LuPone as the Broadway diva to play listeners out. (96:44)

Final Takeaway

If you love queer joy, camp, musical theater history, and insider stories—plus a riotously good time recapping Titanique and all things Celine—this episode delivers both the laughs and genuine heart that define why off-Broadway, and the theater queer community, matters.

Weirdos win. Always.