Marla Mindelle on being a Tony Award nominee for co-creating and playing Céline Dion in 'Titanique'

Titanique star, co-author, and producer Marla Mindelle is "beyond proud" for the show's four Tony Award nominations.

“I’m feeling kooky crazy, girlfriend,” said Titanique star, co-author, and producer Marla Mindelle, slipping effortlessly into a Céline Dion accent as she reacted to becoming a Tony Award nominee for the gleefully campy musical.

She and her fellow performers learned of the Tony nods just seconds before appearing on the Today show. “Everyone's screaming,” she said. “I couldn't cry, so I just kind of stood there being like, ‘Thank you so much.’” Then it was time to sing live.

A few hours later, Mindelle had regained her composure. She beamed in a glow of self-reflection about the show she and co-creators Constantine Rousouli, who plays Jack, and Tye Blue, who directs, have made together.

“I feel so beyond proud. I'm so proud of the show. I'm so proud of my co authors. I'm so proud of the three of us,” she said, adding that the trio devised the show to make each other laugh. “Our friendship has lasted over 10 years. This show is a byproduct of that friendship.”

Like the ill-fated ship in the musical parody of the blockbuster movie Titanic that is driven by the Dion catalog, Titanique boasts its own incredible journey. The show began as a concert, then ran off Broadway, first in a tiny basement venue, and was seen in a number of cities around the world before docking on Broadway.

In all, Titanique earned four Tony nominations: Best Musical, Book, Lead Actress for Mindelle, and Featured Actor for Layton Williams, who won an Oliver Award for the show’s London run.

Asked about her favorite thing about playing Dion, Mindelle unapologetically fan-girled. “The thing that I love about her the most is that she gives everyone around her such joy,” she said. “So now I feel like that is my true purpose, not only as Céline Dion, but with the show, our job is to make you feel joy for 90 minutes. I feel like we're getting that job done.”

Mindelle said that the Broadway audience at the St. James Theatre always goes full-tilt, and she expects that to be supersized in light of the Tony nods. She wagers the audience is “going to be on steroids tonight. I can't wait,” she said. “It’s going to be one of those performances that you never forget.”

The Tony Awards will be handed out June 7 at Radio City Music Hall during a telecast hosted by P!nk. The awards will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

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Photo credit: Marla Mindelle in Titanique. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)