to bring in the musical theater an element of the symphonic tradition that I think we really haven't had before. That was very exciting." The producers consulted the archives of the Titanic International Society for accurate portrayal of the play's characters. The high cost of Titanic′s set made it impossible for the show to have traditional out-of-town tryouts. Titanic′s previews began at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1997 with various technical troubles which were overcome by opening night, initially receiving mixed to positive reviews. The New Yorker′s was the first of numerous later unqualified raves: "It seemed a foregone conclusion that the show would be a failure; a musical about history's most tragic maiden voyage, in which fifteen hundred people lost their lives, was obviously preposterous.... Astonishingly, Titanic manages to be grave and entertaining, somber and joyful; little by little you realize that you are in the presence of a genuine addition to American musical theatre." It ran 804 performances winning five Tony Awards (including Best Musical), and the advocacy of Rosie O'Donnell. With a Grammy Award nominated cast album, over the next twenty years the show received hundreds of professional and amateur productions worldwide and has become a national and international staple of musical theater. Although it premiered in the same year as the film Titanic, also about the doomed ship, the musical and film have no connection. Productions 1997 original Broadway production Titanic opened on April 23, 1997 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and ran for 804 performances and 27 previews, closing on March 21, 1999. Directed by Richard Jones with choreography by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, the cast included John Cunningham, David Garrison, Larry Keith, Alma Cuervo, Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Don Stephenson, and Brian d'Arcy James. Danny Burstein was a cast replacement. The set encompassed three levels to help form the impression of the size of the ship. The lobby of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was redecorated for the production: the complete passenger list of the Titanic was painted on the walls, noting those who ultimately survived the disaster. Orchestrator Jonathan Tunick won the first Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for his work on the score. The show received five Tony nominations, winning in all five categories, including the Tony Award for Best Musical. Stewart Laing was responsible for both the costume design and the scenic design, for which he won a Tony Award for Best Scenic Design. The wardrobe is