Jim Parsons Stars as a Strict Mother in a New Musical Comedy

“The Big Bang Theory”-Star Jim Parsons (52) is poised to take an unusual career step: the four-time Emmy winner will join the Broadway ensemble of “Titanique,” according to the U.S. magazine “People.” In the musical comedy, he takes on the role of Ruth DeWitt Bukater — the stern mother from the original 1997 film “Titanic,” portrayed by Frances Fisher (73).

The parodic piece itself is a retelling of the Oscar-winning classic. The twist: the story is told from the perspective of pop superstar Céline Dion (57) and is scored entirely with her greatest hits. Songs like “My Heart Will Go On,” “Because You Loved Me” and “All By Myself” propel the plot forward.

For Parsons, who came out as gay in 2012, this engagement marks a return to the Broadway stage. He recently shone in Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” during the last season, then sporting a full beard. Over the years the actor has appeared in several Broadway productions, including the AIDS drama “The Normal Heart” (2011), “An Act of God” (2015), in which he played God, and the gay cult classic “The Boys in the Band” (2018). With “Mother Play” he earned his first Tony Award nomination in 2024.

Original Cast Returns

In addition to Parsons, more prominent names line up in the ensemble. The Grammy-nominated singer Deborah Cox takes on the role of Molly Brown, originally portrayed in the film by Kathy Bates. Co-creators Constantine Rousouli and Frankie Grande, the openly gay brother of pop star Ariana Grande, reprise their roles as Jack Dawson and Victor Garber — roles they embodied during the three-year Off-Broadway run. More names are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

“Titanique” opens in spring 2026 for a 16-week limited run at the St. James Theatre in New York City. Co-creator Marla Mindelle reprises the role of Céline Dion. The book is by Mindelle, Rousouli and director Ty Blue. (spot)