Titanic: The Musical, York Theatre Royal, May 6 to May 15

Jim, you are playing Titanic captain E J Smith and you are chairman of York Musical Theatre Company. How did you ensure a safe passage from New York to old York for Titanic: The Musical?

"When I became chairman in 1999 it was my ambition that the company would one day perform Titanic. The show opened on Broadway in April 1997, and went on to win five Tony awards, including Best Musical.

"The music first came to our attention at rehearsals for the NODA Centenary Concert in 1999 when members were so impressed by Don Pippin's arrangements of Titanic numbers at the Royal Albert Hall that we did our own Titanic selection for our Celebration 2000 concerts at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre and Selby Abbey."

What happened next?

"When I called Musicscope, the UK agents for Titanic rights holders Tams-Witmark, they said they were expecting to hear any day now that Titanic was being made available in the UK for amateurs.

I completed an application form and within days was told we could perform it. So we promptly postponed our proposed production of Annie Get Your Gun until next year."

York Musical Theatre Company will be spending £85,000 on the Titanic production. Is that a risk?

"We are spending £15,000 more than we've spent before on a production but it's the biggest production we've ever done in terms of it being an ensemble piece.

"We normally take £60,000 from a typical box office for our Theatre Royal shows, and with this show there will be additional interest from those who are fascinated by the story or who saw the James Cameron film.

We have already taken more than £5,000 in ticket sales from all over the country, mainly from amateur groups that are thinking of doing the show, and we've even had a booking from Texas."

Do you feel under pressure to have a hit, Jim?

"I put the pressure on the committee to put the show on, and I am finding it really interesting being chairman of the company off stage and captain of the ship on stage."

Will any costs be shared out?

"For the set, we're paying for the materials, but the designer and builder, Dave Benson Design, is not charging us for labour because he hopes to get further productions out of it.

"Our lighting designer, Bob Bustance, is also the chief executive at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage, where he will be putting on Titanic: The Musical as the summer project, using Dave's set and hopefully some of our older actors in the more senior roles."

Stephen, you are playing radio man Harold Bride in your first stage appearance since 1999 and your first show for York Musical Theatre Company. Why come on board Titanic?

"It was the extra buzz of knowing that this would be the British premiere, and there's also that thing of playing a real-life character, which makes it even more moving to do. It's a very dramatic and emotive piece and so from that point of view, it's special."

What happened to Harold Bride after that fateful night on the Titanic, Stephen?

"There's quite a lot of information on Harold Bride because he survived, and his transcripts of his experience are full, such as how his feet were badly damaged when a funnel crashed down on him.

"He ended up on an upturned lifeboat: the one that was made famous in the film A Night To Remember.

"He was quite a reclusive character who didn't like to be made out to be a hero, so he moved to Scotland and became a pharmacist. He died in 1956."

Anna, you started your new post as marketing officer at the Theatre Royal in February, so you will be there day and night for the next fortnight! How come?

"I think I'm the first member of staff here to be performing in a show at the same time. I have been with York Musical Theatre Company for two years and I'd already been cast in Titanic before getting the Theatre Royal job, and I just love being on stage or being in the theatre doing anything. Ever since I went to the ballet with my mother when I was little, I have found it a magical place."

Who are you playing in Titanic?

"Kate Murphey, from Donegal. She's one of three Irish Kates travelling in third class and all talking about starting a new life in America, where she's hoping to be a governess/nanny.

"Incidentally, my family name is Murphy - without the 'e' - so I have Irish blood in me, which should be good for the role."

York Musical Theatre Company, Titanic: The Musical, York Theatre Royal, May 6 to May 15. Box office: 01904 623568.

NOTE: The Titanic hit the iceberg and sank in the same time it takes to perform Titanic: The Musical each evening.

Updated: 08:43 Friday, April 30, 2004