Deborah Cox is back on Broadway: Following her stint as Glinda the Good Witch in 2024’s The Wiz revival, Cox is starring in Titanique as The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
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After several successful runs elsewhere — including London, where it won the Olivier Award in 2025 — Titanique is now berthed at Broadway’s St. James Theatre for a 16-week limited engagement. Previews began March 26; opening night is April 12. Running through July 12, the musical parody of the 1997 film Titanic also stars Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, Jim Parsons and Frankie Grande.
Titanique not only marks Cox’s latest credit on a Broadway resumé that includes Aida and Jekyll & Hyde. It also represents a full-circle moment. That’s because Titanique is propelled by Celine Dion’s catalog, including Titanic’s theme song “My Heart Will Go On.” And Cox — a former backup singer for fellow Canadian Dion — is performing two tunes: a solo turn on “All by Myself” and in a trio version of “Tell Him.” It’s the first time Cox has revisited the songbook since touring with the pop icon for a year, including former president Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration.
“It was around ‘Beauty and the Beast’ when I left Celine’s tour to start my own career,” recalls Cox. “So it’s wild to be in a production using her music as opposed to just singing background. That’s why I tell people to trust your journey because you never know where it’s going to lead.”
Cox’s journey led to a string of R&B and dance/pop hits including her multiplatinum classic “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” “Beautiful U R” and “Let the World Be Ours Tonight.” The Grammy-nominated singer has also won four Juno Awards and became the first Black woman inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2022.
During rehearsals for her Titanique role as Molly Brown, portrayed by Kathy Bates in the film version, Cox chatted with Billboard about what compelled her latest stage adventure, lessons learned from Dion and plans for new music.
What sparked your interest in the parody?
I’d heard murmurings about the show but had never actually seen it. I was on vacation with my family when I got an email from its director Tye Blue. There was no audition. It was literally, “I would love for you to play this role,” as he explained what type of show it is. Then there’s this incredible music and the nostalgia of it all. It was intriguing as I’ve always loved sketch comedy with female comedians like Whoopi Goldberg and Carol Burnett. So I told Tye to send me the script. And here we are.
How would you describe Molly Brown?
She’s a nerd when it comes knowing all the mechanics of a ship; very well-versed about its style and nautical language. And she survived two shipwrecks, a true story. I found all this information when I was doing research on Molly, who later used her wealth for philanthropy. She was a very caring individual when it came to women and empowerment. She didn’t like to see people victimized, so she really stood up for people that didn’t have a voice. I carry a lot of those traits as well, but not the nautical part.
The film really tells more of this love story between Rose and Jack. But [in Titanique] there’s also a cast of characters who are involved with the dynamics of what Rose and Jack are going through.
What did you learn musically from Dion while touring with her?
That period was a great introduction to seeing what type of discipline you need to maintain longevity, that kind of superstardom. She’s so fiercely disciplined about vocal hygiene like not singing or doing press before a show. She was a great example to us young singers coming up. I came to practice a lot of that in my own routine as a singer. It’s really served me.
Have you spoken to her about Titanique?
I haven’t. The last time I saw her was probably the Juno Awards. We were actually both in the same category [female vocalist of the year in 1997], which was wild. When I saw her, she again was so gracious and cool with the idea of me branching out to do my own thing; very supportive. That was the last time I saw her — because after that, she really sprung into high gear with her touring and then her Las Vegas residency.
What can audiences expect from your latest role?
My role as Glinda was very different, two brief scenes. This show has a lot more singing and dancing. It’s an ensemble piece in which we’re working with all these other actors, so it’s very active. It’s also not a show that has an intermission. So it’s like a straight 90-minute marathon, which is great.
Meanwhile, you’re four years into operating your own wine brand.
It’s called Kazaisu [Kah-Zy-Sue], named after my three children. We [she and husband/manager Lascelles Stephens] pride ourselves on being a certified organic brand. It grew out of my wanting to have another alternative from other brands out there. When I was on the road with Celine and then in my own career, I’d go to different tastings. Revisiting the idea during the pandemic, we started with an organic rosé. Our white arrived last year and we have a red that came out over the holidays. We’re slowly growing a great footprint, doing well in Canada and in Japan while also in New York, and select places in New Jersey and Florida, as we work on more distribution.
Is new music in the works as well?
I’m doing a remix of “All by Myself,” so we have that in conjunction with the show. Then I plan to do some new music. I don’t think I’ll have a full album done anytime soon, but I’m definitely working on it. People have been asking for a while now, so I’m ready to get in there and be creative.
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