The RMS Titanic set sail April 10, 1912, on its maiden voyage, from Southampton, England to New York City, N.Y.

Deemed “unsinkable,” the Titanic was the largest ship at the time to ever sail the seas.

Parkland High School thespians will present the story of those aboard the fateful voyage with their performance this weekend of the “Titanic, The Musical,” a production as large as the name it bears.

Unlike the 1997 blockbuster movie, the musical does not follow the infamous romance between Jack and Rose.

Rather, the story has a character all its own, one created through an intimate view into the lives of the passengers and crew on board.

Reese Diaz plays the role of Frederick Barrett, one of several characters the audience gets to know throughout the show.

“Barrett is a stoker, so he is in charge of shoveling the coal,” said Diaz. “Throughout the play, they tell him the ship needs to go faster and he thinks it’s a bad idea.”

Diaz performs several songs, including “The Proposal” during which he asks his girlfriend to marry him.

He admitted acting older was the most challenging part of this role, an opinion shared by other actors.

The performance requires students to transform from first class to third class passengers within moments.

Abigail Kern plays Alice Beane, a second-class passenger with dreams of rubbing noses with the first class.

“Something to note is that the past three years [at Parkland] we have done these mystical magical shows,” said Kern. “I think this year it was super cool being able to do something that represented a historical event and actually being a real person, which I think was a challenge for us.

“I think it was really fun for us to learn how to try to act like a person and not go overboard, but still have the character be believable.”

Kern’s favorite number takes place during the ship’s launching during the first scene.

“It’s just so big,” she said. “The magnitude of it ... between the orchestra and the singing.

“I always tell my parents, it’s going to smack you in the face.”

With story and book by Peter Stone, music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, the original Broadway show won a total of five Tonys in 1997.

Brought to the high school stage, Director and Musical Director Frank Anonia says this show challenges every aspect of the theater experience for his students.

“One of the great things about this show, and one that works very well for us, is it features many students in multiple roles,” Anonia said of this year’s musical choice. “You get to meet all the major players in the crew, all the members of the first-, second- and third-class passengers.

“So this is really an opportunity for us to feature many Parkland students, not just a few.”

Anonia said he is especially proud of the behind-the-scenes students who make this production work.

“We have done everything for this show from scratch,” he said. “There aren’t stock drops for the show since it isn’t done often.

“This was a big challenge for the stage crew.”

The trick was finding a way to convey the drastically different locations on the boat on a high school stage.

Alex Michaels is the set designer and technical director. He is assisted by Daniel Zahn, senior sound director.

Michaels taught the students everything from how to use tools, build a set from a design, as well as the concepts of lighting and sound.

“I am immensely proud of these kids,” Michaels said. “It amazes me how they give it all they can.”

Stage Manager Giuseppina DeMatteo, a Parkland senior, is responsible for approximately 20 stage crew members.

Having managed the past three shows directed by Anonia, including, “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Into the Woods,” DeMatteo says “Titanic, The Musical” is definitely the most intricate she has done.

“We really wanted the audience to be in a new place every time we switched scenes,” said DeMatteo, who plans to pursue a career in stage management and technical direction. “There are 10 scenes in the first act and you go to eight different locations.

“The scene changes are very quickly.”

Assistant Director and Choreographer Kelly Jean Graham was tasked with creating complicated, seamless and meaningful movement within and between scenes for the 48 members of the onstage cast.

Proclaimed the disaster of the century, the souls of 1,517 men, women and children were lost when the Titanic sank April 14, 1912. Only 711 passengers survived.

“Titanic, The Musical” will be performed 7:30 p.m. April 14, 15, 16 and 3 p.m. April 17 in the Parkland High School auditorium.