About the Play:

The Last Lifeboat is a full-length drama by Luke Yankee. The untold story of J. Bruce Ismay, the owner of the White Star Line at the time of the sinking of the Titanic, whose decision to save himself rather than go down with the ship made him the scapegoat for one of the greatest disasters of all time. The Last Lifeboat is an epic tale that explores not only the tragedy itself, but the sensationalized trials and aftermath of the night that changed the world forever.

The Last Lifeboat is the story of the Titanic that has never been told. J. Bruce Ismay was an upper-crust Englishman who always did what was expected of him. He went to the best schools, married the right society girl (even though he was in love with someone else) and vowed to his staunch, unfeeling father on his deathbed that he would take over the family shipping business and build the biggest, most opulent ship the world had ever seen: the RMS Titanic. What an accomplishment! We all know the story of how the ship sank… or do we? Ismay saved as many people as he could on that fateful night, and finally, with no women and children in sight, he stepped into the last lifeboat… and was branded a coward and a traitor forever. The world needed a scapegoat for the sinking of the Titanic and Ismay became the perfect target. He had a powerful enemy in the United States – newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Hearst condemned Ismay nationwide before the rescue ship Carpathia even landed in New York. Hearst's cause was aided by William Alden Smith, a ruthless senator with presidential aspirations, who led a "witch-hunt" investigation into this high-profile disaster. Although there was no solid evidence against Ismay, Senator Smith managed to drag the hearings on for months. More than 3,000 passengers brought lawsuits against the White Star Line for loss of life and property, which only fuelled Ismay's intense survivor's guilt. When he was forced to resign from the White Star Line, he spent the rest of his days as a recluse at his estate in Ireland, haunted by the ghosts of that fateful night to the point of near insanity. Playwright Luke Yankee stumbled onto to the topic while performing a one-man-show on a cruise to Nova Scotia, near where the Titanic sideswiped an iceberg and sank more than a century ago.

The Last Lifeboat premiered in 2014 at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts on the campus of the University of California-Irvine. The Canadian premiere was in 2016 at The Surrey Little Theatre in Surrey, British Columbia. The play enjoyed widespread acceptance among leading regional theatres, and has become a popular choice for school and community theatre productions.

Cast: 19 female, 39 male (flexible casting, minimum 3 female, 4 male with doubling)

What people say:

"Imagine the epic story of the drama behind the sinking of the Titanic, revealed with easy, minimal staging on a bare stage! Luke Yankee has written a surging drama that is riveting, dramatic, educational and entertaining all at the same time. The Last Lifeboat is destined to become a theatre classic." — Rex Reed, syndicated columnist

"This is theater the way it was meant to be. Like a time-traveling voyeur privy to the most tormented moments of a man's life, at times I almost felt compelled to avert my gaze. The Last Lifeboat released me from its spell only when the play had ended, and honestly not even then. You will want to experience this magnificent and inspiring theatrical event. I hope you get the chance." — Signal Hill Tribune

"Yankee has crafted a compelling, fascinating play that sheds light on a little-known personality whose life was integrally bound up in the white star line, the creation of the rms titanic, and the aftermath of the huge ship's disastrous sinking. Gripping for the entire journey, it evokes the period with an often visceral effect. This drama is a must-see for anyone intrigued by all things Titanic – or for anyone who realizes that the results of a split-second decision can be momentous and life-altering." — Orange County Register

About the Playwright:

Luke Yankee is an American director, producer, writer, and actor. As a director and producer, he has run two regional theatres, assistant directed six Broadway shows and directed off Broadway and at regional theatres. He has an MFA in Writing for the Performing Arts from University of California-Riverside.