Arriving in New York City

When the section of the Titanic arrives in New York City, the event will mark the opening of a larger series of displays and gatherings, which will look at a broad range of social, cultural, and technical issues that figured in the great ship’s misadventure and are still relevant. The project will invite participants to give expression to the historic tragedy through multiple programs and venues.

For the more technically minded, the exhibition will include a description of how the ship was constructed, followed by a forensic study of the catastrophic sequence of hull failure after the collision. It will also examine the ship’s turning characteristics to identify alternative maneuvers that First Officer William Murdoch could have used to reduce hull damage or avoid collision altogether. The project will explore the ill-considered action to open a gangway door near the waterline, hoping to load passengers into the lifeboats but only accelerating the rate of sinking.  Also to be considered are the contradictory actions of the nearest ships, Carpathia and Californian, one of which raced 58 miles through the same dangerous ice conditions in response to TITANIC’s distress signal, while the other stopped apparently in distant view of the unfolding disaster.

To complement the exhibit, the project will incorporate poetry, dance, music, and possibly a documentary film. Convergence of The Twain, penned by Thomas Hardy two weeks after the tragedy, could be presented to illustrate the futility of the disaster. The Jane Hotel, where the survivors were housed in 1912, Pier 59 Studio, and other related venues might host these creative events and works of art.

Jane Hotel

"Betrothed" Official Trailer

A tribute as part of A Quiet Sea

Plying a quiet sea on her maiden passage one serene April night in 1912, RMS Titanic brushed an iceberg. Two hours and 40 minutes later, she upended and sank with great loss of life. Even though we are well into the disaster’s second century, fascination with the great ship has not waned, and peeling back the layers of this momentous event reveals unique, untold stories. One such tale is the genesis of A Quiet Sea: RMS Titanic Project's premiere artistic work, "Betrothed." 

Our interpretive account tells the story of Maria Robinson and her fiancé, Wallace Hartley, a violinist and bandleader on Titanic, who led his ensemble during the ship’s final moments in what would be their last melody, Songe d'Automne. Maria had given Wallace a violin as an engagement gift, and they intended to marry upon his return. Ten days after the sinking, his body, with the violin in its case strapped to his chest, was recovered by the mortuary ship Mackay Bennett and taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The authorities later returned the instrument to Maria, who replied with a simple thank you note. In this work, Maria remembers her time with Wallace, responding to various moods in the measures of Songe d’Automne, cherishing her imperishable bond with Wallace.

Founder, producer, and original concept by: Charles Deroko.
Creative director: Lana Hankinson. Costume and set design by: Lana Hankinson and Charles Deroko.
Music composed by: Archibald Joyce. Recording credit to: RTÉ Concert Orchestra "Song D' Automne," for orchestra. Conducted by Andrew Penny.
Autumn: Classical Music for a New Season. Label: Naxos Special Projects.
Choreographer/Dancer: Lana Hankinson. Filmed and edited by: Samantha Lobel.
Lighting design by: Jacob Hiss.
Special thanks to: Gerald Weinstein, Roselyn Hirsch, Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens, Susan Fowler and Fast Smart Web Design, Fractured Atlas, Christ Church New Brighton.

This work is inspired by actual historical events of the RMS Titanic maritime disaster, the lives of those onboard, and their families. However, certain of the character, events, and dialogue portrayed in the film were created for the purpose of fictitious dramatization, and any similarity to any person living today is purely coincidental and unintentional. Ownership of this work is protected by copyright and other applicable laws, and any unauthorized duplication, distribution, or exhibition could result in criminal prosecution as well as civil liability. COPYRIGHT © 2023 Charles Deroko & Lana Hankinson. All Rights Reserved

About Lana Hankinson, Creative Director

Lana Hankinson

Born and raised in Marietta, Georgia, Lana Hankinson is currently a freelance artist performing, working, and teaching (under ABT® Certification) in New York City. In her early years, she studied at Anne Burton Avery’s Academy Dance Company (Marietta, GA) and then in the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre’s Conservatory Program (Alpharetta, GA) under the direction of Prima Ballerina Maniya Barredo and Andrea Pell. Hankinson has extensive training in classical ballet as well as contemporary, modern, and jazz styles of dance. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Adelphi University under the direction of Frank Augustyn, where she received the Jeff and Tina Bolton Scholarship and Provost Talent Scholarship. She is very honored to be serving as Creative Director for this project.

About Charles Deroko, Director

Charles Deroko

"Raised in Hell’s Kitchen on the West Side of Manhattan in the 1950s and 1960s," Charles says, "I was fascinated by the transatlantic liners that lined the waterfront at Ocean Liner Row. They, and the great steam tugs that routinely tied up to take on feed water, decided my future.

"My interest in Titanic began when my father, a machinist and amateur artist, bought Walter Lord’s 1955 book, A Night to Remember, the first accurate account of the disaster. I was taken with the dust jacket illustration of Titanic headed for the iceberg and immediately made my own rendering. That clearly recalled moment was the genesis of a lifelong interest in the ship, her people, and her technical characteristics.

"After I was discharged from the service in early 1972, I worked doing light salvage, then gravitated to marine towing, where I spent 20 years with an independent towing company and earned my Master of Towing license. During that same period, I worked restoring historic sailing and powered vessels and became well-versed in the manner of their design and construction.

"Incorporated as an independent marine surveyor in 1998, I sub-contracted as field surveyor with a number of national naval architectural firms and continue to provide inspection and consultation services for local naval architects and various maritime museums. I am semi-retired and live in Brooklyn."

Donate Here

We want to bring a section of Titanic’s hull to Manhattan as the centerpiece of an exhibit that will incorporate the performing arts.

A Quiet Sea is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of A Quiet Sea must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Get Involved!

We're looking for other people or organizations interested in the Titanic:

• - Artists with artwork, schematics, or diagrams to display online or in live venues
• - Museums, gallery owners, and studios willing to display or support creative works about the Titanic
• - Musicians, dancers, and performance artists with pieces related to the Titanic
• - Simulators or 3D models related to the Titanic

Many Thanks to These Supporters

Anonymous
Laura Bartovics
Tom Briggs
Richard Dorfman
Lana Hankinson
James Hayes
Roselyn Hirsch
Lee Gruzen
Prof. Kellie Carter Jackson
Kevin Jones
Steve Kalil
Rachel Lussier
George Matteson
Persak & Wurmfeld
Tara Quinn
Dana Ruben
Victor Stanwick
Turnstile Tours
Gerry Weinstein
Chase Wells
Deborah Van Wetering

Contact us at info@aquietsea.org or (917) 673-7546.