By James V. Ruocco
Cheeseburgers and Margaritas.
Drunken Days.
Island Paradises.
Kicking Back.
Flip Flops and Parrottheads.
Rum with Coconut Water and Limes.
Tropical Pattered Shirts.
Sunny Days and Breezy Nights.
Welcome to the lively world of songwriter/lyricist Jimmy Buffett, the iconic music man whose casual tropical island spirit and lifestyle provides the backdrop for the breezy, gumdrop-gooey confection "Escape to Margaritaville," a two-act musical which opened on Broadway back in 2018 and subsequently launched a variety of National Tours including the bright and colorful 2021 edition which hit the road in September, 2021 after being suspended for 18 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A splashy entertainment of sweetness, relentless glee and happy-go-lucky plotting and engineering, "Escape to Margaritaville," which kicked off the Bushnell's 2021-2022 season Tuesday night before a very excited and appreciative audience, is feel-good fun - the kind that oozes warmth and giddiness, splash and dash, swirls and twirls and Technicolor island breezes - all designed to bring a smile to your face, clap your hands till they hurt, gush uncontrollably over the show's duo boy-girl romances, wish for a happy ending, and, when it's all over, break out your mobile phone to call Uber Eats to order a double cheeseburger and a round or two of tasty margaritas.
That said, this is cotton-candy light escapist fun to the MAX.
Written by Greg Garcia and Mike O'Malley" "Escape to Margaritaville" delivers a simple story of spun sugar about an island tropical resort singer (Tully), his best friend and buddy (Brick) and the two women (Rachel and Tammy) who come to the island for fun and relaxation and end up sleeping with them, falling in love with them and finally marrying them as tropical breezes sway and everyone lives happily ever after.
Corny, oh, yes. Silly, double silly. Cliche ridden, definitely without question. But in spite of that double-dipped gumdrop effect, it all works surprisingly well - very well, in fact - as it magically casts its spell over anyone willing to accept its candy floss merriment, its MGM movie musical concept, its lightweight romantic plotting and its sunny, obvious likeness to that of "Momma Mia!" and "Anything Goes."
Staging "Escape to Margaritaville," director Amy Anders Cororan reaches into the show's grab bag of music, comedy, romance and tropical island splendor to deliver a freewheeling, satisfying story in itself, always mindful of its attitude, its pulse, its comfort, its emotions and its playfulness. Her intention is to have 100 percent fun with both the characters on stage and Garcia and O'Malley's play text. Nothing more. Nothing less. With the accent strictly on entertainment, she creates a lightweight, sweet-centered atmosphere that serves the material well. Scene by scene, she gives "Escape to Margaritaville" a snappy escapist drive that keeps going and going until the final curtain calls. She asks her cast to play it for real, which they do, without ever going overboard for a laugh, a tear or questioning the romantic silliness of the plot. This, in turn, keeps the musical afloat with genuine stage smarts, wit, sincerity, flair and well-intentioned gaiety.
Music is everything here and "Escape to Margaritaville" delivers the goods in the amusing, laid-back manner, intended by its creator. The songs, all carefully formatted into the plot are: "License to Chill," "Margaritaville," "Fins," "It's Five o'Clock Somewhere," "It's My Job," "Why Don't We Get Drunk," "We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About," "Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On," "Son of a Son of a Sailor," "Three Chords," "Coconut Telegraph," "Last Mango in Paris," "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes," Volcano," "Grapefruit, Juicy Fruit," "He Went to Paris," "Cheeseburger in Paradise, " "Coast of Marseilles," "Havana Daydreamin,' " "Tin Cup Chalice," "Love and Luck," "Come Monday," "A Pirate Looks at Forty" and "One Particular Harbour."
Under the guidance and supervision of Christopher Jahnke, Jimmy Buffet's souffle of musical treats roars onto the stage with accelerated dash and fizz, thus, creating a celebratory frenzy that everyone on stage performs and addresses with vocal renditions that are heartfelt, joyous, enthusiastic and harmonious.
Going with the flow of the music, he brings the right rhythm and pulse to the sound and detail of Buffet's orchestrations, their sweet-tinged commentaries, their humorous and dramatic tones and the teeming flux of the very familiar lyrics, jokes, pronouncements and eclipses.
The cast of principals - Kyle Southern as Tully, Sarah Hinrichsen as Rachel, Peter Michael Jordan as Brick, Emily Qualmann as Tammy, Patrick Cogan as J.D., Rachel Lyn Fobbs as Marley - are all exactly right for the roles they are asked to play. As actors, they are funny, romantic and emotional. As singers, they tackle Buffet's music with the quality, magic and fun-loving spirit of his original mindset.
Highlights include "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "License to Chill," "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," "Why Don't We Get Drunk" and "Margaritaville."
A brilliant move on the Bushnell's part to kick off the theater's new Broadway season - and bring audiences back to this Hartford-based-landmark - "Escape to Margaritaville" is a sunny, refreshing, lightweight musical with absolutely nothing on its mind except to thrill, cajole and entertain, which it does ever so engagingly. Jimmy Buffet's laid-back signature music works its way comfortably into the show's romantic plotting much to the delight of everyone in the audience without ever going overboard to make its point. Everyone in the cast - principals, supporting players, ensemble - has great fun bringing the two-act musical to life in glorious, panoramic Technicolor. The sets, the lighting, the costumes beautifully reflect the tropical island magic of the show's setting. Director Amy Anders Corcoran spins a romantic tale that never once whirls out of control. And musical supervisor Christopher Jahnke celebrates the music and sound of Jimmy Buffett with an obvious summertime zest and energy that respects and pays tribute to the man himself.
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