Jimmy Buffett tunes tell story of 'Escape to Margaritaville' at Croswell Opera House

Arlene Bachanov

ADRIAN — Jimmy Buffett may be gone, but his tunes live on in the jukebox musical “Escape to Margaritaville,” the show that kicks off the Croswell Opera House’s 2024 Broadway Season this weekend and next.

The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10. Additional performances are at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 12; 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 17; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 19.

Tickets are $44/$33/$22 for adults and $25/$20/$15 for students, and are available online at croswell.org or by calling 517-264-7469.

Eric Parker, who directs the Croswell’s production as well as plays J.D. the beach bum, called the show “a fun, lighthearted romp of a show that is surprisingly complex, on a technical level, for what it is.”

Maxwell Lam as Tully leads the Croswell Opera House's cast of “Escape to Margaritaville” in a song.
Maxwell Lam as Tully leads the Croswell Opera House's cast of “Escape to Margaritaville” in a song.

The storyline revolves around a soon-to-be married couple, Chadd and Tammy; Tammy’s friend Rachel; and the denizens of Margaritaville, a shabby hotel on a small Caribbean island. Besides J.D., there’s Brick, the bartender; Tully, a singer; Marley, the hotel’s owner; and Jamal, the busboy.

Of course, as with other musicals of this genre, the plot really only exists to be a framework for the music. “Like any jukebox musical, it’s interesting to see how the songs fit into the story,” Parker said. To that end, for example, the island comes complete with an erupting volcano so that Buffett’s song “Volcano” can be part of the story.

True “parrotheads,” as Jimmy Buffett fans are known, will find a whole host of the singer’s hits in this show, including “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” “Son of a Son of a Sailor,” “Grapefruit, Juicyfruit,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” “Fins,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Come Monday,” the aforementioned “Volcano,” and, of course, “Margaritaville.”

The Croswell’s cast, in addition to Parker, features Maxwell Lam as Tully, Ally Szymanski as Rachel, Meg Clark as Tammy, Jared Freeman as Chadd, John Lamb as Brick, Tamaris L.M. Henagan as Marley, and Alex Sheremeta as Jamal.

Ally Szymanski as Rachel and Maxwell Lam as Tully flirt at the bar in a scene from “Escape to Margaritaville” at the Croswell Opera House.
Ally Szymanski as Rachel and Maxwell Lam as Tully flirt at the bar in a scene from “Escape to Margaritaville” at the Croswell Opera House.

The ensemble includes Ella Orr, Oden Berthelsen, Becca Glover, Elizabeth Gozdowski, James Hanley, Meg McNamee, Bella McQuigg, Amanda Nummy, Libby Edwards, Samuel Spaulding, Kamrin Park, Mitchell Laroy, Everett Hanley, Alexandra June and Jonah Hiatt.

Dave Raines is the show’s music director, while Michelle Doerfler is the stage manager, Angie Sword Heath is the choreographer, and Paul Alday is the scenic designer.

While Parker may not, himself, have “parrothead” status, he does admire what Buffett was able to accomplish. “He came out of that ‘70s pool of musicians like John Prine, but he had a bigger career,” he said. And he finds this particular salute to Buffett’s music “a relentlessly fun show” with a definite message: “slow down and smell the sea air.”

“It is a really cute show,” he said. “It’s got fun music and the dance numbers are exuberant. And,” he added, laughing, “we have a volcano.”

If you go

WHAT: “Escape to Margaritaville”

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 12; 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 17; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 19

WHERE: Croswell Opera House, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian

TICKETS: $44/$33/$22 for adults, $25/$20/$15 for students

HOW TO ORDER: Online at croswell.org or by calling 517-264-7469

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Preview: Escape to Margaritaville at Croswell Opera House

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