Reset your mind to island time. Because it’s five o’clock somewhere. And for the next two weekends, it’s five o’clock in Havre de Grace as the Tidewater Players presents Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville. Directed by Dickie Mahoney, with Musical Direction by Chris Rose, and Choreography by Evyo (and tap-choreo by Bambi Johnson), this ‘throw-your-cares-away’ silly good time show is just what the doctor ordered in these chilly winter months. And if you really want to be on “island time”? Tidewater Players is selling margaritas for your enjoyment before the show and at the intermission! Wanna prove it? Catch a swing with your margarita on the ‘photo booth porch swing’ out in the intermission hallway (just over in the firehall) so you can cherish your trip to the ‘Ville forever.
These are the people your parents warned you about— Dickie Mahoney, Chris Rose, Eyvo, Bambi Johnson, Lisa Standish, Becky Flickinger, William A. Price III, Dickson Teel, Meghan Phelan, Krisi Spencer, Stanton Zacker, Benjamin Marsh, and Kate Standish. They’re the ‘Creative Team’ (and run-crew) for Escape to Margaritaville. While Greg Garcia & Mike O’Malley’s book may not be much (I’m talking a plot-line so flimsy a sting-bikini looks more solid…with shoehorns ramrodded so forcefully into character tracks, names, and happenings that you’ll be rolling your eyes with cringe left right and center) and Jimmy Buffett’s song catalogue is…Jimmy Buffett’s song catalogue…the creative team does their best to surmount the insurmountable challenges to make this show entertaining and enjoyable for the audience. And for the most part, the audience seemed to enjoy their efforts along with those of the cast, singing along (including several invited sing-a-longs from the company on stage) and bopping their heads from start to finish. The performance’s biggest issue was the chaos going rogue in the microphones (Sound Designer Dickson Teel assures us that he’s looking into whatever gremlin got into the wiring and that it will be better by next production.) There were balancing issues all night, mics not working, mics not picking up, etc.; so if you could overlook the fact that a lot of the dialogue got lost in places, the show was still solid fun.
The unmentioned heroes from the above column are the dutiful ParrotHeads in Paradise (AKA the live musicians in Chris Rose’s pit! Featuring Chris Rose conducting and on keys with Stephanie Carlock on keys, Josh Baker on guitar, Michael Nordvik on bass, Helen Schlaich on reeds, and Mark Leppo on drums/prercussion) having a live orchestra in the opera house space is a game changer. Stage Manager Becky Flickinger and her run crew and ensemble are burning their shrimps off up there to get those scenes changed over (and some of them are a little longer than others) so having that live orchestra to vamp and cover makes all the difference in the world. And Chris Rose’s orchestra elevates the overall quality of the production, giving you that real “live theatre” feel every time you hear them start to play. They sounded like they were on island time too; just right for a feel-good-kinda night.
Speaking of the set— Dickie Mahoney and Lisa Standish— it’s giving island vibes. You’ve got that sun-faded, salt-washed blue on the upright flats and you’ve got rocks, tropical backdrops, and even a hanging “porch swing” down off the stage and in the house. There’s surfboards and a tiki-style bar cantina along with lots of tables. Shout outs go out to the Props Team as well— Meghan Phelan, Krisi Spencer, Stanton Zacker, Benjamin Marsh— for their hand in the island-escape-vibes. William A. Price III throws some mood lighting up and around (including out into the house for a feel-good ending with those hanging string rainbow lights) although the ‘volcano lighting’ when the main four characters hike up the volcano is way more pink and magenta than one might expect (I think traditionally one is looking for orange and red but maybe Price was trying to catch the notion of sunset here.) All in all, the visuals of the show from a technical standpoint are decent.
The costumes (again, Mahoney) are stunning. There are sparkles and sequins EVERYWHERE. And I mean EVERYWHERE. Sure, you’ve got your run of the mill, vacation island Hawaiian style shirts and various and sundry sarong wraps, swimsuits, and halter tops, but then there are sequin breakaway dresses that bust out during Brick’s big fantasy tap number, and of course Brick’s costume is all sequins once he re-enters for that number. But there’s even more sequins to be had in “Cheeseburger in Paradise” with even more breakaway reveals— ketchup, pickles, lettuce, Heinz 57— and you just lose your mind over the purple shimmer dress Tammy gets to wear in that number too. Of course, Marley seems to get a different shaded tropical hibiscus-themed two piece island outfit for every day of the week and that looks just as fabulous. Hats off to Mahoney for really catching the island vibe in the show’s sartorial selection.
Being such a fun and waste-away show, the dance routines for this production felt almost a little too intense. Like let the ensemble party a little maybe. But it’s all the best of intentions from choreographer Eyvo as he navigates the space (a tricky challenge given the stage and the setup with all of the props and scenery perpetually on it) and tries to put in motion some engaging, albeit at time repetitive, moves. The panic-stricken looks on the ensemble dancers faces during the “Volcano” routine is pretty wild. And the tap routine (choreographed by Bamib Johnson) is spot on for tapping— with a shout-out going out to featured acrobatic movers Sammi Flickinger and Carissa Lagano for their magnificent moves both in the tap number and throughout the performance.
The ensemble is doing their best to bring fun and festivities to the stage (remember it’s a plot and songbook jukebox musical that nobody asked for) and they’re succeeding. Lots of fun being had on stage by Mark Briner, Gina Creek, Zachary Dodon, Jason Patrick Edwards, Alex Elias, Sammi Flickinger, Thomas Knox, Carissa Lagano, Donnie Lewis, Benjamin Marsh, Anna Odell, and Lisa Rigsby Geiger. Several of them even double in roles— like Zachary Dodson playing the horrid fiancé Chad (who totally gets what’s coming to him) and Donnie Lewis, who plays Jamal and gets a fun solo when he launches “Volcano” at the top of Act II.
In the spotlight-stealing role of the evening, Ryan Geiger (despite being just a little too young for the character who is meant to be pushing 80) really has the audience falling in love with JD. The character itself is created to deliver lines in the songs that nobody else wants to say (and so that they can squeeze in that damn “He Went To Paris” number in the sappiest, most-pathetic shoehorn of the show.) Geiger is playing the role square and earnest, which actually makes it funnier, particularly when he’s getting his flirt on with Marley (Ariel Chaillou, whose island accent was on-point, when it could be heard— Ms. Chaillou had one of the microphones with the most problems and a lot of her singing and dialogue were lost on opening night.) Ultimately you’ll find yourself watching whatever little corner of the stage Geiger’s JD is occupying, and you might just find yourself getting a little misty-eyed when he gives his speech after they all finish singing “He Went To Paris.” But of course you might just laugh your rear-end off when he leads the audience in a group sing-along of “Why Don’t We Get Drunk…” either way you won’t be able to take your eyes off of him.
Brick, Tammy, Rachel, and Tully. A quartet of questionable characters if ever there was one. (Again— rubbish script but these kids are up there making the most of it, giving it their all and really trying.) As Rachel, the nerdy-uptight science girl who just can’t breath in, breath out, and let go, Jordan Burch has a solid technical vocal capability. You get the strongest showcase of her vocal capabilities during “It’s My Job.” As her bubbly best friend Tammy, Jennifer Biglen is really putting the effervescence out into the ether. She’s just adorable and infectious and all-round fun. You really don’t get a chance to hear her vocally shine until she’s belting it out during “Cheeseburger in Paradise” but it’s great fun to watch the chemistry between her and Brick burble along as she comes to terms with everything that’s happening in her life.
As Brick, Nathan Cooney has hilarious facial expressions and all the right body language for the character. And he even gets a faux-tap on during his fantasy number with the dead-zombie-insurance-salespeople (yes, I said dead-zombie-insurance-salespeople…take it up with Garcia & O’Malley!) Congenial and convivial, you really get this sense that Cooney is developing the character of Brick as he goes along and the adorable meet-cute chemistry that he’s building with Biglen’s Tammy is just so much fun to watch. They get these little moments together, usually with Biglen dragging him off-stage and him panic-flying with her, and it just adds hilarity for the audience to enjoy.
Bringing the song and the attitude and the guitar skills to the performance, you’ve got the versatile Stanely Evans as ‘Tully Mars.’ Too cool for school, laid back, permanently on island time, etc. And yet Evans makes a depth in that hollowed-out-seashell of a character; it’s remarkable! And he’s got vocal prowess for miles. Not only is he nailing numbers like “License to Chill” but he’s basically distributing said license for the audience. The character is so poorly fleshed out that it is an astonishing feat that Evans gave him this vibrancy beyond just a “pretty-beach-boy-bod-and-face” who has a guitar in his hand and sand in his hair. You actually feel for him at the end of Act I. Evans rocks it out, regardless of who he’s interacting with or singing with, about or around. And he leads with a vocal flawlessness when he sings “Margaritaville” and “Five O’Clock Somewhere.”
You heard it through the coconut telegraph first, folks, come on down, get on island time, grab yourself a cheeseburger in paradise, and come waste away at Escape to Margaritaville. It’s a silly fun time and you’ll laugh a good deal.
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission
Escape to Margaritaville plays through March 24th 2024 with Tidewater Players in residence at the Cultural Center at The Havre de Grace Opera House— 121 N. Union Street in historic downtown Havre de Grace, MD. For tickets call the box office at 667-225-8433 or purchase them online.
