Review: ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE at Connecticut Theatre Company

How do you know when an audience has bought into your performance? The answer depends greatly on the type of show you’re producing: If you’re producing a serious drama, maybe you’ll hear the collective gasp when the revelation hits. If you’re producing a comedy, maybe you’ll be surrounded by laughter when the joke lands perfectly. In the case of the jukebox musical, Escape to Margaritaville, maybe you find the entire audience singing the call-and-response before you tell them to! At least, that’s the experience the cast and crew of Connecticut Theatre Company had in their production of the Jimmy Buffet musical, with the book by Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley.

Directed by Duane Campbell, this production of the island musical brought joy, laughter, and fun: It was the kind of performance where the audience was having as much fun as the cast! In fact, Duane wasn’t just the director. He was Costume, Prop, Set, and Lighting Designer as well, which aided in the cohesive look between all of the different aspects. Also working on Props and Costumes were Erin Frechette and Jillian Marzella, respectively. From the moment you entered the theater, you are immediately transported to the Caribbean due not only to the décor on the stage, but also the tropical outfits of the audience, too! A truly collaborative night, indeed.

For those unfamiliar with Escape to Margaritaville, the musical takes you on a journey following the staff of the Margaritaville Hotel & Bar during the height of tourism season- mainly the resident musician, Tully, played by Joe Berthiaume, and his Best Friend/bartender, Brick, played by Zenn Langley. Their carefree lives on the island take a wild twist with the arrival of bride-to-be Tammy, played by Brooke Owens, and her Maid of Honor (and professional workaholic) Rachel, played by Paige Machnicz, on a final bachelorette party/work opportunity on the Volcanic Island where Margaritaville resides. Surrounding these central four are the rest of the Margaritaville staff: Marley- the owner played by Iesha M. Rose- J.D.- the local drunk and airplane tour pilot played by Stephen Maher- and lastly, the lead bartender, Jamal- played by Enzo Jackson.

Each one of these actors understood the assignment and brought a healthy mix of genuineness and heart to their roles and played well off of each other. Filling out the cast is the Ensemble, who covered all of the other minor roles and populated the hotel throughout the show. Lastly, I want to shout out Angela Jackson and Erin Frechette, the Music Director and Choreographer, respectively, who brought Buffet’s music to life and got the whole crowd singing and dancing in their seats! A lively night in the theater made the best memories.