Review: JIMMY BUFFETT'S ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE at Broadway Palm

Broadway Palm Theatre is throwing a beach party this month in conjunction with its production Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville. All the elements are in place. The staff are attired in tropical shirts. Beach balls float overhead. And although I spotted no tourists covered in oil, margaritas flowed freely from the makeshift tiki bar in the corner of the lobby.

The show itself follows suit. Somehow, Greg Garcia and Mike O'Malley, who wrote the book for this fun musical experience, managed to incorporate key lyrics from Buffett's songs into dialogue and stage business. The set-ups are ingenious, much like red herrings in a mystery.

The leads in the contrived plot are a guitar-strumming bar singer played by Dale Obermark and the workaholic tourist who catches his eye played by Caitlin Lester-Sams. Both have vocal chops and affable stage presence to spare.

They'd better. The second bananas work hard to steal the show. Audience favorite Victor Legarreta spews puns like there's no tomorrow when he isn't duetting with Obermark. His love interest is played by Shannon Connolly. The twosome has been paired up in previous shows, and their rollicking chemistry is a joy to behold.

The audience too is easily caught up in the high jinks. The song "Why Don't We Get Drunk" (fill in the blank to complete the phrase) quickly becomes a singalong. And the requisite tap number earns a huge burst of applause.

If you're a fan of Jimmy Buffett or just someone who needs a mini vacation, you'll enjoy this show. It runs through April 2. For tickets, call 239.278.4422.

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