CRT Presents Regional Premiere of Jimmy Buffet’s “Escape to Margaritaville”

CortlandRep.org

Cortland Repertory Theatre gives their audiences a “License to Chill” with their third production in the theatre’s 53rd annual summer season when they present the regional premiere of Jimmy Buffet’s “Escape to Margaritaville”. Written by Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley, with music and lyrics from some of Jimmy Buffet’s classic tunes, this “ray of tropical sunshine in musical form” will run at the Little York Pavilion from July 3 – 12, with evening shows at 7:30 PM.  Matinees are available on June 5, 7, 9, 10 and 12 at 2:00 PM. Tickets may be purchased by calling 800-427-6160 or by visiting the CRT Box Office at 24 Port Watson Street in Cortland. Tickets are also available through CortlandRep.org with ETIX, for a small additional online charge. CRT cautions that ETIX is the only approved online ticket service; others charge significantly higher rates for tickets and are not approved by CRT.  A 4% technology fee is added for all credit/debit card sales.  As an incentive, this fee will be waived if paid by cash, check or gift card. The GPS address for the Little York Pavilion is 6799 Little York Lake Road in Preble.

Audiences are encouraged to slip on their parrot shirts, slide into their flip flops, and set their watches to island time to prepare for this “cool” summer musical. The Pavilion will be transformed into a tropical paradise where love and laughter are the keys to “growing older but not up.” The story takes place on a Caribbean Island, where Tully Mars is the “mayor” of the Margaritaville resort – a part-time bartender, part-time singer, and full-time charmer who’s got beach life all figured out. That is, he thinks he does until a beautiful scientist comes to the island and sends his life into a tailspin. This bubbly, free-and-easy score features Jimmy Buffett’s classics, including Cheeseburger in Paradise, Fins, Volcano, It’s Five o’clock Somewhere and many more. 

CRT’s Producing Artistic Director Kerby Thompson is at the helm for this show, having previously directed CRT’s Xanadu, Mamma Mia!, Saturday Night Fever, 1776 among many others. Aisling Halpin, who made her professional acting debut at CRT back in 2008 in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, makes her CRT choreography debut.  Shoshana Seid-Green, Music Director and Keyboards 1 player, returns having also worked on Xanadu, Mamma Mia! and Saturday Night Fever. CRT Production Manager Eric Behnke will also serve as Lighting Designer. Stage Manager Claire Young leads the production and design team, comprised of Rozy Isquith (scenic), Angie Andrea (costumes), Kyle Jensen (sound), and Elizabeth Reaves (properties). Mackenzie Seewagen is Assistant Stage Manager, and Sarah I. Lifflick is the Technical Director. 

Most of the principal actors in this production are making their CRT debuts.  Recent Penn State graduate Nick Brogan will star as Tully Mars, with Brooke Melton, who holds a Masters in Vocal Performance from NYU set to play Rachel, the scientist who shakes up his life.  SUNY Cortland rising senior Olvia Goodman will play Tammy, Rachel’s best friend, with Caleb Miofsky, who recently graduated from Missouri State University, playing Tully’s best friend, Brick.  Another graduate of Penn State, Amirah Joy Lomax, debuts as Marley, the “boss” of Margaritaville, and Jason Thomas Sofge, seen in CRT’s production of The Full Monty and in The Queen of Bingo at CRT Downtown, will play island “hanger-on”, J.D. Belmont University Musical Theatre student Xander Benton will play Jamal, Margaritaville’s all-around handy man. Many other roles and ensemble members will be filled by CRT’s 2024 Performing Intern Company, including Nazareth College students Maxwell Bass, Jaiden Leo Riley and Ally Wolfe, Syracuse University students Alyssa Beaulieu, Matthew Dodaro, Thomas Locke and Gillian Stoltz, Rider University student Madison Winkler, and Ithaca College student Eli Vanderkolk.  Recent SUNY Cortland grad Titania Padro joins the CRT ensemble for this show.  

Musicians for this production include Dan Skidmore (guitar 1), Kenneth Meyer (guitar 2), AC Muench (bass), Brian Dunlap (reeds), Joshua Symborski (trumpet) and Dr. Ben Cantrell (drums/percussion).

CRT offers a “Friday Night Talk Back” after the evening performance on July 5, at which a Q & A session with the actors, director, designers, and crew takes place. Tickets are available for CRT’s remaining summer productions including Wait Until Dark, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and the Bright Star Touring Children’s Theatre production of Storybook Tales. Tickets are also available for CRT’s “Sounds of Music” concert series to be held on every Wednesday in September, including “Close to You: The Music of the Carpenters”, “Tapestry Unraveled: The Music of Carole King”, “Jefferson McDonald’s Great Balls of Fire” and “How Sweet It Is: Steve Leslie Sings James Taylor”.  Visit www.CortlandRep.org for exact times, dates, and additional information.

Photo: Cortland Repertory Theatre’s production of Jimmy Buffet’s “Escape tp Margaritaville”, running at the Little York Pavilion from July 3 – 12.