author: Mark Briner
City life in the Metropolitan DC to Baltimore corridor can be harsh. We’re pulled in a hundred directions by work, family, and myriads of other obligations when sometimes just want to unplug, relax, and run away from it all. The good news is it doesn’t matter where you are or what time it is because, as they say on Island time, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”, and this month, that magical hour is tucked away in the heart of downtown historic Annapolis in a courtyard inside a little historic building right on the harbor amidst the multitude of docked yachts and rooftop bars. Playing right into Annapolis’ self-proclaimed, laid-back nautical life, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre is serving up a perfect cool concoction for the summertime blues, Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville. A smooth 2-hour sail through all the memorable, breezy, catchy songs that made the late Buffett a national treasure and gained him legions of loyal fans over generations who have lovingly named themselves “Parrotheads”, it’s the perfect venue for a sunset show to unplug and reset yourself.
Annapolis Summer Garden continues their successful 2024, their 56th, with a sold out run of this show. The story is inspired by Buffet’s 1980s New York Times best seller, Tales from Margaritaville, which followed the adventures of its laidback hero, former cowboy turned Island fixture Tully Mars. TV comedy writers Greg Garcia (Raising Hope, My Name is Earl, Sprung) and Mike O’Malley (Shameless) place Mars, the Son of a Son of a Sailor, at the center of a tale of finding oneself, inner happiness, and redemption, and draw most of their plot points directly from the iconic lyrics of Buffett’s many beloved songs, making for some clever salutes designed specifically for Parrothead humor. Set at a fictional Margaritaville Resort on an unspecified island somewhere south of Key West, the tourists and staff intermingle for lessons in living on Island time, from it being Five O’clock Somewhere, to Changes in Lattitude bringing Changes in Attitude, and Breathe In, Breath Out, Move On.
As the central character, guitar-playing bar singer Mars, living off a steady Island diet of Margaritas, music, and a string of one-week romances, Ryan Kozel is an engaging host for the tourists at the resort as well as the audience. An accomplished local musician that Annapolitans can also see offstage at area taverns, Kozel translates that performance ease and his handy guitar work into a hero to root for as Love and Luck (and a little gris gris) change his life.
At this performance, Kerrey Lynch assumed the role of his love interest Rachel, an uptight Cincinnati scientist who is only taking enough of a break to go on a bachelorette week/working vacation with her best friend, bride-to-be Tammy (Meghan McCarthy). Called in on literally hours’ notice, one would never believe Lynch had never performed the role until tonight. Not only is her performance nuanced and musically sound, she has great chemistry with her castmates and blended beautifully with Kozel in all their duets. In today’s uncertain health climate, Lynch is a testament to the value of having good understudies prepared to go on.
As Mars’ buddy, bartender Brick, D.J. Wojciehowski is a charming and lovable underdog. He’s decent, respectful, hard-working, and best of all, always just himself. He strikes up a friendly flirtation with bride-to-be Tammy, but as a perfect gentleman. Wojciehowski and McCarthy are great fun in their duets and have the best will they/won’t they chemistry in the show.
Every so many seasons, there is a breakout performance that lands an up-and-coming performer on the map. Last night was a big one of those. Megan McCarthy as Tammy is the revelation of the season. Her Tammy is the standout in a strong cast, and McCarthy is a generous performer who pulls her scene partners up to her level without stealing focus or upstaging anyone. Her vocals are powerful and bright. Her character development is engaging, and her comic timing impeccable. Tammy easily becomes that character that wins our hearts, a bride-to-be in a dead-end relationship with a thoughtless, controlling, emotionally distant, and verbally abusive fiancé, (Nicholas Towers). When she finds innocent vacation flirting turning to genuine sparks with the amiable possible soulmate Brick, McCarthy is at her comic best as her hormones and libido start to mess with her fidelity and even common verbal skills in one of her funniest bits during the “Coconut Telegraph Medley”. McCarthy also gets special praise for being able to sell the silliest but easily one of the most anticipated numbers of the show, “Cheeseburger in Paradise”. Even though the number is arguably forced into the plot by necessity more than narrative, with her easy charm, lovable demeanor, powerful vocals, and a perfect duet assist from Wojciehowski, not only does the dicey inclusion succeed, she makes it the highlight of the second act. Megan McCarthy is the breakout star of the season.
As proprietress Marley and her jack-of-few-trades assistant Jamal, Michelle Bruno and Christian Gonzales are great hosts for the good times at the Margaritaville Resort. Bruno and Jerry Vess as permanent resident pest J.D. provide comic relief with their bristling and badgering of each other in familiar annoyance. A strong comedian, Vess is full of surprises when he gets an 11:00 redemption as we discover his sympathetic past during “He Went to Paris”. Bruno provides her usual strong vocals throughout, and the always dependable Gonzales excels in yet another role where he comically interacts with everyone throughout the show, then blows his featured solo number, “Volcano” here, literally out of the salt water.
And, as usual, ASGT deserves credit for putting together a superior ensemble that provides a full, strong sound (under the taut musical direction of Jeremy Ragsdale), and commits all their energy to dances and small incidental roles they play throughout. Look for comic scene stealers Cameron Walker, Ethan Albo, and James Claxton in fun cameo roles.
Technically, Set Designer Todd Croteau designed a bright, tropic-colored, bi-level versatile set that houses the live band and the bar as well as dozens of other designated spaces on and off the island with the aid of just a few roll-on set pieces. He gets a phenomenal upgrade assist from scenic artist Gina Kingsland who next-level excels with some eye-boggling 3D painting and a very creative volcano highlighted with LED enhanced lava. Rick Swink’s Lighting Design relies a lot on small pools of light to effectively cover scene changes and delineate specific areas to help the show flow. However, his actors sometimes struggle to find them and there are several instances where anywhere from their heads to their entire bodies are out of the light.
Costume Designer Marge McGugan’s costume are all the requisite Island chic with some highlighted Cincinnati sportswear and some really fun specialty costumes. The only fault in her whole plot is a rather underdeveloped wedding party in the finale. Yes, it’s all about laid back, but a few Island bridal touches would have been welcome and a nice visual to go out on.
A highlight of and ASGT evening as always is their superlative live band, featured on stage where they always work best. Under the conduction of Jack Benedict, they are such an amazing addition to the show and elevate the Buffett experience in the night. Kristin Rigsby’s Choreography is stylistically perfect for the laidback, island time, bar dancing music Buffet is famous for. And to her ensemble’s credit again, it’s incredibly clean, fluid, and fun to watch. Director Melissa Huston announces as her mission in the program to “provide a giant cocktail celebrating Buffett, comedy, and musical theatre.? It is my pleasure to agree that she has delivered on that vision. I addition to her strong direction and easter eggs for the überfan Parrotheads, look for a very inspired interpretation of a recurring joke in the show that left this critic laughing (with a great assist from McGugan).
In this vicinity alone, there are many different awards circuits, from the Helen Hayes to the WATCH to the Ruby Griffiths, which honor local excellence in production and performance. But if there was an award for the Best Marriage of the Perfect Show to the Perfect Company in the Perfect Venue, Escape to Margaritaville at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre would sweep the category. In the heart of downtown Annapolis by the harbor, surrounded by the Naval Academy aura, the yacht life folks, and the rooftop bars with rooftop bar bands, it’s hard to imagine an evening where someone isn’t playing (and singing along and loving) the laid-back Island classics of the immortal Jimmy Buffet. If you’re looking for a good-time evening of relaxing Theatre under the Stars with Buffett’s iconic sounds, ASFT’s Escape to Margaritaville is your Five O’Clock Somewhere. Find your way to this Particular Harbor before this dazzling ship sets sail for the summer.
Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission
Escape to Margaritaville plays through July 27th 2024, at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre— 143 Compromise Street in Historic Annapolis, MD. The remainder of the run is **SOLD OUT** To check for last-minute ticketing availability, please call the box office at (410) 268-9212 or check the ticketing website.
