By Mabel Pais

“Work is a dirty word around here,”– Tully Mars, lead actor

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLEis the Broadway musical for all of us—it’s the People’s Musical

Escape to Margaritavilleis the musical comedy getaway featuring both original songs and classics of the iconic singer-songwriter-author Jimmy Buffett, including Fins, Volcano, Cheeseburger in Paradise, and many more.

Theatergoers are encouraged to get in the party mood by indulging in a few margaritas in the extravagantly decorated lobby.

Book is by Emmy Award® winner Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl, Raising Hope) and Emmy Award nominee Mike O’Malley (Survivor’s Remorse, Shameless); this new production is choreographed by Tony Award® nominee Kelly Devine (Come From Away, Rock of Ages) and directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley (Come From Away, Memphis).

The plot…. Rachel (Alison Luff) is an intense environmental scientist; her best friend Tammy (Lisa Howard) is engaged to an imbecile. Together, they take a one-week vacation to a rundown Caribbean hotel called Margaritaville. There, they meet Tully Mars (Paul Alexander Nolan), the laid-back, guitar-strumming on-site entertainer, and Brick (Eric Petersen), the dull but sweet bartender.

Laziness is not only the method of the musical but also its message. “Work is a dirty word around here,” Tully tells Tammy. “If you say it again we’ll have to wash your mouth out with tequila.”  His profound challenge to Rachel is to decide whether she can relax her tense, scientific personality to crawl into a cabana for five days of casual sex with him.

A gutsy woman named Marley (Rema Webb, who lights up the stage whenever she’s on) owns the picturesquely seedy Margaritaville Hotel & Bar, where all the local idlers hang out. Brick, the sleepy-eyed bartender, is a likeable bear of a guy, as played by Eric Petersen.  J.D., entertainingly played by Don Sparks, is the house character, an old dimwit who drinks on endless credit and claims to be writing the memoirs of a fabulous life.

Walt Spangler’s color-drenched designs set the scene for the never-land called Margaritaville with grass and bamboo huts, cardboard ocean waves, beachballs, surf boards, beach towels, and thick curtains of flower-filled vegetation. And…. the volcano – every Caribbean island needs one – on the back wall. Designer Howell Binkley lights it all up with the brightest hues on his color wheel.

Paul Alexander Nolan (Bright Star) leads the company of Escape to Margaritaville as Tully, and is joined by Alison Luff (Les Misérables) as Rachel, Lisa Howard (It Shoulda Been You) as Tammy, Eric Petersen (School of Rock) as Brick, Rema Webb (The Color Purple) as Marley, Don Sparks (Take Me Out) as J.D., Andre Ward (Something Rotten!) as Jamal, along with Matt Allen, Tessa Alves, Sara Andreas, Tiffany Adeline Cole, Marjorie Failoni, Samantha Farrow,Steven Good, Angela Grovey, Albert Guerzon, Keely Hutton, Justin Keats, Mike Millan, Justin Mortelliti, Ryann Redmond, Jennifer Rias, Julius Anthony Rubio, Nick Sanchez, Ian Michael Stuart, and Brett Thiele.

The creative team includes Walt Spangler (Scenic Designer), Tony Award winner Paul Tazewell (Costume Designer), two-time Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Lighting Designer), two-time Tony Award winner Brian Ronan (Sound Designer), Leah J. Loukas (Wigs, Hair, and Makeup Design), Flying By Foy (Flying Effects), Michael Utley (Orchestrations), Tony Award nominee Christopher Jahnke (Music Supervisor), Foresight Theatrical (General Management), and Telsey + Company / Rachel Hoffman, CSA (Casting).

Escape to Margaritaville is produced on Broadway as a collaboration of several individuals and theater production companies.

The Musical is running at the Marquis Theater at 1535 Broadway; www.marquistheatre.com; 877 250-2929.

The Runtime is 2 hrs. and 20 min.

For more information on the musical and to purchase tickets, visithttp://www.escapetomargaritavillemusical.com/