[Free Lance-Star] Make a break for 'Escape to Margaritaville' at Riverside
JESSE SCOTT for the Free Lance-Star
Jan 11, 2023
The 25th season at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is kicking off with a big ole party.
That party comes in the form of Jimmy Buffett’s “Escape to Margaritaville,” which is loaded with sunny vibes, hints of romance and, oh yes, Buffett jams that span the classic to obscure spectrum. The show débuted at Riverside on Wednesday and runs through March 5.
“This is a show that has been doing incredibly well in regional theaters, primarily because it’s so laid-back and has a charming little message in the end,” said Patrick A’Hearn, producing artistic director at Riverside. “Besides, who doesn’t love a little fun in the sun, music and margaritas?”
“Escape to Margaritaville” builds on Riverside’s early-in-the-year norm of jukebox musicals. In recent times, “Mamma Mia,” “Million Dollar Quartet” and “Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story” have provided locals with a little pep to kick off their new years.
With a signature island-infused pizzazz, “Escape to Margaritaville” tracks the story of the super-charming Tully, who is a part-time singer and part-time bartender who is living his version of the best life possible. That is until a beautiful and career-driven tourist—Rachel—comes along, flutters his heart and makes him question everything.
It’s escapism and rom-com goodness in its prime with a beachy backdrop like never seen before at Riverside. The show is directed by Robert A.K. Gonyo, who is making his return to the theater for the first time in nearly seven years.
“I will confess that I was a bit of a newcomer to the larger catalogue of Jimmy Buffett going into this, but it has been so fun to learn his music and there really are some gems that take incredible life throughout the show,” said Gonyo. “His songs are integrated into the show so nicely and it makes for a nice story.”
Among the staple Buffett tunes you’ll enjoy are “Volcano,” “Five O’Clock Somewhere” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” Gonyo said that some of the under-the-radar songs he’s come to cherish include “He Went to Paris” and “Son of a Son of a Sailor.”
“It might be easy to think of Buffett as this advocate of a hedonistic lifestyle with tunes about romance, rum and cheeseburgers,” he said. “But a lot of his songs have insight on what it’s like to grow up and sharing real experiences with other people. Many of them are about finding balance.”
The set for the Riverside production is anchored by a first for the theater — a customized dock that juts out into the audience. Throughout the show, tropical landscapes abound, with transitions to a volcano, a boat and even a rehearsal dinner in a convention hall.
“Escape to Margaritaville” at Riverside includes a seven-piece band, led by music director Carson Eubank, churning out the Buffett hits live. The cast has 14 total members comprised of what A’Hearn calls “a 50/50 mix of Riverside regulars and newbies.”
Among those making their Riverside début are the show’s leads, New York City-based Jake David Smith as Tully and, as Rachel, Juliette Redden. Smith, a Richmond native, has appeared in the Broadway cast of “Frozen” and also starred in “Escape to Margaritaville” as Tully during the show’s first-ever regional stint, at Maine’s Ogunquit Playhouse in 2021.
“This show, if done right, is just a big party and is so much fun every night,” he said. “I will say that Riverside has gone above and beyond here ... the set is visually stunning, and the audience will feel like they’re in the show with us.”
His leading counterpart Redden is a star of her own, having performed nationwide at the likes of Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut for the début of “Anne of Green Gables” and in Houston for “Spring Awakening.”
A fun fact: She and Smith are a real-life couple and live together in New York City. The dynamic makes for quite the cohesion onstage and it’s the first time they’ve shared a stage. She said, “Chemistry is not something you can fake. I will say it has been such a bonus being opposite of someone I know and love. We can really pull from our own chemistry, and it’s been fun.”
So, if you’re looking for love, good vibes and a tropical island paradise this winter, you can apparently get it all—without having to book a flight elsewhere —at Riverside.
If You Go
Jimmy Buffett’s "Escape to Margaritaville," Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, 95 Riverside Parkway, Fredericksburg. Through March 5, with performances Wednesdays–Sundays. $75 adult dinner and show; discounts available for seniors 65–plus, children ages 3-12 and show-only tickets. 540/370-4300; riversidedt.com
