Review: MARGARITAVILLE at Lied Center For The Performing Arts

Attention all Parrot Heads! Has anyone seen the salt?

The touring production of the Broadway musical Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville officially opened Friday night at the Lied Center for the Performing Arts, and Lincoln audiences were sipping and swaying all night long to the tunes of legendary songwriter and performer Jimmy Buffett.

Featuring a book and lyrics written by Greg Garcia and Mike O'Malley, Escape to Margaritaville opened on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre in February of 2018 after a few limited out of town tryouts. While the show closed only a few months after opening on Broadway, the musical is a paradise for fans of the iconic singer and features all of his biggest hits.

The show centers around a laid back musician with plans of never leaving paradise, and a hardworking scientist who is committed to bringing the world closer to paradise with alternative energy sources, one potato at a time. Is it possible for them to find love and achieve their dreams? Or are they destined for heartache?

Chris Clark and Sarah Hinrichsen are capable and solid casting choices for the leading duo in paradise. Clark's Tully oozes charisma and he has a pleasing voice to accompany his guitar playing skills. Hinrichsen's Rachel is every bit the girl next door who everyone wants to be friends with and who will not let any man hold her back. Their voices separately were enjoyable, but the blend of their voices wasn't always as locked in as I would expect. There were a few sound issues Friday night that resulted in overpowering vocals, and this might have just been a casualty of that. These two are a joy to watch, and their chemistry is believable and sweet.

The supporting cast is also great. Playing Tammy, Rachel's best friend who has yet to see her worth before her girls trip to the island, Emily Qualmann is a welcome burst of energy anytime she is on stage. Her comedic timing is impressive, and her chemistry with Peter Michael Jordan (Brick) draws the audience in from their first meeting. Qualmann and Jordan garnered consistent chuckles and vocalizations from the audience with their puns and engaging song delivery. Also on the island are Rachel Lyn Fobbs (Marley), Patrick Cogan (J.D.), and Matthew James Sherrod (Jamal). All three have created layered characters and deliver quality performances, with Sherrod's number at the opening of act two being a highlight for me vocally. I would have loved to hear more from Fobbs, but her character wasn't given nearly enough material to perform.

The dance numbers were fun and full of energy, which kept the show moving at a solid pace. I struggled to understand the lyrics in high energy numbers which could have been another sound issue, but also could be helped with a bit more diction from the cast all around.

While the music alone is a draw and familiar material for audiences, I would be remiss not to mention what I feel are some issues with the book. I felt like the book relied too heavily on low hanging adult humor to keep the audience engaged, and at times even distracted from the storyline the performers were trying to convey. And while it won't make or break your experience, I would suggest you leave the kids home for this one.

All in all I left humming the tunes of Jimmy Buffett for most of the ride home and found it thrilling to be back in a theatre with live touring performances. If you're looking for a fun night out of the house and want to take a trip to the islands without ever leaving the midwest, you have until Sunday to get down to the Lied Center for Performing Arts and spend some time with the talented cast of Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville.

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