The producers of Escape to Margaritaville announced January 6 that the new musical, featuring the songs of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, will have multiple out-of-town engagements before opening on Broadway in spring 2018.
The show will have its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, CA, in May 2017.
The current engagements are as follows:
May 9–June 25, world premiere
La Jolla Playhouse
Mandell Weiss Theatre
2910 La Jolla Village Drive
La Jolla, CA
October 20–28, pre-Broadway tour premiere
East Jefferson General Hospital Broadway in New Orleans
Saenger Theatre
1111 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA
October 31–November 5
BBVA Compass Broadway at the Hobby Center
800 Bagby Street
Houston, TX
November 9–December 3
Broadway In Chicago
Oriental Theatre
24 West Randolph
Chicago, IL
“It’s always been a dream of mine to make it to Broadway!” said Buffett in a statement. “After our world premiere this May in La Jolla, we’ll set sail from California on a pre-Broadway national tour stopping first in the city that gave me my start-New Orleans, then to some of my other favorites—Houston and Chicago—before arriving at that port of all ports, Broadway and New York City.”
As previously reported, Christopher Ashley, the Tony-nominated director behind Memphis and The Rocky Horror Show, will direct the new musical, which features an original story by co-book writers Greg Garcia (My Name is Earl) and Mike O’Malley (Survivor’s Remorse, Shameless).
Here’s how the new musical is billed: “Imagine a place where the sun is hot, the ocean’s warm, and the drinks are as cold as they are plentiful. Welcome to Margaritaville, the island paradise where city folk get away from it all and the locals get into the kind of trouble you can almost always sweet talk your way out of. This new musical is the story of a part-time bartender, part-time singer, and full-time charmer named Tully who thinks he’s got life all figured out. Until a beautiful career-minded tourist steals his heart and makes him question everything.”
The creative team will also include Tony-nominated choreographer Kelly Devine, scenic designer Walt Spangler, Tony Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell, two-time Tony Award-winning lighting designer Howell Binkley, two-time Tony Award-winning sound designer Brian Ronan and Tony Award nominee Christopher Jahnke as music supervisor. 101 Productions, Ltd. serves as general management.
Additional information, including casting, will be announced at a later date.
For more information, visit EscapeToMargaritavilleMusical.com.
