Directors Note

When I was growing up, my family had a karaoke machine – it was one of those huge rectangular bricks that you had to buy actual cd’s for so that the 4” screen could display fuzzy lyrics in neon colors. I was obsessed with karaoke nights in my house. The Mamas & the Papas, Tammy Wynette, the B-52s; we did it all! (And yes, some Jimmy Buffett too!)

While the machines may have updated a little bit, I still love karaoke today! I love sitting in a dusty bar and cheering for complete strangers belting their hearts out to one another and finding genuine connection over a shared love of a song or artist. It’s thrilling to watch people of all walks of life shed their stresses, turning into rock stars for an evening. What we gain through collective musical storytelling is a shared community, enriching each other with understood sympathies, mutual grievances, and emotional catharsis. Scientists have even found that when we share all of this emotional expression through music, it’s a little easier to face the day ahead – whatever woes or wonders we may find. 

Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville is ultimately a show about found family, working hard for your dreams, and showing some love to the things that don’t always get as much care. Much like karaoke, Margaritaville doesn’t take itself too seriously and it invites everyone to the party. This show challenges audiences to see that just because something isn’t perfect, doesn’t mean it isn’t worth fighting for. From our found family to yours, I hope you all join us in pulling up to the karaoke machine and experiencing a little life on island time!

Lydia Wagner
Director of Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville