ESSEX

By popular demand, more dates have been added to the upcoming production of Escape to Margaritaville at the historic Ivoryton Playhouse—an economic and cultural vehicle in Essex which stages productions to help audiences either escape or face the current issues of the day head-on.

Escape to Margaritaville tells the story of an unlikely romantic relationship being formed in a tropical paradise, fittingly set to the escapist music of the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. First produced on Broadway, it’s the perfect summer musical production for those looking to escape, said Ben Hope, executive producer of production.

“[Buffett’s] music is ubiquitous to feeling free from the burdens of your life. I think there are so many people in this country that feel that need, and so I think his music filled us all with that sense of escaping from the struggles,” said Hope. “The ticket sales have been so strong. That’s a really exciting thing for us.”

The production stars real-life married couple Margaret Dudasik and Sam Sherwood as as Rachel and Tully, respectively. Their leading roles in the lively and humorous musical guide the audiences through Buffett classics such as “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Fins,” and, of course, “Margaritaville.”

Performances run from Thursday, Aug. 8 to Sunday, Sept. 15. Most performances will run in the evenings with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Additionally, matinee performances will take place at 2 p.m. on Aug. 8 and at the same time on Wednesdays and Sundays.

As a self-producing theater, all the creative elements of the playhouse’s production— from sets to costumes to choreography—are built from scratch for only 17 days of rehearsal by New York-based actors for a two-and-a-half hour musical. That kind of fast-paced configuration is something upon which the playhouse prides itself, according to Managing Director Krista May.

“We like to think we're a little bit higher of a theater. We work really hard with what we do,” said May.

However, aside from providing escape to Key West through the tropical-influenced sounds of Jimmy Buffett, the playhouse does not shy away from producing performances with themes and narratives which tackle timely issues, even when a show is set nearly a century ago.

That is the case for the show Alabama Story, which is succeeding Escape to Margaritaville at the Ivoryton Playhouse. Based on a true story, the production takes place in the southern state of Alabama, where a senator tries to ban a seemingly innocuous children’s book, sparking a conflict surrounding racism and censorship.

With either kind of production, Hope and May both agree that providing audiences with high-quality talent straight from New York City in an intimate setting at a more affordable ticket price is part of the mission of the playhouse. It’s the kind of mission worth preserving, said May, who described the Ivoryton Playhouse as both a “cultural” and “historic treasure” in the Lower Connecticut River Valley.

“We’re a community leader. We’re an economic driver,” May said. “Fundraising for the playhouse is very, very important. Our donor base of members keeps us going. We raise 10 percent of our budget through membership donations, which is absolutely vital to us. You could never do six professional shows like we do and have the ticket prices pay for the shows and theater and the staff and the creative teams that come in. So, we're very, very blessed in this community that people value the arts. They value Connecticut, too, because Connecticut has so much.”

Hope gave credit to Jacqui Hubbard, the playhouse’s executive director, for having the know-how to “give our community what they want out of a cultural and entertainment venue,” as well as leading an institution which offers audiences “just enough entertainment to keep you kind of escaping your life, if that's what you want, and just enough material to challenge you if what you want to do is come in and kind of think critically about the world that we live in and see understand more about the human experience.”

Tickets for Escape to Margaritaville are on sale now and available online at ivorytonplayhouse.org or by calling the box office at 860-767-7318.Tickets are $60 for adults, $55 for seniors, and $25 for students. The Ivoryton Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Essex.

“Patrons are encouraged to act quickly as tickets are selling fast,” said the playhouse’s website.

For additional show and schedule information, including added performance dates and times, visit ivorytonplayhouse.org.