Calling all Parrotheads, laid- back lothario’s, & girls who just wanna’ have fun, lets “Escape to Margaritaville,” playing at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts February 4 -9, 2020. Even Type A personalities will kick off their wing tips for flip flops, grab a Margarita & grove to Jimmy Buffett’s unique blend of Caribbean, Country, rock, folk, and pop, otherwise known as ‘trop rock.’ Let’s face it; this is a Jukebox musical in its purest fun form, relax, kick-back & enjoy the show.

“Wastin’ away in Margaritaville” isn’t such a bad way to spend a couple of hours being entertained, just ask Patrick Cogan, who plays J.D., in Jimmy Buffett’s autobiographical musical. Cogan claims that “it’s cheaper to buy a ticket to the show than fly to the Bahama’s and fans, Parrotheads or not, will get the same ‘License to Chill’ thrill. The Island vibe is so pervasive and engaging that this show is unlike any other.”

Patrick Cogan has the chops, not only as an actor but from a personal perspective, to hype “Escape to Margaritaville.” He’s been a professional actor for over 40 years, although he recently returned to the game, after a 15 year hiatus working at Mason-Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. He says “I always had this nebulous plan that I would go back to the touring life once the kids were older. The stars seemed to align and my last day at the office was January 1, 2019. And by January 2, I was on the road to Charleston to direct and perform in my 10^th production of “Annie.”

“The audition notice for ‘Escape to Margaritaville, ’was another way in which there was an alignment of celestial bodies hooking me up at the right time and the right place,” Cogan says. He continues, “I’m an original ‘Parrothead.’  I went to school in Cincinnati and caught Buffett’s concerts every summer when he played there.”

Cogan, who is a self-described ‘singer, actor and mover,’ now adds pretty good ukulele player to the list. He says “I had to learn to play ‘Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw’ on the ukulele for my audition. Later, one of the producers told me that when I walked in with the ukulele, I had the gig.”

It’s best to set your mind on Island time when escaping to “Margaritaville.” Cogan says “it’s the music that helps me to get into the Island vibe. We have an amazing band and audiences will be hearing it in a stage setting designed to suggest chilling out in paradise. Interestingly, a lot of familiar Buffett tunes are not sung. Folks will hear little Easter eggs of song lyrics as dialogue or visual images, carrot juice for example, that will trigger a memory. This is a hidden gem of a thing that true Parrotheads will recognize as a tip of the hat to them.”

There’s no denying that “Escape to Margaritaville” is a “jukebox’ musical but what makes the four interwoven classic boy meets girls stories within the show work so well is as Cogan says “Jimmy’s songs easily lend themselves to the musical because the lyrics are so deep and thick they can become spoken dialogue & still make sense. Buffett, himself, said that it was fascinating to see the stories he had told in song come alive on stage.”

“Escape to Margaritaville” has been dubbed as a take on Jimmy Buffett’s life. Buffett started his career playing for drinks in Key West’s Pier House Hotel, and the Tully character, a guitar strumming languid, Lothario, may hit closest to Buffet’s younger self. However, Cogan claims “All four principle male characters are amalgamation of Jimmy. Jimmy is a multi-faceted human being and the show’s characters reflect the many facets of his personality.”

“As for J.D.”, Cogan claims with a chuckle, “my character’s handle stands for ‘Just Drinking.’ Well, not really, but that’s his brand. J.D. is a one-eyed old renegade who has designs on Marley, the feisty owner of the Hotel Margaritaville. He’s one of those seasoned barflies who have captivating tales to tell. To those who don’t just walk on by, he’s an undiscovered treasure.”

There are 25 Buffett tunes in “Escape to Margaritaville.” Among the many ditties of laid-back limericks, Buffett’s favorite is “He Went to Paris.” Cogan agrees, saying “I’m a little bias, because my guy, J.D. went to Paris and singing that song reveals his backstory. It hints of his becoming this lovable, rapscallion, and a rough customer with a heart of gold. The song brings a breath of life into J.D.’s story and of all the character’s, his development goes the deepest.”

Cogan considers himself a laid-back, easy breezy sort of fella so he has that in common with his musical alter-ego. The show opened on Cogan’s 61^st Birthday and he says “I’m happy to have embraced all my peccadillos and triumph’s in my earlier years. They have enriched my life today so when my friends learned I’d landed this role and said to me ‘Pat, you won’t have to act,’ I just laughed.”

“We don’t know where we’re going to go when the Volcano blow’ is a brilliant opening to Act II.” explains Cogan, “everyone is fairly familiar with the famous Buffett song. It’s a loud, rocking good time that propels us into the deeper stories. The show’s first act is light and kind of expository. The second act is where we really dive into the character’s chronicles. Starting off with “Volcano” is a great way to do that.”

“It’s Five O’clock Somewhere,” time to belly up to the tacky Tike bar, grab a “Cheeseburger in Paradise’ and enjoy your “Escape to Margaritaville,” playing at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, February 4 – 9, 2020. For tickets and information: Online, SCFTA.org; The Box Office, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; Phone, 714-755-2787. Hours are 10 a.m. o 6 p.m. daily.

World-renowned for its annual production of living pictures, the Pageant of the Masters is looking for volunteers of all ages to sign up for a chance to take the stage and recreate famous works of art in this summer’s production, Made in America. The open casting call will be held January 10, 11 and 12, backstage at the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, California.

“Many people have volunteered for dozens of years and for some it’s a family tradition,” said Pageant of the Masters Director Diane Challis Davy.

Among those planning to attend the upcoming casting call will be 24-year-old Mackynzie Miller from Orange County, California, who first posed in the Pageant when she was just 4 years old. Last year, Miller was the recipient of a Lifetime Membership Award for her 15-year dedication as a volunteer for the Pageant. She is the youngest person in the organization’s history to receive this honor.

Miller recalls her first role as a little princess in the painting “Las Meninas” by Diego Velazquez in the 2004 production Portrait of an Artist. She was introduced to the Pageant by her parents, her mother, Suzie, had first volunteered for the production in 1989 and her father the year after. Even while pregnant with Miller, her mother worked behind the scenes on the Pageant’s stage crew.

Her sister, Taylee, has also been in the show in various roles throughout the years and her father, Wayne, has posed in “The Last Supper” for over 18 years.  “It has become our family tradition,” shared Miller. “My sister and I have grown up there and we don’t know a summer without the Pageant. There are so many other people involved with the Pageant that I have known since I was a baby. It is a great community and has really shaped me into the person I am today.”

It will be a family affair again this year for the Miller family. Her mother, father, sister (now 21 years old), aunt (Diane Breedlove) and Mackynzie will all be at the Pageant’s casting call in hopes of being involved in the 2020 production.

When asked what advice she would give to those considering becoming a volunteer, Miller stated, “Even if you don’t want to be a cast member in the show there are so many other ways to get involved. I have worked in the make-up department and as a backstage runner before, and they were just as fun as being in the cast!”

The Pageant of the Masters’ extended family of volunteers continues to grow, as does the excitement and enthusiasm for the show. “The Pageant of the Masters simply would not be possible without our dedicated volunteers,” concluded Challis Davy.

Casting Call is January 10-12, 2020 and individuals of all sizes and ages are needed. The Pageant of the Masters production, Made in America, will be presented nightly from July 8 – September 3, 2020 and advance tickets are now on sale starting at $20 per person. To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts, follow the Festival at @FestivalPageant and visit www.foapom.com.

Courtesy photo:

Orange County resident Mackynzie Miller has her make-up applied at the Pageant of the Masters