Actors Learn To Love Jimmy Buffett By Escaping To Margaritaville
June 14, 2023 at 4:30 p.m.
Actors Learn To Love Jimmy Buffett By Escaping To Margaritaville
By David L. Slone-
That has since changed.
Engelhardt plays Tully and Hager plays Rachel in the musical romantic comedy.
“I did know who he was. I knew like ‘Margaritaville’ and ‘It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.’ Those are the only two songs that I knew before, but I’ve actually loved getting to know more of his music and diving into some of his slower, more intimate songs that are really beautiful. He’s a great writer and it’s been really fun to sing those and work on those songs,” Hager said.
Engelhardt similarly didn’t know much about Buffett.
“I definitely knew who he was - ‘Margaritaville,’ ‘It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,’ all of those hits. But it has been really fun to just dive into his material - the superfun, rocky, crazy material that we do. Some of the production numbers in the song, but then also the really more intimate ballad numbers. I’ve just fallen in love like with ‘Coast of Marseilles,’ I’ve been listening to that on repeat. So I’ve really fallen in love with his music, the uptempo and the ballads,” Engelhardt stated.
Describing her character Rachel, Hager said she is an environmental scientist and she’s very passionate about her job, hard working and looks up to a lot of strong women in the world who inspired her.
“She goes on vacation with her best friend before her best friend’s wedding and she meets Tully, who plays the guitar at the hotel. He works at the hotel. He’s kind of a ladies’ man, and it’s just about how their relationship unfolds and how they both kind of change each other and learn new things about each other and take things from each other and become different people. It’s about their great romance,” she said.
Engelhardt described Tully as a guitar-playing life-loving ladies’ man.
“He is a really good guy, but I don’t think he gives himself enough credit and so, Rachel comes to the island and forever he’s just been playing here and picking up ladies. Rachel comes and kind of makes him see that there’s more to life than just the island even if he doesn’t realize it or doesn’t want to realize it,” he said. “Then he goes on this journey. He realizes he’s in love for the first time in his life and that really changes him. Even though he does end up sprouting to fame as essentially this kind of young Jimmy Buffett-esque character, but, in the end all that matters is his love for Rachel and being with her. It’s a really cool story.”
In the show, Rachel’s best friend is Tammy, Hager said.
“She’s like a really close friend. Always cheerful, always happy and always trying to get Rachel to kind of go out of her comfort zone. She always respects how hard Rachel works and how passionate she is, but she is that influence in her life that’s like ‘let your hair down a little bit.’ Their relationship is super great in the show, they’re just really great friends and always there for each other. And Rachel does the same thing for Tammy, in terms of always encouraging her to be the best and want the best for her,” Hager explained.
Tammy is in an unfortunate relationship with her fiance Chad who doesn’t always treat her the best, and Rachel is there to ask her if she’s sure she wants to be in that relationship.
“It’s been really fun working with Mckenzie (Bunzel-Hardie) who is playing Tammy. We have a great relationship,” Hager said.
On the island side of things, Engelhardt said there’s a really great family-like environment among the people who work there.
“Tully really has a lot of love for those people. Those people are his family, like Brick - they’re best friends, close as brothers in my opinion,” he said. “And, Marley and JD really look after Tully and take care of him and he does the same for them. Jamal there as well. It’s really just a little family on the island, so it’s been a great environment to just have those intimate scenes, but also have some fun funny moments. We’ve just been having a great time with the cast.”
Summer 2023 season at the Wagon Wheel began with the kid-friendly “Disney’s The Little Mermaid.” “Escape to Margaritaville” is more of a “leave the kids at home” kind of show, Engelhardt said.
“It’s really going to be a fun time, but, yes, leave the kids at home,” he stated. “Get a babysitter. A night out.”
The costumes for “Margaritaville” are a bit less elaborate than “The Little Mermaid,” too.
“Lots of flowy dresses, lots of button-up shirts, shorts. We go surfing in the show. Some bathing suits,” Hager said.
While Hager is a returning company member to the Wagon Wheel, this is Engelhardt’s first summer.
Hager said she was at the Wagon Wheel in summer 2022, having been cast in “Cinderella,” played Vivian in “Legally Blonde” and in the ensemble of “Brigadoon.”
“I was really, really excited to come back. I just love it here,” she said.
Playing Rachel is her first lead role at Wagon Wheel.
“It’s been really cool to take on that responsibility and I was just really excited to come and show up and work here again,” Hager said.
Engelhardt said not only is this his first year at the Wagon Wheel, but it’s also his first professional contract, which he’s really excited about.
“It has really just been an honor to be here, and just be here with these people, being a leader or not, just being here with these people and showing up for these people. We have a really great community here,” he said.
“Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville” is at the Wagon Wheel beginning June 29. Tickets can be purchased online at wagonwheelcenter.org; by phone at 574-267-8041; or at the box office at 2515 E. Center St., Warsaw.
“Your heart will be touched when you leave,” Hager said.
“There’s a lot of heart in this script I think some people don’t quite realize about the show. But there also is a whole tap number that you should come and see and some amazing production numbers. We kick it off with ‘License to Chill,’ which is just this huge party on stage, and that’s just what it is for a lot of the show, we’re just having a party on stage. So I think the audience will really relate to that and want to get up in their seats and start dancing with us,” Engelhardt said.
“It’s definitely a show that has something for everyone,” Hager said.
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That has since changed.
Engelhardt plays Tully and Hager plays Rachel in the musical romantic comedy.
“I did know who he was. I knew like ‘Margaritaville’ and ‘It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.’ Those are the only two songs that I knew before, but I’ve actually loved getting to know more of his music and diving into some of his slower, more intimate songs that are really beautiful. He’s a great writer and it’s been really fun to sing those and work on those songs,” Hager said.
Engelhardt similarly didn’t know much about Buffett.
“I definitely knew who he was - ‘Margaritaville,’ ‘It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,’ all of those hits. But it has been really fun to just dive into his material - the superfun, rocky, crazy material that we do. Some of the production numbers in the song, but then also the really more intimate ballad numbers. I’ve just fallen in love like with ‘Coast of Marseilles,’ I’ve been listening to that on repeat. So I’ve really fallen in love with his music, the uptempo and the ballads,” Engelhardt stated.
Describing her character Rachel, Hager said she is an environmental scientist and she’s very passionate about her job, hard working and looks up to a lot of strong women in the world who inspired her.
“She goes on vacation with her best friend before her best friend’s wedding and she meets Tully, who plays the guitar at the hotel. He works at the hotel. He’s kind of a ladies’ man, and it’s just about how their relationship unfolds and how they both kind of change each other and learn new things about each other and take things from each other and become different people. It’s about their great romance,” she said.
Engelhardt described Tully as a guitar-playing life-loving ladies’ man.
“He is a really good guy, but I don’t think he gives himself enough credit and so, Rachel comes to the island and forever he’s just been playing here and picking up ladies. Rachel comes and kind of makes him see that there’s more to life than just the island even if he doesn’t realize it or doesn’t want to realize it,” he said. “Then he goes on this journey. He realizes he’s in love for the first time in his life and that really changes him. Even though he does end up sprouting to fame as essentially this kind of young Jimmy Buffett-esque character, but, in the end all that matters is his love for Rachel and being with her. It’s a really cool story.”
In the show, Rachel’s best friend is Tammy, Hager said.
“She’s like a really close friend. Always cheerful, always happy and always trying to get Rachel to kind of go out of her comfort zone. She always respects how hard Rachel works and how passionate she is, but she is that influence in her life that’s like ‘let your hair down a little bit.’ Their relationship is super great in the show, they’re just really great friends and always there for each other. And Rachel does the same thing for Tammy, in terms of always encouraging her to be the best and want the best for her,” Hager explained.
Tammy is in an unfortunate relationship with her fiance Chad who doesn’t always treat her the best, and Rachel is there to ask her if she’s sure she wants to be in that relationship.
“It’s been really fun working with Mckenzie (Bunzel-Hardie) who is playing Tammy. We have a great relationship,” Hager said.
On the island side of things, Engelhardt said there’s a really great family-like environment among the people who work there.
“Tully really has a lot of love for those people. Those people are his family, like Brick - they’re best friends, close as brothers in my opinion,” he said. “And, Marley and JD really look after Tully and take care of him and he does the same for them. Jamal there as well. It’s really just a little family on the island, so it’s been a great environment to just have those intimate scenes, but also have some fun funny moments. We’ve just been having a great time with the cast.”
Summer 2023 season at the Wagon Wheel began with the kid-friendly “Disney’s The Little Mermaid.” “Escape to Margaritaville” is more of a “leave the kids at home” kind of show, Engelhardt said.
“It’s really going to be a fun time, but, yes, leave the kids at home,” he stated. “Get a babysitter. A night out.”
The costumes for “Margaritaville” are a bit less elaborate than “The Little Mermaid,” too.
“Lots of flowy dresses, lots of button-up shirts, shorts. We go surfing in the show. Some bathing suits,” Hager said.
While Hager is a returning company member to the Wagon Wheel, this is Engelhardt’s first summer.
Hager said she was at the Wagon Wheel in summer 2022, having been cast in “Cinderella,” played Vivian in “Legally Blonde” and in the ensemble of “Brigadoon.”
“I was really, really excited to come back. I just love it here,” she said.
Playing Rachel is her first lead role at Wagon Wheel.
“It’s been really cool to take on that responsibility and I was just really excited to come and show up and work here again,” Hager said.
Engelhardt said not only is this his first year at the Wagon Wheel, but it’s also his first professional contract, which he’s really excited about.
“It has really just been an honor to be here, and just be here with these people, being a leader or not, just being here with these people and showing up for these people. We have a really great community here,” he said.
“Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville” is at the Wagon Wheel beginning June 29. Tickets can be purchased online at wagonwheelcenter.org; by phone at 574-267-8041; or at the box office at 2515 E. Center St., Warsaw.
“Your heart will be touched when you leave,” Hager said.
“There’s a lot of heart in this script I think some people don’t quite realize about the show. But there also is a whole tap number that you should come and see and some amazing production numbers. We kick it off with ‘License to Chill,’ which is just this huge party on stage, and that’s just what it is for a lot of the show, we’re just having a party on stage. So I think the audience will really relate to that and want to get up in their seats and start dancing with us,” Engelhardt said.
“It’s definitely a show that has something for everyone,” Hager said.
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