Jimmy Buffett: Margaritaville headed for Broadway
By Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
Jimmy Buffett on Broadway? It could still happen.
News came out Thursday that a pack of producers are developing a new musical featuring his "music and lifestyle." A release posed at www.margaritaville.com on Thursday says that producers Frank Marshall, Mindy Rich, Anita Waxman and Beth Williams are developing the project, Greg Garcia and Mike O'Malley are writing the book and Tony Award nominee Christopher will direct.
See tailgating photos from Jimmy Buffet's concert at The Wharf
Standing at her own private tiki bar in a parking lot at The Wharf in Orange Beach on Friday, Leslie Lovorn of Mobile surveyed the crowd around her and said, "I bet there's people here who aren't even going to the concert."
The release quotes Buffett himself as saying the idea of a Margaritaville musical "has been percolating for quite a while." He added, "Now we have found our crew and I am happy to sail with them to Margaritaville. It's going to be a fun voyage."
A premiere is projected for 2017, according to the release. Ashley, who received Tony nomination for his direction of "Memphis," said that "Working on this project is like being invited to the best party ever," and that "not only is his (Buffett's) song catalogue a treasure trove, but we also have his unique spirit to draw upon for inspiration.
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Buffett isn't a greenhorn in the field thanks to a learning experience with a project called "Don't Stop the Carnival." In 1997, Buffett and author Herman Wouk developed a musical based on a Wouk novel by that title. It was poorly reviewed in a trial run and never made it to Broadway, but the soundtrack has continued to draw favorable reviews.
According to a report by the New York Times, Buffett has continued to invest in Broadway shows, including a production of "Big Fish" in 2013 and "Dr. Zhivago" this year.