What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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OCTOBER 20-26, 2019 WHAT'S UP! 3 COVER STORY FYI Get Engaged In 'Margaritaville' The Walton Arts Center has organized a few engagement opportunities around "Escape to Margar- itaville" to give guests even more ways to get into the party spirit. Add Ons: • A craft cocktail class led by Maxine's Tap Room's skilled mixologists will be offered prior to the Oct. 25 performance. Participants will enjoy a hands-on class where they will make and enjoy two drinks with light appe- tizers before seeing the show. The add-on cocktail class is $35, and patrons must be 21 to participate. • Get your mind on island time Oct. 26 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. with a Tropi- cal Garden Party in the Sudduth Garden Room and Bradberry Amphi- theater. Featuring the music of Paul Tull & The Amazing Islanders, and presented in partnership with Walton Arts Center and the Northwest Arkan- sas Parrothead Club, proceeds from the party will benefit Serve NWA's New Beginnings. Party tickets are $25 each or pair it with a show ticket and the party is just $15. • The Broadway Book Club event for this show will take place after perfor- mance week, on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. Read "Tales from Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett on your own, see the show, then meet up with other fans of Broad- way and books to discuss the two works. Each participant is responsible for their book and show ticket purchases. Books are for sale at Walton Arts Center's Box Office while supplies last. Participa- tion is free, but you must register at waltonarts center.org. JOCELYN MURPHY NWA Democrat-Gazette A ttention all Parrotheads, island-lovers, margarita-drinkers, cheeseburger-eaters and relaxation-seekers! Your Broadway moment has finally come, thanks to the brand new show traveling the country on its first national tour. Jimmy Buffett's "Escape to Margaritaville" assembles all the tunes a Parrothead would expect to find in a musical built around Buffett's island escapism vibe, plus a few new ones written for the show. "I think it's a great musical for people who don't think they like musicals," says Jennifer Wilson, Walton Arts Center public relations director. "Very approachable. Very accessible." "It's a really fun show," adds Mike Utley, the show's orchestrator. "And it is about escaping — going someplace and, for two hours, being entertained with really talented people." Utley has worked with Buffett for nearly five decades, joining his Coral Reefer Band full time in 1981. He was brought onto the "Escape to Margaritaville" creative team early in the process to work with Christopher Jahnke, music supervisor and arranger. One of Utley's primary responsibilities was to ensure FAQ 'Escape to Margaritaville' WHEN — 7 p.m. Oct. 22-23; 1:30 & 7 p.m. Oct. 24; 8 p.m. Oct. 25; 2 & 8 p.m. Oct. 26; 2 p.m. Oct. 27 WHERE — Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville COST — $32-$69 INFO — 443-5600, waltonartscenter. org, escapeto margaritaville musical.com Photo courtesy Matthew Murphy All of your favorite Jimmy Buffett tunes, and a few brand new ones, are part of the musical "Escape to Margaritaville." The show that USA Today calls "a little slice of paradise!" and Entertainment Weekly raves "will knock your flipflops off!" opened on Broadway in 2018 and makes its Arkansas debut Oct. 22 as part of its first national tour. Utley See Margaritaville Page 4 In a Broadway version of Margaritaville