Man pleads guilty in robbery of ‘Idol’s’ Scotty McCreery

NEWSMAKERS

Man pleads guilty in robbery of ‘Idol’s’ Scotty McCreery

RALEIGH, N.C.

A man has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the robbery of “American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery and some of his friends two years ago.

WTVD-TV in Durham reports 21-year-old Mikkail Shaw pleaded guilty Monday. He was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon.

According to police, three armed people burst into the apartment in Raleigh on May 5, 2014, and took wallets, cash and electronics. A search warrant says the robbers were armed with two pistols and an AK-47 assault rifle. They forced McCreery and his friends into a closet, then told them to count to 100 before they could come out.

The warrant says Shaw was identified through forensic evidence.

McCreery won TV’s “American Idol” in 2011.

Jimmy Buffett musical unveils creative team and a new title

NEW YORK

The Jimmy Buffett musical making its world premiere next year in California has a new name and a Tony Award-winning creative support team.

The musical, now titled “Escape to Margaritaville,” will feature choreography by Kelly Devine (“Rocky”), scenic design by Walt Spangler (“Tuck Everlasting”), costumes by Paul Tazewell (“Hamilton”), lighting by Howell Binkley (“Hamilton”) and sound design by Brian Ronan (“If/Then.”)

The show, combining Buffett’s tunes with an original story by writers Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley, will start grooving onstage in May 2017 at La Jolla Playhouse. Playhouse artistic director Christopher Ashley will direct.

Buffett has written such beach-bum classics as “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” “Margaritaville,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”

Associated Press