Ground control to Harrisburg…
Open Stage’s musical revue, “Space Oddity: A Celebration of David Bowie,” pays tribute to an iconic artist who simultaneously trail-blazed through six decades while also standing off to the side stylistically–a space invader of entertainment perpetually reinventing himself with glam and glitter.
Who else but Ziggy Stardust could make androgyny and heterochromia cool amongst all the young dudes?
Director/Producer Wayne Landon (rather, “Dad” to Open Stage’s Executive Director Stuart and Education Coordinator Rachel) and Music Arranger/Band Director Anthony Pieruccini blow the dust off their old vinyl collections to bring us the most memorable songs of Bowie’s career, plus a few later songs that haven’t yet reached legendary status. The concert format allows for song after song in a rapid wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am succession.
It’s Bowie’s intelligent and serious bravura driving the lyrics of the production’s set list, and his evolving signature fashion inspiring the costumes (Jack Weitzel). Both resemble a chameleon meandering through a lava lamp. Each cast member wears something as a nod to one of Bowie’s personas: a neckerchief, suspenders, one dangling earring, a silky pantsuit, a brazenly colored unitard.
Each lyricist owns their own Bowie interpretation in their individual vocal and stylistic approaches, showcasing their distinctive ranges and styles, with lots of ch-ch-ch-ch-changes to original arrangements. Playing over two dozen of Bowie’s greatest hits, here are the highlights:
Although this show is not meant to be a tribute band in which the performers impersonate the artist note for note, TJ Creedon’s vocals sound truest to form in pacing and tonality, complete with a hint of South London accent. With passionate energy, Creedon pours himself into rollicking solos “Five Years,” “All the Young Dudes,” “Golden Years,” and the wistfully delivered, “Heroes.” Then he duets with Maggie Haynes and Sabrina Williams to deliver solid power ballads fueled with rhythmic, pulsating sensuality. And just like my old CDs of yore, one of the duets is a secret song.
Haynes brings a little rebel rebel to her Bowie rendition, her voice alto and angry, and dancing wild enough to proclaim stage ownership. She especially blazes fire during “Fashion,” as if to channel Mick Jagger. (Note that the Bowie/Jagger collaboration/debacle “Dancing in the Street” did not appear on the set list. Good call, Landon and Pieruccini. Sometimes it’s what we don’t do that speaks louder.) Especially impressive was Haynes’ sustained note during “Suffragette City,” and she gets cool points for knowing how to get real notes out of a kazoo during her saxophone imitation.
Williams slips into her “Starman” character with unabashed confidence, copying many of Bowie’s stances and motions. She captures Bowie’s initial vocal shyness that crescendos in front of an audience’s eyes into self-assuredness, adding a slight playfulness pointing to Bowie possibly – just maybe – having a sense of humor layered somewhere under his blue and coral eye shadow? Williams particularly shines in singing “Moonage Daydream,” during her many lovely duet harmonies with Jasmine Graham, and the punching “This is Not America” with Tyler Shadle.
Reminiscent of Bowie’s angular onstage mannerisms, Shadle shows traces of Bowie in his seemingly displeased facial expressions, reaching all the way into space during his “Ziggy Stardust” solo, and his “Space Oddity” duet with Brad Barkdoll. For his part, Barkdoll nails some standout riffs in “Ziggy Stardust,” “Life on Mars,” “Rebel Rebel,” and “Modern Love.” The four-piece band, with Shadle on keyboard, Barkdoll on guitar, Jon Godinez/Alex Dalious on bass guitar, and Dani Fiore/Jeremy Blouch on drums, gel well and back the vocalists cohesively, rounding out the spacy sound.
Embodying Bowie’s reserve, Jasmine Graham starts off her performance quietly, almost unsure. Then she bursts into Bowie’s “Lady Stardust” persona with that giant voice of hers. Graham also joins Williams to close the show with a special encore performance.
If you float in on your tin can to Open Stage to see this musical revue, take your protein pills and put your helmet on. Or put on your red shoes and dance the blues. Whether you’re still looking for life on Mars, or you’re from the MTV generation, or you’re backtracking through your grandparents’ 8-tracks, there’s a Bowie character for everybody to embody.
“Space Oddity: A Celebration of David Bowie” runs Sept. 8 to 17 at Open Stage, 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit https://www.openstagehbg.com/show/spaceoddity.
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