“The Life and Music of George Michael” is coming to Florida. (Photo by Timothy Norris)
“The Life and Music of George Michael” will honor the late LGBTQ+ icon’s music and life in Florida this November with shows featuring the pop star’s greatest hits. Stops include The Plaza Live in Orlando Nov. 20 and Nancy & David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in Clearwater Nov. 21.
“This is a celebration of a musical icon who wants people to have a good time, so come out and hear the hits!” says Craig Winberry, who plays Michael in the show.
In this high energy concert style live show, the audience can expect to feel like they’re at a concert and not a biographical musical. It features hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Freedom” and “Careless Whisper” while encouraging audiences of all ages to get up out of their seats, sing and dance along as if they were at a real concert.
“We kind of do a service to the legacy of his estate because there is still a want for his music and the nostalgia that it brings,” Winberry remarks.
Each performance is a one-of-a-kind show meant to tell the story of Michael and this tribute to his successful and enduring career is meant to feel like a party at a live concert. Along with North American show dates, the tour will also be making stops internationally.
“That’s my favorite part about live theater. This show, this moment in time will never be repeated. It will be live once in that space, so each show is truly unique to whichever venue we’re at,” Winberry shares.
A large focus of the show is the journey of Michael’s career through his songs and how his relationships with those around him, and especially his fans, helped propel him to the top of the charts during the 80s and 90s. It is meant for all ages and pop music lovers.
Winberry says that throughout the tour so far, he’s noticed there is a generational audience full of families sharing the love of Michael’s music together.
“You get these young teenagers or 20 year olds that are George Michael fans and you’re like, ‘yes!’ That’s just a testament to his craftsmanship as a songwriter,” Winberry says.
After coming into show business and getting his big break as a member of Wham!, the 80’s band, Michael went solo with his debut album “Faith,” and continuously put out chart topping hits for decades.
After a successful musical career, he passed away in 2016.
Many artists paid tribute to him after his death, including his close friend Elton John. Other artists have continued performing tributes to him over the years, like Adele singing “Fastlove” at the 2017 Grammy’s and Chris Martin from Coldplay singing “A Different Corner” at the 2017 Brit Awards.
Geri Halliwell from the Spice Girls released a single “Alice in Chains” in 2017 as a charity tribute for Childline, a British youth health service, to honor him. Taylor Swift’s “Father Figure” from her latest release, “The Life of a Showgirl,” also pays tribute to him.
“When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same,” Michael’s estate shared last month.
“He was unapologetic later in his career,” Winberry states. “He was like, ‘if you don’t want to listen to this go listen to something else.’”
Renowned for his strong songwriting and stellar performing capabilities, Michael received countless awards for his musical talents. The accolades include three Britt awards, two Grammy’s, four MTV music video awards and three American Music Awards. He also helped raise funds for the LGBTQ+ community to support HIV/AIDS charities and performed benefit concerts.
An avid philanthropist, Michael often participated in charity initiatives aimed at helping marginalized communities and individuals. Publicly and privately throughout his entire life he was giving back to his community and those in need.
In his later life he was publicly outed as a gay man after an arrest in April 1998, when he was charged with public lewdness after an encounter with an undercover cop. After contemplating for decades whether or not he was bisexual or gay, Michael knew he was gay when he fell in love with a man for the first time.
He wasn’t ashamed of his sexuality and often spoke out for LGBTQ+ rights. After his arrest Michael lived the rest of his life as an unapologetic gay man who didn’t feel the need to fit into boxes or wear any labels. He was indicted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
“He came out before it was cool, he came out and was like middle finger to society,” Winberry says.
Much like Michael, Winberry is a lifelong performer who was always singing and dancing and passionate about music. Offstage, he is a member of Basesuite, an electro-pop duo whose music reaches global audiences.
He also recently released a solo album, “Sidewalk Survival Guide,” which blends house and pop music with lyrical storytelling. It is available on all streaming platforms.
Winberry gets into character to embody Michael on state by watching music videos and iconic live performances. He states that some of Michael’s timeless hits that are his personal favorites are “Everything She Wants” and “Fast Love.”
“I just watch them and I feed off that energy,” Winberry shares. “Then my job is to match that level when we do the show.”
A seasoned Broadway performer, Winberry has performed in shows such as “Shooting Star,” “The Gunfighter Meets His Match,” “Golden Girls Musical Parody.” He also recently starred in the New York Theater Festival premiere of “The Neighborhood Laundromat.”
Notably, “The Life and Music of George Michael” is strictly a tribute concert tour and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the George Michael estate. Ruckus Entertainment, the producers of this show have created other tribute tours such as “The Simon and Garfunkel Story.”
“The Life and Music of George Michael” will play Nov. 20 at The Plaza Live in Orlando and Nov. 21 at Clearwater’s Nancy & David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre. For more information about the show and to purchase tickets, visit TheLifeAndMusicOfGM.com.
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