George Michael: Winberry has ‘faith’ in his tribute show

Pop singer George Michael influenced the music landscape as a member of Wham! and as a solo artist. He is best known for songs such as “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” “Freedom,” “Faith,” “Careless Whisper,” “Monkey,” “One More Try” and “Father Figure.”

The tribute show “The Life and Music of George Michael” is an homage to the artist and will visit Fox Tucson Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 12. In the show, the older version of George Michael is being portrayed by Craig Winberry, who has a background in film and theater.

He has starred in shows such as “The Gunfighter Meets His Match,” “Shooting Star,” “The Golden Girls Musical Parody” and “Mamma Mia!”

The New York-based Winberry is also one-half of the dance music duo BaseSuite. On a recent EP, the duo sang a cover of the Wham! song “Club Tropicana.”

A recent addition to the show, Connor Antico plays the younger version of Michael. He is an actor, singer, and songwriter who starred in “Girl, You Need No Makeup” alongside Amy Schumer. He has also appeared in “Greater: The Brandon Burlsworth Story,” “Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List,” “Jamie Marks is Dead,” and “The Next Big Thing.”

Craig Winberry performs as George Michael in “The Life and Music of George Michael” tribute show.

In the Michael tribute, Winberry and Antico sing music from throughout the late entertainer’s career. The show highlights the singer’s musical journey and connection with his fans.

The show, which is visiting 28 cities, was written and directed by Dean Elliott.

Michael sold over 115 million albums during a career spanning four decades. He won two Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards and three Brit Awards. His 1987 album “Faith” had four No. 1 hits.

In the show, the focus is on the music, with just the two singers and a band onstage.

“There are a few moments where we give information about George and his career and where he was at in his life. For the most part the music tells his story, and that is the focus… This show is a celebration of one of pop music’s biggest icons. People are coming, and they’re leaving with a smile on their face,” Winberry said.

He and Antico highlight Michael’s different musical eras.

“If you look at George Michael’s career, he had Wham!” Winberry said.

“Those were some of his biggest hits. Then, he transitioned into a solo career. There was a different vibe. We talk about it in the show. When he did leave Wham!, he wanted to make more mature-sounding music for an older audience.”

Prior to joining the show, Winberry had not performed as Michael. He had done cabaret shows in New York, where he sang Michael’s songs.

“When I came across this project, it was just a natural fit because I knew a lot of his catalog,” Winberry said.

Growing up, Winberry was a big fan of Michael’s music.

“I can remember the first time I saw ‘Freedom! ’90’ on MTV. ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ was on all the time. ‘Too Funky,’ that video was amazing with Thierry Mugler,” Winberry said.

To prepare for the show, Winberry researched Michael on YouTube and TikTok.

“It was nice getting to see him not necessarily performing and singing but being interviewed as a person, his wicked sense of humor,” Winberry said.

“I love the music anyway, so I’m constantly looking for any kind of George Michael clips… Netflix last year put out a nice documentary about Wham! and his time with them. There’s a lot of new footage that I had never seen.”

Winberry said that in addition to being authentic to Michael’s singing style, he tries to incorporate some of his dance moves. He also wants to capture elements such as Michael’s swagger when he walks.

“He was such a confident man onstage when he was performing. That inspires me not only onstage but in life. Sometimes, whether you’re feeling it or not, you’ve got to just hold your head up high and just keep moving forward,” Winberry said.

He said that performing as Michael is exciting and nerve-wracking because of fans’ expectations. Portraying Michael’s emotional vulnerability has been challenging.

Winberry said that while he honors Michael’s singing style, look, and energy, he also brings a bit of himself to the stage.

“I would never say I’m the embodiment of George Michael,” Winberry said.

“When I was younger, people would say I looked like him and sounded like him. I always took that as a compliment. I would say that if you were going to compare us, I would be a cousin… I grew up with him, so just like anybody else who grows up with specific types of artists who inspire you to be a singer, guitar player, or piano player, those influences are already there. I already had some of his style choices baked into my performance style.”

Winberry said that although the show’s set list stays the same, each night is different because of how the audiences respond to the music.

“Some audiences will connect with one song more than another. Some will get up and start dancing a whole lot sooner,” Winberry said.

Some fans celebrate the artist through their clothing and hairstyles.

“A lot of people show up with their ‘Choose Life’ T-shirts on. I’m starting to see a lot of bright neon colors, teased-up hair, and sunglasses. People love George Michael. He’s an outlet for their expression. There are definitely die-hard fans coming to the show,” Winberry said.