Bennie and the Rest: A Tribute to Elton John at Hangar Theatre

A joyous musical journey through the hits of Sir Elton John begins at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca.

Piano player, singer and Broadway and TV actor Jason Ostrowski and a band of skilled musicians will capture the essence of the legendary artist who brought us “Tiny Dancer”, “Rocket Man” and many other hits.  “Bennie and the Rest: A Tribute to Elton John” is part of the Hangar’s In Flight Entertainment Series. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online or at the door. 

“People should come ready to sing along, get up and dance if they want to, and be transported back to the first time they heard some of these songs. I hope people come wearing big glasses, feather boas, lots of sparkle,” Ostrowski said.

“The audience is just as much part of the show as all of the band members and me up on stage. It’s a group experience,” he said. 

Ostrowski will be joined on stage by a roster of experienced Ithaca-area musicians, including Robert Keefe (guitar), John White (bass) and Mark Joyce (drums). The Hangar’s Producing Artistic Director Shirley Serotsky said, “It’s been exciting to explore the intersection of music and theater in our newly launched In Flight Entertainment Series. The Hangar is a perfect venue for both. And we know that Elton John is so innately theatrical. I’m eager to watch Jason perform his show live after being awed by his videos.” Elton John also composed the music for the musical Billy Elliot, which was a runaway hit at the Hangar Theatre in 2023.

Ostrowski notes that he tries to replicate what he has experienced seeing Elton John live many times, but doesn’t try to “be” Elton John. “I’m not trying to convince the audience they are actually seeing him. What I do hopefully convey is a love and appreciation of his music. Looking into the audience, I always see such a vast age demographic from teens to people in their 80s – and they all know and love this music!”

“I’m so excited to bring the show to the Hangar Theatre because I get to perform in a beautiful space, in my home state, for people who are excited to see an Elton John show,” said the performer, who grew up in Rochester, New York.

The Hangar Theatre, located at 801 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca, is a community-driven arts campus for regional audiences and tourists. A year-round venue, it offers professional theatrical productions during the summer months and hosts local and national musical acts, community arts groups and events, and education programs from September to May.