BRUNSWICK — On Saturday evening, Jan. 21, Hollowbody Electric Band will perform a concert adaptation of their rock opera “One Way Trip to Mars” at the Frontier Theater, in Fort Andross Mill, 14 Maine St., at 8 p.m. 

The multi-media show, in the tradition of The Who’s “Tommy” and David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust,” premiered at the Chocolate Church in September to standing ovations with a cast and production team of over 50 people. Since then, the show’s creators, Peter Alexander and Johannah Harkness, have added new songs and refined the story line with the help of dramatist Dennis St. Pierre in preparation for mounting it as a full theatrical production this summer. 

The story line for this dramatic rock opera is inspired by actual plans by several space agencies to send manned missions to Mars within the next 10 to 20 years. “One Way Trip to Mars” is set in 2033, and begins with an astronaut (Paolo) being sent alone on a one-way trip to the red planet to set up the infrastructure for a future human colony.  The story that follows, told entirely through song, is full of emotion, suspense, and the transcendent power of love. 

As songwriters Peter Alexander and Johannah Harkness—both as individuals and as a team—make a winning combination.  Their songs have competed in the Grammies, received international praise, and one was even recorded by Rod Stewart. Alexander (also known as Peter Blachly) comes from a family of classically trained musicians.  His musical career has included performances with Chuck Berry, Poco, Tim Hardin, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and other legends of folk and rock music. Since moving to Maine in 2008 Alexander has served as executive director of Maine Alliance for Arts Education (2011 – 2013) and music columnist for the Coastal Journal (2013 – 2015). He is also a writer, and his recently-published memoir “The Stone from Halfway Rock,” can be found at Gulf of Maine Books and other local independent bookstores.

Harkness is also an accomplished artist and songwriter. It was she who originally conceived of “One Way Trip to Mars” as a rock opera, and she handled all artistic direction for the production of the show’s premiere performances last fall at the Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath.

Harkness, who is also a photographer with a degree in photojournalism, has a particular interest in costuming and visual design; she brings a theatrical sensibility to her work—some of which can be seen on YouTube in a recent Hollowbody Electric Band music video, “Wicked Witch,” (https://youtu.be/eP1RR3xM7hU) and in video excerpts of “One Way Trip to Mars”  (https://youtu.be/UJkhVa6EwWU).

Following the rock opera’s premiere in September 2016, Alexander and Harkness teamed up with Dennis St. Pierre to re-work it into a full-fledged stage production for musical theater. St. Pierre is a professional performer and interdisciplinary artist with an MFA in Intermedia from the University of Maine at Orono and a BA in Theater from Franklin Pierce University. He is a member of Actors Equity and Screen Actors Guild and has worked for more than 30 theater companies and television production companies throughout the U.S.

“When I heard Peter and Johannah’s music,” he said, “and read the story embodied in their lyrics, I was completely blown away.  This is a truly great show, and we are proud that it is being endorsed by the Maine State Music Theater for submission to the annual festival of the National Alliance of Musical Theaters.”

The performance on Jan.21 will be with a scaled down crew to accommodate the intimate setting of the Frontier Theater, but will include spectacular lighting and video effects.

Tickets, $15,  are available at the Frontier (207) 725-5222 or on line at http://www.explorefrontier.com/schedule/music.  More information is also available at www.hollowbody.us.