Everyone knows who Tina Turner is and her hits Proud Mary, Let’s Stay Together and What’s Love Got to Do With It. The 12-time Grammy winner started her career in 1956 and she’s been around for decades. But have you ever wondered how she got where she is today? Tina – The Tina Turner Musical has got all the answers, and more. Read ahead for everything you need to know about this much-anticipated Broadway musical.
What’s Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is About?
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is about the life and music of the pop culture icon herself – the highest highs and the lowest lows.
Starting from her humble beginnings as Anna-Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, the show follows Tina’s life from the moment her parents abandoned her. Five years later, at the age of 16, she reunites with her mother, Zelma, and her sister, Alline in St. Louis, Missouri. It was also in this city where she met the self-proclaimed king of rock n’ roll, Ike Turner, who fell in love with her voice and took her on tour. Two years later, despite the abuse she had already suffered from Ike’s hand, the couple got married and had two kids.
This musical shines a light on Tina’s successes and hardships, including a great insight into just how this abusive marriage played a role in her career. Aside from her relationship, the musical will also tackle about how the prejudice against her age, gender, and race shaped a lot of her story. The show doesn’t shy away from them, giving you a greater admiration for the one and only queen of rock n’ roll.
How the Hit Jukebox Musical Came To Be
Despite having released an autobiography – I, Tina – in 1986 and having a biopic called What’s Love Got to Do with It in 1993, Tina found there was more to tell. And honestly, her fans just could not get enough of her.
And so Tina started to lay the groundwork to write a musical, one that will tell the story of her life’s highest highs and lowest lows. A team of creatives was assembled including Olivier award-winning playwright Katori Hall and internationally renowned director Phyllida Lloyd.
Tina was hands-on on this project and has spoken about how much it means for her to have been so involved. She even flew to London in 2016 for the first workshop presentation and since then, has been giving tons of advice and encouragement to the production cast and creatives.
Will They Perform Other Songs Other Than Tina Turner’s?
What better way to tell the story of Tina’s life than through her songs, right? Tina’s music has such a vast discography and there’s always a song of hers that perfectly matches a chapter of her life.
But to answer the question – no, there is one song on the soundtrack that isn’t Tina Turner’s. It’s Don’t Turn Around by Bonnie Tyler, a big fan of Tina herself. Throughout the show, you will also be hearing hits from Tina’s work with ex-husband Ike Turner and even her duet with the legendary David Bowie.
But aside from your personal favorite Tina hit, we’re sure the song River Deep – Mountain High is bound to make the biggest impact. This song is performed in a scene reimagined in the musical as the pivotal moment when she finds her voice as a solo artist.
Adrienne Warren + Other Cast and Creatives
Warren will be joined by Daniel J. Watts (Hamilton) as Ike, Dawnn Lewis (The Wiz) as Zelma, and Myra Lucretia Taylor (Nine) as Gran Georgeanna. Gloria Manning (The Lion King) will play as Young Tina and Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, who will be making her Broadway debut, will play Tina at select performances.
In addition to Phyllida Lloyd and Katori Hall, the incredible creatives team include playrights Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins and Anthony van Laast for the choreography. Sets and costumes were by Mark Thompson while musical supervision and additional music and arrangements were by Nicholas Skilbeck,
Location, Schedule and Tickets
With prices starting from $108, be sure to get your tickets to TINA – The Tina Turner Musical now. Broadway previews will begin on October 12th and the official opening night will be on Nov 7th at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City. The show runs for 2 hours and 45 minutes including one interval.