Tucked between CDs of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Billy Joel, my parents' small mid-90s music collection also included a Tina Turner greatest hits compilation -- reserved for my sister and I to spin around the living room while it played.
I didn't know much of Ms. Turner past her gravelly unique vocal tones, aside from her appearance as the Acid Queen in The Who's Tommy film, yet her mark on popular culture remains untouchable.
Her recent bio musical, nominated for nearly every Tony Award category yet only claiming one for Adrienne Warren's performance as Tina, follows Tina from her beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, all the way claiming the title of Queen of Rock and Roll. Like many jukebox bio musicals, her collection of hits is sprinkled throughout as both performances and plot devices. It's directed by Phyllida Lloyd with a book by Pulitzer-Prize winner Katori Hall along with Frank Ketelaar, and Kees Prins. The musical closed on Broadway at the end of last summer.
The role of Tina is currently being shared by Ari Groover and Parris Lewis, with Groover taking the stage the night I attended. The first act follows Tina's early life and tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner, while act 2 leans more into Tina's post-Ike life and struggle to retain her name and regain her fame. The first act felt much more dramatic, while the second act's book was as little messy for me until it concluded with an epic concert performance. Overall, the story felt pretty formulaic as bio musicals go.
The musical is at its strongest when Tina is in performance mode, whether that be in the studio or at a concert, while Groover's energy keeps the show pulsating most times. She mostly captures Turner's vocalities, but it didn't totally land 100% when she spoke. The uniqueness of Tina's voice is quite easy to come across like an impression, crasfting almost a chewy quality to the words that sometimes made her difficult to understand.
There's no doubt Groover can sing the hell out of it though, giving one of the more impressive performance I've seen as a leading lady of a national tour. She also covered the role on Broadway, so it's well settled in her bones.
A standout of the show was the incredibly underused Young Anna Mae (Tina's original name), portrayed exceptionally by Sympony King. That girl made me feel like I was at church, stealing each moment she was on stage. Her crisp vocals left me in awe, I love seeing young talent thrive.
Other standout performers included Roz White as Tina's mother, Roderick Lawrence as Ike Turner, and Kristopher Stanley Ward as Richard Bullock.
Overall, the musical is an entertaining look at Tina Turner's rise to fame, capturing her grit and guts as she pushed through difficult situations and stood up for her values. It offered a deeper look at Tina's relationships with her parents, children and creative team while not drifting too far from an engaging plot.
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical plays the Buell Theatre through October 29th.
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