Review: TINA-THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at Providence Performing Arts Center

TINA-THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL- Get ready for an emotional ride ending in triumph!

The Providence Performing Arts Center opened its 2022-23 season with the National Tour launch of TINA-THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL-its 21st national tour launch since 2008's LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL.

If you think you know the story of Tina Turner, trust me, you do not.

It is rare when a musical production can touch on every single emotion there is, but TINA-THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, struck a definitive chord with its phenomenal singing, acting and staging, bringing the audience to its feet multiple times throughout the night!

The starring role of Tina, (shared with Zurin Villanueva) fell to an incredibly gifted and energetic Naomi Rodgers on opening night, who wowed the crowd with every song, from "Better Be Good to Me", "Private Dancer" and the utterly-touching "I Don't Wanna Fight No More". Rodgers vocal transitions from a younger, Rhythm and blues singer in "Proud Mary" to the seasoned rocker in "What's Love Got to Do With It" is just nothing short of amazing.

Ike Turner was portrayed by Garrett Turner, mastering both the tender moments and those of violence that made up much of his life with Tina. I had secretly hoped Ike and his penchant for domestic abuse would not be part of the musical but how could it not? It is the basis for the story in what she eventually became and it is sadly necessary to the journey. As you can imagine, there is a number of scenes featuring domestic violence including one-and this was a first for me-when the audience cheered loudly as Tina finally fought back against Ike's aggressions.

Ann Nesby as Tina's Gran Georgeanna and Roz White as Tina's difficult mother Zelma Bullock round out a stellar cast that includes an incredible voice in Ayvah Johnson, who plays a young Tina (known then as Anna-Mae Bullock) with amazing touches on the songs "Nutbush City Limits" and "We Don't Need Another Hero" and Taylor A. Blackman as Tina's initial band boyfriend Raymond Hill who along with Tina belted out the sultry "Let's Stay Together".

I guess, as an 80's child myself, I thought I knew what Tina Turner was all about, her struggles with Ike and the eventual forming of her own brand but there is so much more to her story and this musical, which comes in around 2 hours and 45 minutes with an intermission. Her relationships with her mother and grandmother, her difficulties in leaving Ike and her struggles to make it all work as a single mom make her story so triumphant, you can't help but be awed by the woman, 82 today and mother of four, who stopped performing more than 13 years ago. Certain people are just forced to endure much more than many of us will ever face and Tina is one of those people and those struggles make her story so amazing. It is an incredible story with a wonderfully happy ending, but getting there took a ton of work and a lot of pain but it makes you appreciate it even more. This may be "(Simply) The Best" time you will have at a musical in a long, long time. You may be angry at times and cry even more but the final scene-and make sure you don't leave at the applause-is just nothing short of stunning, like the musical itself. Tina's journey is one we all need to take, if for nothing else to appreciate and be grateful for all that we have.

TINAS-THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL runs through September 18th. For tickets go to Providence Performing Arts Center (ppacri.org)

Photo Credit: Naomi Rodgers as 'Tina Turner' in the North American touring production of TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL. Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

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