Review: TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL Rolls Onto the Vancouver Stage

Beyond the flashy, electrifying spirit that Tina Turner brought to the 1980s music scene, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical delivers a powerful story of passion, resilience, and heart that captivates from beginning to end. Playing at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC from March 25 to 30, this latest musical presented by Broadway Across Canada takes audiences on an emotional journey through the life of global music icon: Tina Turner. Starting from humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee to her rise as the queen of rock and roll, the show follows Turner’s life and highlights the resilience that propelled her into stardom. Tina: The Tina Turner Musical is more than just a musical theatre show; it is a celebration of a trailblazing woman who became a symbol of strength within the music industry. 

The musical follows the inspiring true story of Tina Turner. Starting from her childhood and early struggles to her turbulent relationship with Ike Turner and into her later years in Europe. The musical highlights the highs and lows of her life while showcasing the iconic hits that defined her legendary career. Including her hit songs such as “Proud Mary,” “Private Dancer,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” and “The Best,” the show is a dynamic tribute that seamlessly weaves her iconic discography within the storyline. One of the most powerful moments in the show is Turner’s decision to break free, reclaiming her life and career to start anew. Overcoming challenges of racism, sexism, and ageism, her story is truly inspiring, making her legacy one that will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come. 

Deidre Lang and Jayna Elise in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical premiered at the Aldwych Theatre in London’s West End in 2018. Following its success, the musical made its Broadway debut at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 2019. Despite its positive reviews and 12 Tony Award nominations including Best Musical, the show was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately closed in August 2022. Since then, the show has expanded internationally with productions in the Netherlands and Spain. The show is currently on its second North American Tour and began a UK and Ireland tour this month. 

On the whole, the show was far more than just another jukebox musical. It was a raw and emotional experience that valued depth and storytelling. While the entertainment musical factor was important to an extent, the show did an excellent job of emphasizing the highs and lows of Turner’s life through powerful acting. The show did not shy away from showing the darker moments of Turner’s life, particularly the points of domestic violence that were both shocking and heartbreaking to see. The production masterfully intertwined Turner’s biggest hits into the narrative, ensuring audiences saw the songs that they came for while still experiencing the emotional depth of the plot. You could really feel the weight and power of both the performance factor and the acting during numbers such as “Proud Mary.” Tina: The Tina Turner Musical was deeply engaging, evoking emotions that one would not expect to feel, setting a new standard for touring productions in Vancouver. While the show is most appreciated by those who grew up with Turner’s music, the show proves to be a powerful and unexpectedly moving experience for all. 

Jayna Elise and Sterling Baker-McClary in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.

The creative team behind the show delivered an extraordinary auditory and visual experience, elevating the production beyond the confines of a typical biographical musical. Mark Thompson’s scenic and costume design was nothing short of transformative. His ability to capture each era of Turner’s life was authentic, so much so that it was easy to forget the same actor portrayed her throughout the show. The shifts from the darker moments of Turner’s life to the high energy performance scenes were made possible by Bruno Poet’s lighting design. Furthermore, Jeff Sugg’s projection design added a cinematic quality to many of the scenes, enriching the storytelling by transporting the audiences to the significant places in Turner’s life. To tie it all together, the wig, hair, and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates was the cherry on top, making Turner’s transformation throughout time feel incredibly real. Altogether, the creative design team behind the show made the production visually stunning, delivering a high quality and worthwhile theatre experience. 

Jayna Elise as Tina Turner in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.

American Idol alum, Jayna Elise, was the firecracker of the production in the leading role as Tina Turner. Her performance was sensational, leaving myself and everyone in the audience absolutely speechless. Her ability to completely embody each era of Turner’s life was impeccable. As the story progressed, Elise’s transformations were so complete that she was unrecognizable from one stage of Turner’s life to the next. This ability to show Turner’s growth from an acting perspective truly spoke to the quality and passion embedded into her performance. Elise’s vocal prowess was equally remarkable to her acting. Elise perfectly captured the distinctive power and sound of Turner’s singing voice while also accurately mirroring Turner’s speech inflections in her spoken dialogue. Overall, Elise’s dynamic portrayal of Turner was exceptional and captured the true spirit of the legendary music icon. Tina Turner herself would undoubtedly be proud of her. 

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical  was a powerful and immersive musical theatre experience that told the story of one the music industry’s greatest artists of all time. Diving deep into the heart of Tina Turner’s story, the show balances the highs and the lows and ties everything together into a captivating, meaningful production that serves as a fitting tribute to Turner’s incredible music legacy. 

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical presented by Broadway Across Canada plays at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC from March 25 to 30. The run time of the show is approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes with one 20 minute intermission. The show’s next stop will be at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu, Hawaii from April 22 to 27. The show is recommended for audiences aged 14 and older and contains scenes featuring domestic violence, racist language, loud music, strobe lighting, haze, and gunshots. For more information about the show and to purchase tickets visit the link below. Orders for groups for 10 or more may be placed by calling Broadway Across Canada at 1-800-889-8457. 

Buy Tickets to Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (Non-Equity)