Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at the Peace Center
Not counting its energetic, well-deserved encore, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical concludes with a rendition of “(Simply) The Best” — an appropriate choice considering Ari Groover gives arguably the top lead performance to grace the Peace Center stage in the five years of this publication’s existence.
The book by Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, and Kees Prins — and, to be fair, Turner herself — gives Groover plenty to do, and the actor rises to the occasion, carrying the production from the time the artist born Anna Mae Bullock moved from her native Nutbush, Tenn., to St. Louis at the age of 17, up to the rousing finale when she’s achieved superstardom before a packed Brazilian stadium in the 1980s.
Simultaneously aiding and inhibiting that rise is musician Ike Turner, and while Tina glosses over the details of her “marriage” to Ike, the gist of their toxic dynamic is evident. Devilishly embodied by Deon Releford-Lee, Ike is the ultimate bastard, and though it’s painful to see domestic violence rawly presented on stage, such actions are thankfully reserved for the first act and somewhat smoothed out by the show’s numerous musical delights.
The dialogue-style take by Tina and bandmate Raymond (Gerard M. Williams) of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” — which Tina covered in 1984 — accentuates their feelings for each other and is a shining example of expert jukebox musical storytelling. Second act opener “Private Dancer” likewise excels in this department, conveying Tina’s struggles to make a living in Las Vegas while Ike does all he can to undermine her efforts.
Director Phyllida Lloyd and projection designer Jeff Sugg make smart subtle use of digital backdrops to bring to life a range of locations, while set and costume designer Mark Thompson fills the stage with sparkly outfits and simple yet effective props.
It’s also a thrill to see the smokin’ live band under the direction of Anne Shuttlesworth out and about so often, particularly when Tina interacts with the musicians. And while Bruno Poet’s lighting design is generally solid, two intrusive instances should come with a warning for attendees to don their sunglasses.
With Tina’s second act centered on her comeback via help from new manager Roger Davies (Dylan S. Wallach, energetically owning the role’s Australian accent), the action shifts to London for a make-or-break stretch that includes hilarious head-butting between traditionally-minded Tina and the rise of computer-based studio production. It’s all part of an overall humorous culture clash amidst significant tension as we hold out breath for Tina to get the shot at redemption she so desperately deserves, and possibly find a second chance at romantic bliss with kindly German Erwin Bach (John Battagliese).
Tina Turner was a powerful woman and, not quite a year after her death, this show is a phenomenal reminder of her star power and the timeless body of work she left behind. Even if you’ve memorized What’s Love Got to Do With It, there’s still plenty of value to be found here.
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical runs through March 24 at the Peace Center. For details and tickets, visit peacecenter.org.
(Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)
