SAN DIEGO — In May, the Queen of Rock and Roll, Tina Turner, passed away at 83, but her incredible story lives on in a Broadway musical. In this Zevely Zone, I met the two stars of Tina: Tina Turner the Musical at the Civic Theater.
Tina Turner attacked the stage with such fury it's no wonder her character takes two talented women. "Yes, that's us. Ha, ha, ha," laughed Naomi Rodgers, who stared in Frozen and Zurin Villanueva from The Lion King. The two actors alternate performing the iconic role. "You don't get any better than playing this woman," said Naomi.
The Tina Turner Musical tells the story of a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who broke barriers and stood up to her husband, Ike Turner.
"It's about a woman who didn't get to open up her mouth for a while, and someone else was running her life from the age of 16 all of the way," said Naomi. "It's crazy to know that someone who had been silenced for so long and the moment that she opened her mouth, her life changed, and she got everything she wanted."
One of the world's best-selling artists of all time, Tina Turner has won 12 Grammy Awards, and her live shows have been seen by millions, with more concert tickets sold than any other solo performer in music history. Featuring her much-loved songs, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd.
This new musical, based on the life of legendary artist Tina Turner and presented in association with Tina Turner herself, received its world premiere in April 2018 in London, where it opened to five-star reviews and has broken box office records at the Aldwych Theatre. In March 2019, the German production opened at Stage Operettenhaus in Hamburg, and the Dutch production opened at the Beatrix Theater, Utrecht, in February 2020. A third European production opened in Fall 2021 at the Teatro Coliseum in Madrid, Spain.
Tina Turner walked away from an abusive relationship with her talent and dignity, believing in herself that her name would live on in light. One of their favorite songs to perform is Simply the Best. Naomi and Zurin want to warn San Diegans to be ready for audience participation. "They are like, oh, you want us to sing too? Okay. And it's like okay clap, you clap, we are going to clap, and so everyone is so excited that she is talking to us now," said Zurin.
While in San Diego, the cast of Tina plans on hitting the beach.
"Our friends are going to La Jolla right now to kayaking and snorkeling. They are going kayaking and snorkeling while we are at work, but we are fine, we are fine," said Naomi and Zurin. Someone had to work to pass along Tina's secrets, which are all in the hips. "You know what I mean; you got to let her move independently," said Zurin.
After performing in hundreds of shows, Naomi and Zurin are asked how where they find the energy. It's a question Tina herself was often asked. "How do you do it? How do you do it? And she said that because I enjoy myself and love life, that's it. That is exactly what she would say," said Naomi.
Tina Turner died from natural causes at her home in Switzerland. For more information about the musical, which runs at the Civic Theater until Sunday, click here.
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