Tina Turner was so much throughout her life.
She was a superstar musician, nicknamed the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, who sold more than 100 million records world-wide. She was an actress, a fashion maven, a 12-time Grammy Award winner and two-time inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Most of all, she was relentless — something we could all learn from.
“I would hope that people would walk away feeling like they can do anything.” said Carla Stewart, one of the stars of “TINA —The Tina Turner Musical.” “No matter what is thrown at them, if they just get up every day and do it, they can soar in their own lives.”
Stewart has been electrifying audiences throughout the country in the high-energy performance “TINA — The Tina Turner Musical.” The Broadway show is now on tour, captivating people with the life and career of Turner, a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n’ Roll.
The show is set against the pulse-pounding soundtrack of Turner’s most beloved hits, from “Shake a Tail Feather” to “Proud Mary” to “We Don’t Need Another Hero.”
“TINA” comes to central Indiana this week, starting a run of shows from Tuesday through May 5 at Old National Centre in downtown Indianapolis.
Stewart, who has been featured in “The Color Purple” revival, “Ghost” and “If Pretty Hurts,” plays the role of Gran Georgeanna, Turner’s grandmother and one of her biggest supporters.
Getting ready for the performance, Stewart shared her experience of being part of the show and the force-of-nature that Turner has been throughout her career:
What led you towards theater in the first place?
I grew up in a very musical family, so singing just kind of comes natually to me. I’ve always had a joy of doing it, singing with my older cousins and my mom throughout the house. Later in life, I started doing a lot of background vocals for community theaters; I was singing in the pit a lot.
When did you move up on stage?
It wasn’t until I met a woman named June McClain, who had a theater company, when she asked me not only to sing, most of all, she wanted me to read some sides with her. I told her, ‘No ma’am, I don’t really do that.’ She told me, ‘I know when I see something. So you can either read these sides, or you can have a nice day.’ So I did it, and that’s when I was bit by the bug.”
Once you had that experience, why was it something you stuck with?
“Theater, and the arts in period, just have a way to shape your outlook on life. I love what I do. I love meeting people all the time, I love giving people a few hours to escape their day. I love sharing, and I love people. This encompasses all of that.”
What made you want to audition for “TINA”?
“The funny thing is, as soon as I saw ‘TINA’ was coming, I started thinking, ‘This is a dance-heavy show; I don’t know if this going to be for me.’ But the casting director called in a few people who he really wanted to see, and so when I was on that list, I thought, ‘Wow.’ When I got the call, even before I got home from the audition, that said they wanted to see me again, I couldn’t believe it. But it was really great, and I’m so glad to have gotten this opportunity.”
Playing the character of Gran Georgeanna, how did you try to embody who that character was?
“I believe she’s the heart and soul, as she gave so much care. That’s the thing you hear Tina talk about in a lot of her interviews and even her books — that she didn’t feel loved by her mom, but for her to live with her grandmother and be instilled with so much compassion in the show, she’s the one who’s like, ‘It’s your voice. Your voice will take you places.’ She has so much care and love in her, she becomes the heart and the drive for Tina.”
What’s it been like traveling and performing this show for people around the country?
“The thing you have to look at, a lot of people don’t make it to New York for shows. So having done it on Broadway, and then to be able to come out on the road to give that same joy to people across the country, you feel like a little rock star. I just kind of join in on Tina’s tour, kind of. It’s not just the show, but we’re the Tina Company.”
What do you hope people who come out the show take away from it?
“We when look at Tina’s life and all we show you, we know all the lows of her life. I like to think the show could have been called, ‘River Deep, Mountain High,’ because she goes so deep and it’s so rough at the beginning of her life. But then when she’s 40 and she gets all these hits, she’s unstoppable. I hope they take that into their own lives.
And I want them to dance. There are so many great songs in the show, and we have a beautiful moment at the end where it really just turns into a concert. I’ve seen it — people get loose, they’re standing up and in the aisles. I want them to be free, and have 2 1/2 hours of memories and laughter. For some people who come, Tina was their everything. I want them to have that. I want them to have a good time.”
IF YOU GO
“TINA – The Tina Turner Musical”
What: A Broadway musical telling the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n’ Roll, all set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits.
When: Tuesday to May 5
Where: Old National Centre, 502 N. New Jersey St., Indianapolis
Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday and May 4; 2 p.m. May 4; 1 and 6:30 p.m. May 5.
Information and tickets: indianapolis.broadway.com
