TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL announces a new cast in the West End
by Best of Theatre Staff on Thursday 15 June 2023, 1:56 pm in Cast Changes and Announcements
The hit West End production TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL which is based on the life of legendary artist Tina Turner and was produced in association with Tina Turner herself, announces new cast members joining the musical, which has been running in the West End for 5 years. TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is a global success with 8 productions having opened worldwide since 2018.
Karis Anderson, who is currently in the ensemble, will share the role of Tina with Elesha Paul Moses who continues in the role. Okezie Morro will join the show to play Ike Turner.
Mark Anderson joins to play Record Producer Phil Spector and Lyricist Terry Britten, Jonathan Carlton will play record company Marketing Manager Erwin Bach, current ensemble member Vanessa Dumatey will play Tina’s sister Alline Bullock, Irene Myrtle Forrester continues as Tina’s Grandmother, Earl Gregory joins to play Tina’s father Richard Bullock, Harry Harrington joins as Tina’s Manager Roger Davies, Emma Hatton joins to play Ike and Tina’s manager Rhonda Graam, Jarius McClanahan joins as Tina’s first love Raymond Hill and Carole Stennett joins to play Tina’s mother Zelma
Ensemble members are Lauren Allan as Toni, Turrell Barrett-Wallace who continues to play Tina’s son Ronnie, Joey James who continues to play Tina’s son Craig and Thomas Sutcliffe who continues to play Carpenter, the Ikettes are played by new cast members Morgan Broome, Amara Campbell and Abiola Efunshile and swings are Richard Appiah-Sarpong, Jenna Bonner, Ana Cardoso, Junior Delius, Livvy Evans, Ewan Grant, Imogen Rose Hart, Llewellyn Jamal, Amy Punter, Ellie Seaton and Samuel J Weir.
Children’s casting includes Shaniyah Abrahams, Seikemi Okotore and Shyanne Ononiwu as Young Anna Mae Bullock, Eden Butcher, Adisa Richards and Ezmai Robinson as Young Alline Bullock and AJ Aboiralor, Ayden Beale and Philip Kamau as Young Craig.
Karis Anderson’s theatre credits include Diana Ross in Motown (UK Tour), PP Arnold in All Or Nothing (Ambassadors) and Genie of the Lamp in Aladdin (Jordan Productions). In January 2011 Karis joined the girl band Stooshe and after a year in development they broke on to the UK music scene with the release of their first pop single, Love Me, featuring American rapper Travie McCoy. Stooshe achieved rapid success with their monster song, Black Heart spending over 16 weeks in the Official UK Charts and receiving a nomination for “Best British single” at the 2013 BRIT Awards, up against some of the biggest names in the industry such as Adele. They went on to tour with female super houses such as J-Lo and Nicki Minaj and made various TV appearances including The Jonathon Ross show & Top of the Pops.
Elesha Paul Moses joined TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL in the West End in 2022. Her credits include Whitney – Queen of the Night (Cuffe and Taylor) and Tina: What’s Love Got to Do With It (Cuffe and Taylor). Elesha has had a career in the music industry for over 25 years. She was mentored by Matthew Knowles, as well as will.i.am and Tom Jones while appearing on The Voice on ITV 1. Elesha has written and performed with the likes of house production duo Ku De Ta, superstar Lionel Richie and industry steadfast Nicky Graham, and has backed Andy Abraham on his Eurovision performance.
Okezie Morro’s theatre credits include Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (Talawa/National Theatre), To Kill a Mockingbird (Manchester Royal Exchange), Damned by Despair (National Theatre), Romeo & Juliet (Headlong), As You Like It (Rose Theatre Kingston), The Riots (Tricycle Theatre/Bernie Grant), Innocence (Arcola Theatre), Ruined (Almeida Theatre), Rum and Coca Cola (English Touring Theatre), and This is How it Goes (The King’s Head). His film credits include World War Z (Paramount/Plan B), Red Tails (Lucas Film), Gulliver’s Travels (Electric Dynamite/FOX), Antisocial Behaviour (Echelon Studios) with his TV credits including The Nevers (HBO), The Mist (Paramount TV/Netflix), Whitstable Pearl (Acorn TV/Amazon), Silent Witness (BBC), New Tricks (BBC), Dr Who (BBC), Shuga (MTV), Outnumbered (BBC/Hat Trick Productions), Placebo (BBC), The Bill (ITV), World War I Project (BBC Jam).
The critically acclaimed production of TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL received its world premiere in April 2018 in London and subsequently broke all Box Office records at the Aldwych Theatre.
Discover the heart and soul behind the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll at TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, the undeniable mega hit in London’s West End. Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits, experience Tina Turner’s triumphant story live on stage as this exhilarating celebration reveals the woman that dared to dream fiercely, shatter barriers, and conquer the world—against all odds.
TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL can currently be seen on tour in North America, in Australia and at Theatre Royal Sydney. In March 2019, the German production opened at Stage Operettenhaus in Hamburg and is currently running in Stuttgart at the Apollo Theater. The Broadway production opened in November 2019 and was nominated for 12 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The Dutch production opened at the Beatrix Theater, Utrecht, in February 2020 and a third European production opened in fall 2021 at the Teatro Coliseum in Madrid, Spain.
Produced by Stage Entertainment and Ghostlight Records and featuring the original London cast, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL: Original Cast Recording is available worldwide on CD, both online and in stores. The CD features a 20-page booklet, which includes liner notes, synopsis, and production and studio photography. The album was recorded in February 2019 at Angel Studios and RAK Studios, produced by the show’s Music Supervisor Nicholas Skilbeck and Kurt Deutsch, and co-produced by Tom Kelly.
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is choreographed by Anthony van Laast, with set and costume designs by Mark Thompson, musical supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck, lighting by Bruno Poet, sound by Nevin Steinberg, projection design by Jeff Sugg, orchestrations by Ethan Popp, wigs, hair and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates, casting by Pippa Ailion CDG and Natalie Gallacher CDG and fight direction by Kate Waters.
TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is produced in the West End by Stage Entertainment, Joop van den Ende and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner.
TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is dedicated to the memory of Tina Turner, who sadly passed away in May 2023.