Casting update for West End production of TINA
by Best of Theatre Staff on Friday 17 November 2017, 9:35 am in Cast Changes and Announcements
Joining the previously announced Adrienne Warren, who plays the title role, are Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Ike Turner, Madeline Appiah as Tina’s mother Zelma Bullock, Jenny Fitzpatrick as the alternate Tina, Lorna Gayle as Tina’s Grandmother GG, Tom Godwin as Record Producer Phil Spector and Lyricist Terry Britten, Francesca Jackson as Ike and Tina’s manager Rhonda Graam, Aisha Jawando as Tina’s sister Alline Bullock, Natey Jones as Tina’s father Richard Bullock and Tina’s first love Raymond Hill, Gerard McCarthy as record company Marketing Manager Erwin Bach and Ryan O’Donnell as Tina’s Manager Roger Davies.
They are joined by ensemble membersTsemaye Bob-Egbe, Keisher Downie, Kit Esuruoso who also plays Tina’s son Craig Hill, Jammy Kasongo, Sia Kiwa, Jason Langley, Kayleigh McKnight, Baker Mukasa and Tanisha Spring and swings Derek Aidoo, Gavin Alex, Edward Bourne, Candace Furbert, Hannah Jay-Allan and Rodney Vubya.
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, the world premiere of the new musical TINA will open at the Aldwych Theatre in April 2018. Performances will begin on 21 March 2018 with press night on 17 April 2018. Produced by Stage Entertainment, TINA is currently booking to 16 June 2018.
Choreography is 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 and orchestrations by Ethan Popp. Children’s casting will be announced in due course.
From humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, to her transformation into the global Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Tina Turner didn’t just break the rules, she rewrote them. This new stage musical, presented in association with Tina Turner herself, reveals the untold story of a woman who dared to defy the bounds of her age, gender and race.
Adrienne Warren will make her West End stage debut as Tina. Her most recent theatre credit was in Shuffle Along at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway, for which she received a Tony nomination. Her other US theatre credits include Bring It On The Musicalat St. James Theater, Dreamgirls at the Apollo Theater, which was followed by a National Tour, and The Wiz at Encores City Center. She has toured and recorded with the multi-platinum selling Trans Siberian Orchestra for which she received her first Platinum and Gold records. Her television credits include the Amazon Pilot Point of Honor, Orange is the New Black, Blue Bloods, Royal Pains, People in New Jersey, Irreversibleand Black Box. In March this year, she made her Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops.
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith was last on stage playing Laertes in Hamlet at the Barbican alongside Benedict Cumberbatch. His previous theatre credits include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Edward II, Antigone and Death and the King’s Horseman for the National Theatre, The Low Road for the Royal Court, Feast, Joe Turner's Come and Gone and The Changeling for the Young Vic, Love's Labour’s Lost for Shakespeare's Globe and Detaining Justice, Seize the Day and Fabulation for the Tricycle Theatre. His television credits include The Split, Wagstaffe, Class, Capital, Crackanory, Worricker Trilogy, The Last Panthers and Midsomer Murders. Holdbrook-Smith’s film work includes Paddington 2, The Commuter, Justice League, Doctor Strange, The Double and Roadkill and the forthcoming Mary Poppins Returns and Ghost Stories.
Madeline Appiah’s most recent theatre credits include Hamlet for the Almeida and in the West End,Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Here We Go and Welcome to Thebes for the National Theatre, Hotel Cerise for TheatreRoyal Stratford East, Macbeth, Merchant of Venice and Taming of the Shrew for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Off The Endz for the Royal Court and The Duchess of Malfi for the Old Vic Theatre. Her television credits include In The Long Run, King For a Term, Partners in Crime, Gavin and Stacy, Doctors, The Bill and Holby City.
Jenny Fitzpatrick was last on stage in Boudica at the Globe Theatre. She has also appeared on stage in Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Peter Pan at the Manchester Opera House, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry IV Part I and Camelot at Regents Park Open Air Theatre and Little Shop of Horrors at the Duke of York’s and Menier Chocolate Factory. She has also toured the UK in The Blues Brothers, Soul Sister, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Our House. Her television credits include Eastenders, Silent Witness and MI High.
Lorna Gayle has appeared on stage in A Tale of Two Cities for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Guys and Dolls at the Savoy Theatre, Nation for the National Theatre, Rudy’s Rare Records at the Hackney Empire and Almost Nothing for the Royal Court. Her television credits include The Rebel, Doctors, Cuckoo, Fried, Holby City, Utopia andEastenders. Her film credits include Carmilla, Caribbean Dream, Having You, One Day, The Dark Knight and Run Fat Boy Run.
Tom Godwin’s more recent theatre credits include City of Glass at the Lyric Hammersmith, The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre, The Little Mermaid at Bristol Old Vic, To Kill a Mockingbird at Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Bingo at the Young Vic and Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare’s Globe. His television credits include Coronation Street, Holby City, Knightfall, Doctors, Eastenders, and Waking the Dead. On film he has been seen in Alice Through The Looking Glass, The Danish Girl and About Time.
Francesca Jackson’s stage credits include Kiss Me Kate, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George and A Little Night Music at the Theatre Du Chatelet, Million Dollar Quartet at the Noel Coward Theatre, Dusty at the Charing Cross Theatre, Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre, Rent at the Duke of York’s Theatre and All the Fun of the Fair at the Garrick Theatre. Her television credits include Boyfriend Material and Refresh. Jackson was a finalist in the BBC 1 show I’d Do Anything with Andrew Lloyd Webber. Her film credits include Hiding in the Shadows and Evita.
Aisha Jawando is currentlyplayingthe lead role in the Hackney Empire Pantomime Cinderella. Her other theatre credits include Martha Reeves in Motown the Musical, as well as roles in Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Book of Mormon, The Lion King, Fela, Legally Blonde and Soul Sister.
Natey Jones’ theatre credits include One Love: The Bob Marley Musical at Birmingham Rep, Doctor Faustus, Don Quixote and The Alchemist for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Tomorrow for the White Bear Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Courtyard Theatre and Once Upon a Time in the 90’s at the Albany Theatre. His television credits include Doctors and Shakespeare Live! From the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Gerard McCarthy’s stage credits includeCat for the Courtyard Theatre, It’s a Wonderful Life at theBridgehouse Theatre, The Merry Wives of Windsor at Shakespeare’s Globe, Mamma Mia at the Prince Edward Theatre, Saturday Night Fever at the Apollo Theatre and the UK tours of Blue/Orange and Beautiful Thing. His television credits includeCall The Midwife, Puppy Love, The Fall and Hollyoaks. On film he has been seen in A Nightingale Falling.
Ryan O’Donnell was last seen playing the lead role in the touring production of Sunny Afternoon after appearing in the West End production. His other stage credits include Quadrophenia at Plymouth Theatre Royal, Romeo and Juliet the Royal Shakespeare Company, Victor Frankenstein at the Royal & Derngate Theatre, Tracy Beaker Gets Real! at Nottingham Playhouse, Shadow Mouth for Sheffield Theatresand Stand Tall at the Landor Theatre. His film and television credits include MI High and Jesus: The Beginning.
TINA is produced by Stage Entertainment, Joop van den Ende and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner.
Adrienne Warren is appearing with the support of UK Equity, incorporating the Variety Artistes’ Federation, pursuant to an exchange program between American Equity and UK Equity.