The world lost one of its greatest voices and live performers in May, when the one and only Tina Turner passed away at the age of 83 at her home in Switzerland.  Before she left us, the queen of gritty soul renditions and electric stage shows gave fans a gift in the form of TINA- The Tina Turner Musical, the stage production based on her life story.

In the midst of its sixth production and tour since opening in the West End in 2018, the show, at the Pantages thru July 9, and at the Segerstrom Center For The Arts thru July 23, is a must-see for fans of the singer and those who love deeply felt, fiercely performed music in general. Surviving an abusive husband and ageist record execs is a big part of her story, but beyond the drama as seen in What’s Love Got To Do With it and her recent HBO bio-doc, the musical takes a personal approach, showing how the icon garnered strength from supportive friends, her children and the music itself, even as she fought to shine outside of ex Ike Turner’s shadow and find new love again.

The music is the main reason to see this one, especially the early stuff, but the acting is top notch, especially the lead role shared by powerhouse singers Naomi Rodgers and Zurin Villanueva on different nights. If we're being picky, we'll note that an "Acid Queen" moment from Tommy is missed, and the wigs donned by the leads could use an upgrade, but beyond that, the show is pretty much perfection– from stage production to performances to the book’s injection of stirring, sing-along hits.

Now thru July 9 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and  July 11-23 at the Segerstrom Center For The Arts in Costa Mesa. Tickets at BroadwayInHollywood.com and Ticketmaster.com, or by phone at (800) 982-2787.

 
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