Aisha Jawando in Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. Picture: Manuel Harlan
Aisha Jawando and Jammy Kasongo will head the returning cast when the West End production of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical resumes performances at the Aldwych Theatre on 28 July 2021.
Confirming the return of the hit show, producer Tali Pelman said: “I am delighted to announce the reopening of Tina at the Aldwych Theatre, a moment we and our Tina company have long waited for.
“Tina is the essential story of our time, and its messages of perseverance and empowerment are themes we share not only onstage, but in our commitment to our company, audiences, and the theatre industry of the UK.”
The musical’s superstar subject, Tina Turner added: “Music has had the power to pull me out of my darkest moments and rejoice during my happiest. To announce the re-opening of our West End show, where my musical had its premiere, means so much to me.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Tina family and our fans from around the world for their continued love and support during these unprecedented times. Let my story be a celebration, a reminder of our resilience and our ability to overcome hardship together.”
After originally playing Tina’s sister Alline Bullock and playing Tina at certain performances, Jawando (Motown The Musical, Shaftesbury Theatre, The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre) first took on the title role full-time in October 2019.
Another member of the original company, Kasongo (Grand Hotel, Southwark Playhouse, Hair, The Vaults), will step into the role of Ike Turner after previously playing Richard Bullock and Raymond Hill. US former pop star Chanel Hayes (lead singer of New Orleans-based group Trin-i-tee) will make her delayed London stage debut as the alternate Tina. Both artists were due to take on their roles on 17 March 2020 – the day after theatres were forced to close.
With further casting to be announced, the new booking period which runs up to 26 June 2022 includes new Sunday performances. The critic and crowd-pleasing production received its world premiere at the Aldwych Theatre in April 2018 where it broke all box office records.
Written by award-winning writer Katori Hall (The Mountaintop) with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, the show’s creative team includes choreographer Anthony van Last; set and costume designer Mark Thompson; musical supervisor Nicholas Skilbeck; lighting designer Bruno Poet; sound designer by Nevin Steinberg, projection designer Jeff Sugg; and orchestrator Ethan Popp.
As with all theatre productions the reopening plans are in accordance with Government directives and are therefore subject to change. Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is partnered with the Society of London Theatre’s See It Safely campaign.
In November 2019 the Broadway production opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The production is due to resume performances on 8 October. The German production opened at Stage Operettenhaus in Hamburg in March 2019 while the Dutch production opened at the Beatrix Theater, Utrecht, in February 2020. A third European production is due to open at the Teatro Coliseum in Madrid, Spain in autumn 2021.
Angela Thomas
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