Tina The Musical
17 Nov. 2017
Cast of Tina the Musical
According to the Daily Mail besides Adrienne Warren who plays Tina Turner in the musical, these are the other cast members:
Ike Turner: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
The Ikettes: Aisha Jawando, Sia Kiwa and Tanisha Spring
Zelma Bullock, Tina’s mother: Madeline Appiah
The alternate Tina: Jenny Fitzpatrick
Erwin Bach, Tina’s husband: Gerard McCarthy
Roger Davies, Tina’s manager: Ryan O’Donnell
Craig Turner, Tina’s son: Kit Esuruoso
Phil Spector, Music Producer and Terry Britten, Singer/Songwriter and Record Producer: Tom Goodwin
GG, Tina’s grandmother: Lorna Gayle
Rhonda Graam, Tina’s personal assistent: Francesca Jackson
Richard Bullock, Tina’s father/Raymond Hill, Tina’s first love: Natey Jones
Ronnie Turner, Tina”s son: Baker Mukasa
Ensemble: Tseymaye Bob Egbe, Jammy Kasongo, Kayleigh Mcknight, Jason Langley, Keisher Downie
Swing: Candace Furbert, Gavin Alex, Rodney Vubya, Edward Bourne and FDerek Aidoo
Swing & Dance Captain: Hannah Jay-Allan
“Tina Turner has given her approval to the actor who will portray the man who beat her and ‘imprisoned’ her against her will for 20 years, in the premiere of a new show about her life.The rock ’n’ roll goddess has agreed to the casting of Kobna Holdbrook-Smith to play singer and music arranger Ike Turner, who controlled Tina physically, mentally and legally for over two decades, in the musical TINA, which previews at the Aldwych Theatre from March 21.
‘It might be painful having to watch him on stage,’ said Tina, 77, ‘but I know he’s being played by an actor and he can’t hurt me.’
She told me once she rid herself of Ike, she never spoke to or saw him again. ‘He was out of my life, for ever,’ she said. Ike died in 2007.”
It’s Holdbrook-Smith’s first major musical production, though he perfected his singing while at the Guildford School of Acting. ‘I have sung, and I do sing, but early on I was really interested in straight plays and films and television,’ Holdbrook-Smith told me.
He said that when projects come up, ‘I tell people I can sing but they never quite hear it,’ though he did land a role in the Disney blockbuster Mary Poppins Returns.
Early in his career he tried unsuccessfully for a role in The Lion King, but casting director Pippa Ailion remembered him and asked him to meet about portraying Ike.
Holdbrook-Smith didn’t think for a minute that he would make it through the first audition, let alone be seen three times before being offered the part — with Tina’s blessing.
First a photo of the original Ikettes, Jessie Smith, Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields:
And these are the Ikettes from Tina the Musical, Aisha Jawando, Sia Kiwa and Tanisha Spring:
Aisha Jawando is a London based actor, singer and musical theatre performer. Her musical theatre credits include: Motown the Musical (Shaftesbury), Beautiful The Musical (Aldwych), Fela (National Theatre), Disney’s The Lion King (Lyceum), Soul Sister (Tour) and The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales).
Aisha will also play the role of Alline Bullock, Tina’s sister.
Sia Kiwa is an actor, known for Jesus Christ Superstar – Live Arena Tour (2012) and Deep State (2018).
Tanisha Spring: Theatre credits include: Thriller Live (West End/UK/European tour); Beautiful – The Carole King Musical and Hairspray (Bronowski Productions/Macau) and Seussical (Sell a Door Theatre Company).
Television credits include: Baileys – ‘Pour Spectacular’ advert (Riff Raff) and Top Of The
Pops (BBC).
Other credits include: Lights EP (Island Records); Wireless, T in the Park and Pineapple dancewear (print).
Zelma Bullock, Tina’s mother: Madeline Appiah.
Madeline Appiah is an actress, known for Partners in Crime (2015), Doctors (2000) and The Bill (1984).
The alternate Tina: Jenny Fitzpatrick.
Jenny Fitzpatrick is an singer, actress and writer, known for Soul Sister (2013), The Bloody Mary Show (2012), Payback Season (2012) and EastEnders (1985).
Erwin Bach, Tina’s husband: Gerard McCarthy.
Gerard McCarthy is an actor and writer, known for The Fall (2013), Vikings (2013) and Call the Midwife (2012).
Speaking to Belfast Live about his new role McCarthy, who has previously starred in Mamma Mia! and Saturday Night Fever on the West End, said he was ‘incredibly honoured’ to have been cast in such a prestigious new show.
“To be the first cast in this new production of Tina and to be able to create the role to be passed on, is a dream come true,” he added.
“For me, it’s something on my bucket list that I can now tick off. The cast and creative team are amazing and to know that Tina herself is so involved and has given her seal of approval is unbelievable.
“I can’t wait to get started. It’s a real honour to be playing her current husband and to be part of a production that celebrates her life with those wonderful songs intertwined through her story.”
Roger Davies, Tina’s manager: Ryan O’Donnell.
Ryan O’Donnell is an actor, singer and a dancer.
Ryan O’Donnell played in the metalband 2Degree Field as a singer and a guitarist.
He played in Romeo and Juliet, and in the Quadrophenial musical of the Who.
He also participated in the making of the Ian Anderson’s album “Thick as a Brick” (2012) and in the 2014 album by Anderson “Homo Erraticus”.
In 2015 he joined the West end cast of the “Sunny Afternoon” musical.
Craig Turner, Tina’s son: Kit Esuroso.
Kit Esuruoso is an actor, known for Talkers (2016), Barriers and Akoni (2017).