This post was originally published on Playbill - News
Written by: Andrew Gans
Beginning June 25, Karis Anderson—currently starring in the title role of London’s Tina—The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre—will share the part with new cast member Zoe Birkett (The Witches, Moulin Rouge! The Musical). Olivier nominee Rolan Bell (Memphis, The Play That Goes Wrong) will also join the show that day in the role of Ike Turner.
Anderson currently shares the title role with Elesha Paul Moses with Okezie Morro as Ike Turner.
The London company also features Mark Anderson as record producer Phil Spector and lyricist Terry Britten, Jonathan Carlton as record company marketing manager Erwin Bach, Vanessa Dumatey as Tina’s sister Alline Bullock, Irene Myrtle Forrester as Tina’s grandmother GG, Earl Gregory as Tina’s father Richard Bullock, Harry Harrington as Tina’s manager Roger Davies, Emma Hatton as Ike and Tina’s manager Rhonda Graam, Jairus McClanahan as Tina’s first love Raymond Hill, and Carole Stennett as Tina’s mother Zelma.
Rolan Bell and Zoe Birkett (Photo by: Dan Kennedy)
The ensemble includes Lauren Allan as Toni, Turrell Barrett-Wallace as Tina’s son Ronnie, Joey James as Tina’s son Craig, Zara MacIntosh as Lorraine, and Thomas Sutcliffe as Carpenter. The Ikettes are played by 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 Janai Bartlett, Shyanne Ononiwu, and Ezmai Robinson as Young Anna Mae Bullock; Melody Caruana, Tamilore Lawson, and Tahlia Olarewaju as Young Alline Bullock; and Ayden Beale, Ezra Williamson, and Jamal Watson-Ramsay as Young Craig.
Based on the life of Grammy winner Tina Turner and produced in association with Turner, Tina—The Tina Turner Musical received its world premiere in April 2018 at the Aldwych Theatre. The Broadway production opened in 2019 and played its final performance at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre August 14, 2022.
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Pulitzer Prize winner Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, the 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, and orchestrations by Ethan Popp.
Tina—The Tina Turner Musical is produced in the West End by Stage Entertainment, Joop van den Ende, and Tali Pelman, in association with the late Tina Turner.
