November 14, 2023 • 17 mins
ARI GROOVER (Tina Tuner) and ROZ WHITE (Zelma Bullock) from TINA- The Tina Turner Musical chat with Billy & Judi on bringing the iconic TINA TURNER back home to St. Louis at the Fabulous Fox!
ARI GROOVER (Tina Turner) is excited to be telling the story of Tina once more! Broadway: TINA – The Tina Turner Musical (Alline, Tina U/S) Head Over Heels, Holler If Ya Hear Me. Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors (2020 Lucille Lortel Nominee for Ronnette), Bare The Musical. Choreography: Burn All Night (A.R.T.). Film: In the Heights (Warner Bros.), Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony). TV: “The Get Down” (Netflix), “Law & Order: SVU.” Ari is a DJ who goes by “Ari Grooves”. www.arigrooves.com
Roz White (Zelma Bullock); National Tour: Dreamgirls, Regional: Amen Corner (Shakespeare Theater), Seven Guitars (Arena Stage), Marie and Rosetta (Mosaic Theater Company), Bessie’s Blues (Studio Theatre), Crowns (Indiana Rep), Anne and Emmett (MetroStage), Pearl Bailey by Request (Milwaukee Rep), Black Pearl Sings! (Alliance For New Music Theatre). Love to Howard University and Duke Ellington School of the Arts. I love you Mom (RIP) Anthony, and King
Ticket prices start at $29. Prices are subject to change; please refer to FabulousFox.com for current pricing. Performances of TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at the Fabulous Fox run November 14-26. Show times are Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 1:00 p.m. There will be a matinee performance on Thursday, November 16 at 1:00 p.m. There will also be an evening performance on Sunday, November 19 at 6:30 p.m. TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is presented by Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation
ARI GROOVER (Tina Turner) is excited to be telling the story of Tina once more! Broadway: TINA – The Tina Turner Musical (Alline, Tina U/S) Head Over Heels, Holler If Ya Hear Me. Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors (2020 Lucille Lortel Nominee for Ronnette), Bare The Musical. Choreography: Burn All Night (A.R.T.). Film: In the Heights (Warner Bros.), Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony). TV: “The Get Down” (Netflix), “Law & Order: SVU.” Ari is a DJ who goes by “Ari Grooves”. www.arigrooves.com
Roz White (Zelma Bullock); National Tour: Dreamgirls, Regional: Amen Corner (Shakespeare Theater), Seven Guitars (Arena Stage), Marie and Rosetta (Mosaic Theater Company), Bessie’s Blues (Studio Theatre), Crowns (Indiana Rep), Anne and Emmett (MetroStage), Pearl Bailey by Request (Milwaukee Rep), Black Pearl Sings! (Alliance For New Music Theatre). Love to Howard University and Duke Ellington School of the Arts. I love you Mom (RIP) Anthony, and King
Ticket prices start at $29. Prices are subject to change; please refer to FabulousFox.com for current pricing. Performances of TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at the Fabulous Fox run November 14-26. Show times are Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 1:00 p.m. There will be a matinee performance on Thursday, November 16 at 1:00 p.m. There will also be an evening performance on Sunday, November 19 at 6:30 p.m. TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is presented by Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
This is big Tina, Tina Tina. How many times have we done this?
They call it Tina the Tina TurnerMusical. They just don't say the
Tina Turner Music. Yeah. Right, and we have two of the stars
shows. Oh my gosh, I'mso excited about this. Ari and Roz.
Yes, Ari is Tina, Rozis Tina's mom. We're really excited
(00:21):
because Saint Louis has a big connectionyeah with Tin. Yeah yeah, yeah.
So first of all, welcome town. Welcome to town. Guys,
are you excited to be in absolutelyany experience with Saint Louis before? Have
you been in town? This ismy first time in St. Louis.
Yeah, yeah, I've been manytimes. We're gonna give some stories later.
Yeah. Yeah. You know,as Gudy was saying, with the
connection with Tina Turner and Saint Louisand so much of it having begun here,
(00:44):
was that kind of exciting for youguys coming to town? Oh yes,
yes, yes, And it's greatbecause this is also my birthday week
Thursday. Yeah, Thursday, that'sawesome, my good day. That's that's
fantastic. Yeah. The show,yeah, oh do you we have to
We have a Madnee and even theMadine because you know we get up perfect.
Oh yeah, that's right, that'sright. Yeah yeah yeah. By
(01:07):
the way, Tina, the TinaTurner Musical just getting underway here at the
fabulous Fox Theater is going to runthrough the twenty sixth, so plenty of
time to grab those tickets, althoughI would imagine there's going to be a
hot ticket to get here. InSaint Louis with such a history? Do
you soak that in? Do yougo, like, if you have downtime,
do you go to any of theplaces maybe that you have I don't
know, talked about in the show. Sometimes we try to, And it's
(01:29):
just nice that we're actually in oneof the places now. I mean before
y'all were in Memphis and got togo to Nutbush, but now we're like,
we talk about Saint Louis so muchin this show, is such a
big character in the show that it'snice to actually be here, especially here
for my first time, and I'malready like, oh yeah, I see
why people love Blue. Yeah,yeah, I get it. And I'm
(01:51):
wondering if, because we were talkingearlier, like I'm wondering did they go
to did you go see what highschool and a lot of the places aren't
here anymore, which is so muchhistory. Were you familiar were you aware
of I mean, obviously you wereaware of Tina, but I'm sure you've
learned a lot more through this wholeprocess. Oh yes, I mean,
it's it's so funny that we've actuallymet people that have actually worked with Ian
(02:14):
Tina, and I've given us somestories that you're like, Wow, you
meet miss Robbie yet No, notyet, not yet, not yet she
was one of yees is what Iso we have we haven't married yet.
Yeah, I don't know. Speakingof learning, there's a lot that I've
learned. For instance, I didn'tknow ros that you play such bad character's
so mean? My gosh, howdoes that feel? Not great? But
(02:38):
it actually no, it's it's ait's a teaching opportunity. It's it's an
opportunity to show people the complexity ofthe mother daughter relationship. I say it
all the time. Zolma was thecatalyst for her for her daughter's success,
because with a mother like that,you have to push past and you have
to soar higher just to I mean, we're talking about Tina and the costumes
and the short skirts and her beingyou know, so active. She was
(03:00):
climbing trees and jumping over creeks andjust driving her mother and everything that her
mother was like down, don't dothat. She was able to get it
out once she found Tina. Sheonce Annime found Tina, she could get
all that time, boy out onstage and dance to do so it's sometimes
and my mother, you know,I got the note, it's cool you
(03:22):
talk too much exactly what I do. So sometimes that pressing you down is
what propels you. And so Idon't feel like a bad character. I
feel like an essential part of herlife, that that was needed. Unfortunately
it's the source of a lot ofher pain. Do we get the sense
maybe through that show though, whatsomeone was going through and why she did
(03:45):
that? She did? Yes,she do, which is which is a
great part of this story. Itsort of gives you a three sixty view
that I think people haven't really seenof Tina and the extensions that surrounded her.
I know people are familiar with youknow, what's love got to do
with then and there, They're usedto the Ig and Tina story, But
I think you get so many othercharacters that played a pivotal part in her
(04:08):
life, in her career, inhow it her trajectory of being from this
to now global phenomenon. So alot of people are like, oh,
I didn't know this, no clueto me, to me, just her
only because when I moved here andfound out I had to find out all
the famous people that were here.Andrea she always inspired me always. Just
(04:29):
you get chills of how empowering thiswoman. I don't even know how tall,
she always seemed teeny. I meanthe power in her. And like
you said, I'm sure that whatshe went through was a lot of it
with mom and then and how wasthat to bring her out? How did
you get to this point to beable to find her? And do you
guys seem like you get along now? Oh my god? Did you have
(04:51):
to have a lot of love?Yeah, to play somebody that doesn't have
a lot of love in their home. Yeah, because she had to understand
both sides of it. Where Zelmawas. You know, in the nineteen
thirty nine when Tina was born,women were not allowed to get public,
they weren't supposed to be driving,you know, there were so many restrictions
and then put a make it toblack woman. Now there's even more restrictions.
(05:11):
So she was restricted in her lifeand she wanted to break free of
that. Saint Louis was a placewhere she could own a home, she
had a driveway, get clothes,she was to clean somebody's eyes. She
would looking good. Yeah, itwas done. She had her bulls on.
And so I get to play theduality of a woman who fought through
that and looked so why would herdaughter not be strong enough to fight through
(05:33):
what she had to fight through?It came from somewhere. Yeah, absolutely,
I have to love that character development. Yeh beautiful and that sort of
tough relationship with with mom and daughter. Did that have any bearing on Tina's
relationship later with Ike. I thinkyes. I think you know, she
always wanted her mother's validation when itcame to you know, look what I've
(05:57):
done, look at these things,just because she knew within her past that
because of the circumstances that came fromanime and what Zelma was going through in
her life, Anime was not alwayslooked at as the best life because it
was like, oh, you,you're a product of something that I didn't
necessarily agreed with or wanted or struggledwith. And that's a hard thing to
(06:23):
come to terms with as as parents, and I think a lot of people
don't talk about sometimes things of thatnature where it's like, it's beautiful to
you know, have a child,but sometimes in circumstances it is very tough
to deal with, and we talkabout it and we don't shy away from
it. But I think it didgive her a catalyst of what she thought
love was. Unfortunately, with Ike, and it started off, as you
(06:45):
know, in a great place,and Tina will say it herself. She
was like, Ike wasn't always horrible, wasn't horrible at first, and then
it became this sort of this I'mgoing to lure you in. And unfortunately
Ike is also a product of thetrauma that he went through. I mean,
the genius when it came to rockand roll. But you know,
as a black man, you nevergot acknowledged, you never got the accolades.
(07:09):
You know, you see people yougave, you know, you gave
Elvis some of the tabits of whathe became, and you don't get anything.
So it's just you know, youget to see the trauma of each
person and how it affected each personand how Tina. You know, it
reminds I think this taught Tina whatshe did not want to be. So
I think what it is is thatshe knew what she didn't want, so
(07:31):
therefore she was able to go afterwhat she needed in a certain form of
fashion. But she also always didit with a bit of grace and kindness
that she didn't necessarily get. SoI think it's wonderful to see a person
that has dealt with so much becauseit's so easy to be angry, but
she did not want to be theproduct or like her mother's. Yeah,
(07:55):
for me to see that, tosee just her owning who she is was
that's that just everything about her.You could see that the minute she walked
on. Yeah, absolutely, youknow, absolutely brill Again, we're talking
to the stars of the show Tina, the Tina Turner Musical. So we
have Ari Gruover and of course Tina, and we have Roz White. Zelma,
(08:15):
how do you get all this intwo hours? Like like you've just
gone through so much and then youhave to add with in that all the
music, all the fantastic music andthe choreography, and I would assume some
fantastic costumes, but that's the geniusof this musical. I love this show
so much, and you know mycast mats, I know that I get
on their nerves, but I loveI love it so much because from the
downbeat you get to see everything thatmakes a wonderful piece of musical theater.
(08:41):
The costumes. We have over twohundred wigs, one hundred and eighty something
active wigs. During the show,I'm shout out to our hair, wardrobe,
everything. Our crew is top notchand they make that show pop every
night. Yes, and then it'sactor driven, so we have to do
the other It's a perfect collaboration ofartists that you're going to see on that
(09:03):
stage, and that's how we doit. In two and a half hours.
We all agree yes to tell Tina'sstory and we bring what we bring
to it. So if I gotto be the mean lady that fights her
husband and mean to the kid,I got to do that in order for
people to learn tina story. Andso you know, from the spotlights to
me speaking downstage to mask a changethat's happening. But it's the biggest moment
(09:24):
of my show, So I don'tcare that people upstairs doing stuff. It's
Yes, it's yes, it's Tina, but we all get to be yes
some way, we get to weget to be a part of that.
So you know, you can't beatthat creating of a superstar. Oh my
gosh, this sounds so good.How is that? I mean, how
(09:46):
is it for you to take onthis role? I mean it's a very
it's a big role. I've neverdone anything, played or portrayed anything this
big before in my life and mycareer, and this particular role. I
have to say, this is oneof the hardest roles that were that was
ever created on Broadway. I'm afirm believer on that. You never leave
(10:09):
the stage. You only leave thestage for intermission. People see you at
your most vulnerable moments where you arechanging, and I mean you have from
quick change to quick change, yousing twenty two songs back to back,
which is very hard, you knowshows and well great. The great thing
about this is that we I getto split this wonderful person with another beautiful
(10:35):
actress named Paris Lewis. She isalso the other Tina, and we we
share this role beautifully so that itallows us to rest and enjoy our time
and where we're not necessarily sitting ina very strenuous show that if you know
you don't really take care of yourself, you would be like, she's I
don't know how I'm gonna make itthrough, but we we. I love.
(10:56):
What I love about this is thatwe uplift one another and anybody that
plays Tina, we have two otherwonderful understudies as well. This show will
teach you about how it takes thevillage, and Tina was very much so
that. We got to meet peoplethat have worked with Tina for decades and
twenty to thirty years and they saythat's probably one of the best. They
(11:18):
don't even say employer, they saythat was the best person I've ever worked
with because she was just her generosityand how she was with people. She
was very particular about what she wanted, but she did it with love and
kindness. And this doing this role, because you know, it takes the
village. Though it may be calledTina the Tina Turning Musical, it really
is an ensemble show and I can'tdo it without them, or I can't
(11:39):
do it out my other Tinas aswell, And so we try to uplift
each other in a role that canbe very very, very I don't even
want to say difficult is powerful.It's demanding. It's definitely demanding, but
in the best of ways. It'slike that, Oh, I'm exhausted,
but I'm good because I've just beenpressed to you know. Let me just
(12:01):
say, let me just say.It speaks to the talent. I say,
there are those people that can doTina and then the rest of us.
So ari is a special talent.And for to keep in a role
where when you start to play andthe curtain comes up and they don't even
see your face and they scream beforeyou even show them your face. That
(12:22):
is the power of Tina Turner's legacy. And then to be able to still
do the show because see me,my ego, people scream before they see
my face. I'm not gonna makeit. Thank you so much the show.
So yeah, but it takes acertain type of discipline to go ahead
and get through it because you havea triumphant beginning and then you got to
(12:46):
go through all of them. Yes, and she had to experience just to
get back. It's to get backinside that triumph. Yeah. And it's
a journey, It's a beautiful journey. It's an arc and Ari does it
so beautifully. She does not getlet up on me. She does what
Tina did to Zelma in real life, did not let Zelma get away with
being a martyr. So it wasalways trying to be a martyr. I
saved your life and I didn't evenwant the baby, and I still had
(13:09):
the baby, and you should beproud of me for that. And Tina
was like, well, aren't youglad you did because now you're rich?
Yeah? You know. So shenever let up on the bull. She
never let her be mean. Yeah, without acknowledging you were mean. You
know, sometimes it's hard you're scaredof your mom. Yeah. Yeah,
but Tina think Tina was ever,No, she was ever. She never
was. She was just like whywhy what did I do make you feel
(13:31):
this way? So you get thatempathetic soul. Yes, obviously we lost
Tina. I think it was backin May May. Yeah, so clearly
she would have had it. Didshe have a hand in this production?
Oh yes. I was a partof the Broadway company and I enjoined in
twenties twenty, literally right before thepandemic hit. I had like three performances.
It was like great, great timing. I was coming from another show.
(13:52):
But she had a big, bigrole into this in a weird way.
This was Tina's like this is mygoodbye in a sense, this is
this is my last. Yeah,this is getting you know, we talk
about it because you know, Iwant to say in twenty sixteen she had
had that that stroke and so shewas just like, Okay, well I
(14:13):
think I'm just gonna be at peaceand just live out the last of my
years. I don't know how longI have. And you know, Irwin
gracious to give it. Was ita Kenny or Liver Kenny. And she
was able to and you know,extend her life a little bit, and
she was able to come to theBroadway Company in twenty nineteen October is when
(14:35):
they opened twenty nineteen, and justthis beautiful soul. But she she had
she was a pivotal part into this. She talked about, you know,
these sort of moments that we don'tknow about. You might hear it in
her book, but you know,now you get to see it on her
stage, and it's like you haveWes Love got to do with the movie.
But this becomes a little bit moreexpansive on you know, her life,
(14:58):
even at as a child to evenhow she actually made you know,
like the whole Private Dancer, youknow, that whole album and what it
took to get there and even beyondthat. But you know, one of
the things is I wish I couldhave met her. I didn't get a
chance to meet her. But shedid meet some of the Tinas. She
met Adrian and and Keck, whois also our Tina. Matter of fact,
she's in that picture right there.But the things that she would say
(15:22):
to us, you always would givesome tips to anybody that played Tina around
the world, and she was justsaying the biggest thing she said was,
you know, to play me isthat you have to be yourself authentically.
First. I don't want to Idon't want somebody to have an imitation of
me. I don't want that.I don't want a caricature. I don't
want this. I want you.And if you are yourself and love yourself
(15:43):
and could be yourself authentically speaking,then you will do me justice because that's
all that I ask for. Andwhat's amazing about this is what you're doing.
This whole show is Tina's legacy forever. Yeah, I always have Tina.
And one what a gift. Yeah, for everybody. It's like,
if we could all live like howYeah, this show is about and as
(16:06):
a cast, you guys are asa family and the community. Wouldn't that
beautiful. I just wish they weremore passionate about this production. Yeah.
They wanted America, Yeah, toknow that she didn't abandon the country that
she loved. She loved she wasbeing a country girl. She loved her
upbringing. She just knew that tobe the star that she had to become,
(16:27):
she had to do it here.Yeah, and that speaks to the
industry. And yeah, sometimes womendon't get the opportunities and she was able
to be a global superstar at thetime and like the latter half of the
yeah, her career. So it'sjust amazing. She's just amazing and I'm
so happy to be able to youknow, somebody that I've been in myron
since I was fourteen years old,to be on stage playing her mother is
(16:52):
like, oh, wow, you'remeant to do this. You know.
The work that we do really changeslives. It does. To do it
on a stage that she just toreup here in Saint Louis's city that meant
so much to her. She seemsto us. Yeah, so it's kind
of like a gift from you guysto bring this show to us here in
Saint louis easy to give us tobe here. Actually, this is amazing.
Megan, I would assume that maybethere are still some tickets available for
(17:15):
the show. Yeah, foxboxofice dotcom. How where you go? The
online fabulous Fox dot com. SeeMegan always takes care of me. I'm
sure you see the show. Definitely. Oh my gosh, guys again,
welcome and thank you. We cannotwait. You've got through the twenty six
to get your tickets to the fabulousFox Theater Tina the Tina Turner Musical.
(17:36):
Thank you guys so much for comingby. Thank you, thank you for
having us so much.
This is big Tina, Tina Tina. How many times have we done this?
They call it Tina the Tina TurnerMusical. They just don't say the
Tina Turner Music. Yeah. Right, and we have two of the stars
shows. Oh my gosh, I'mso excited about this. Ari and Roz.
Yes, Ari is Tina, Rozis Tina's mom. We're really excited
(00:21):
because Saint Louis has a big connectionyeah with Tin. Yeah yeah, yeah.
So first of all, welcome town. Welcome to town. Guys,
are you excited to be in absolutelyany experience with Saint Louis before? Have
you been in town? This ismy first time in St. Louis.
Yeah, yeah, I've been manytimes. We're gonna give some stories later.
Yeah. Yeah. You know,as Gudy was saying, with the
connection with Tina Turner and Saint Louisand so much of it having begun here,
(00:44):
was that kind of exciting for youguys coming to town? Oh yes,
yes, yes, And it's greatbecause this is also my birthday week
Thursday. Yeah, Thursday, that'sawesome, my good day. That's that's
fantastic. Yeah. The show,yeah, oh do you we have to
We have a Madnee and even theMadine because you know we get up perfect.
Oh yeah, that's right, that'sright. Yeah yeah yeah. By
(01:07):
the way, Tina, the TinaTurner Musical just getting underway here at the
fabulous Fox Theater is going to runthrough the twenty sixth, so plenty of
time to grab those tickets, althoughI would imagine there's going to be a
hot ticket to get here. InSaint Louis with such a history? Do
you soak that in? Do yougo, like, if you have downtime,
do you go to any of theplaces maybe that you have I don't
know, talked about in the show. Sometimes we try to, And it's
(01:29):
just nice that we're actually in oneof the places now. I mean before
y'all were in Memphis and got togo to Nutbush, but now we're like,
we talk about Saint Louis so muchin this show, is such a
big character in the show that it'snice to actually be here, especially here
for my first time, and I'malready like, oh yeah, I see
why people love Blue. Yeah,yeah, I get it. And I'm
(01:51):
wondering if, because we were talkingearlier, like I'm wondering did they go
to did you go see what highschool and a lot of the places aren't
here anymore, which is so muchhistory. Were you familiar were you aware
of I mean, obviously you wereaware of Tina, but I'm sure you've
learned a lot more through this wholeprocess. Oh yes, I mean,
it's it's so funny that we've actuallymet people that have actually worked with Ian
(02:14):
Tina, and I've given us somestories that you're like, Wow, you
meet miss Robbie yet No, notyet, not yet, not yet she
was one of yees is what Iso we have we haven't married yet.
Yeah, I don't know. Speakingof learning, there's a lot that I've
learned. For instance, I didn'tknow ros that you play such bad character's
so mean? My gosh, howdoes that feel? Not great? But
(02:38):
it actually no, it's it's ait's a teaching opportunity. It's it's an
opportunity to show people the complexity ofthe mother daughter relationship. I say it
all the time. Zolma was thecatalyst for her for her daughter's success,
because with a mother like that,you have to push past and you have
to soar higher just to I mean, we're talking about Tina and the costumes
and the short skirts and her beingyou know, so active. She was
(03:00):
climbing trees and jumping over creeks andjust driving her mother and everything that her
mother was like down, don't dothat. She was able to get it
out once she found Tina. Sheonce Annime found Tina, she could get
all that time, boy out onstage and dance to do so it's sometimes
and my mother, you know,I got the note, it's cool you
(03:22):
talk too much exactly what I do. So sometimes that pressing you down is
what propels you. And so Idon't feel like a bad character. I
feel like an essential part of herlife, that that was needed. Unfortunately
it's the source of a lot ofher pain. Do we get the sense
maybe through that show though, whatsomeone was going through and why she did
(03:45):
that? She did? Yes,she do, which is which is a
great part of this story. Itsort of gives you a three sixty view
that I think people haven't really seenof Tina and the extensions that surrounded her.
I know people are familiar with youknow, what's love got to do
with then and there, They're usedto the Ig and Tina story, But
I think you get so many othercharacters that played a pivotal part in her
(04:08):
life, in her career, inhow it her trajectory of being from this
to now global phenomenon. So alot of people are like, oh,
I didn't know this, no clueto me, to me, just her
only because when I moved here andfound out I had to find out all
the famous people that were here.Andrea she always inspired me always. Just
(04:29):
you get chills of how empowering thiswoman. I don't even know how tall,
she always seemed teeny. I meanthe power in her. And like
you said, I'm sure that whatshe went through was a lot of it
with mom and then and how wasthat to bring her out? How did
you get to this point to beable to find her? And do you
guys seem like you get along now? Oh my god? Did you have
(04:51):
to have a lot of love?Yeah, to play somebody that doesn't have
a lot of love in their home. Yeah, because she had to understand
both sides of it. Where Zelmawas. You know, in the nineteen
thirty nine when Tina was born,women were not allowed to get public,
they weren't supposed to be driving,you know, there were so many restrictions
and then put a make it toblack woman. Now there's even more restrictions.
(05:11):
So she was restricted in her lifeand she wanted to break free of
that. Saint Louis was a placewhere she could own a home, she
had a driveway, get clothes,she was to clean somebody's eyes. She
would looking good. Yeah, itwas done. She had her bulls on.
And so I get to play theduality of a woman who fought through
that and looked so why would herdaughter not be strong enough to fight through
(05:33):
what she had to fight through?It came from somewhere. Yeah, absolutely,
I have to love that character development. Yeh beautiful and that sort of
tough relationship with with mom and daughter. Did that have any bearing on Tina's
relationship later with Ike. I thinkyes. I think you know, she
always wanted her mother's validation when itcame to you know, look what I've
(05:57):
done, look at these things,just because she knew within her past that
because of the circumstances that came fromanime and what Zelma was going through in
her life, Anime was not alwayslooked at as the best life because it
was like, oh, you,you're a product of something that I didn't
necessarily agreed with or wanted or struggledwith. And that's a hard thing to
(06:23):
come to terms with as as parents, and I think a lot of people
don't talk about sometimes things of thatnature where it's like, it's beautiful to
you know, have a child,but sometimes in circumstances it is very tough
to deal with, and we talkabout it and we don't shy away from
it. But I think it didgive her a catalyst of what she thought
love was. Unfortunately, with Ike, and it started off, as you
(06:45):
know, in a great place,and Tina will say it herself. She
was like, Ike wasn't always horrible, wasn't horrible at first, and then
it became this sort of this I'mgoing to lure you in. And unfortunately
Ike is also a product of thetrauma that he went through. I mean,
the genius when it came to rockand roll. But you know,
as a black man, you nevergot acknowledged, you never got the accolades.
(07:09):
You know, you see people yougave, you know, you gave
Elvis some of the tabits of whathe became, and you don't get anything.
So it's just you know, youget to see the trauma of each
person and how it affected each personand how Tina. You know, it
reminds I think this taught Tina whatshe did not want to be. So
I think what it is is thatshe knew what she didn't want, so
(07:31):
therefore she was able to go afterwhat she needed in a certain form of
fashion. But she also always didit with a bit of grace and kindness
that she didn't necessarily get. SoI think it's wonderful to see a person
that has dealt with so much becauseit's so easy to be angry, but
she did not want to be theproduct or like her mother's. Yeah,
(07:55):
for me to see that, tosee just her owning who she is was
that's that just everything about her.You could see that the minute she walked
on. Yeah, absolutely, youknow, absolutely brill Again, we're talking
to the stars of the show Tina, the Tina Turner Musical. So we
have Ari Gruover and of course Tina, and we have Roz White. Zelma,
(08:15):
how do you get all this intwo hours? Like like you've just
gone through so much and then youhave to add with in that all the
music, all the fantastic music andthe choreography, and I would assume some
fantastic costumes, but that's the geniusof this musical. I love this show
so much, and you know mycast mats, I know that I get
on their nerves, but I loveI love it so much because from the
downbeat you get to see everything thatmakes a wonderful piece of musical theater.
(08:41):
The costumes. We have over twohundred wigs, one hundred and eighty something
active wigs. During the show,I'm shout out to our hair, wardrobe,
everything. Our crew is top notchand they make that show pop every
night. Yes, and then it'sactor driven, so we have to do
the other It's a perfect collaboration ofartists that you're going to see on that
(09:03):
stage, and that's how we doit. In two and a half hours.
We all agree yes to tell Tina'sstory and we bring what we bring
to it. So if I gotto be the mean lady that fights her
husband and mean to the kid,I got to do that in order for
people to learn tina story. Andso you know, from the spotlights to
me speaking downstage to mask a changethat's happening. But it's the biggest moment
(09:24):
of my show, So I don'tcare that people upstairs doing stuff. It's
Yes, it's yes, it's Tina, but we all get to be yes
some way, we get to weget to be a part of that.
So you know, you can't beatthat creating of a superstar. Oh my
gosh, this sounds so good.How is that? I mean, how
(09:46):
is it for you to take onthis role? I mean it's a very
it's a big role. I've neverdone anything, played or portrayed anything this
big before in my life and mycareer, and this particular role. I
have to say, this is oneof the hardest roles that were that was
ever created on Broadway. I'm afirm believer on that. You never leave
(10:09):
the stage. You only leave thestage for intermission. People see you at
your most vulnerable moments where you arechanging, and I mean you have from
quick change to quick change, yousing twenty two songs back to back,
which is very hard, you knowshows and well great. The great thing
about this is that we I getto split this wonderful person with another beautiful
(10:35):
actress named Paris Lewis. She isalso the other Tina, and we we
share this role beautifully so that itallows us to rest and enjoy our time
and where we're not necessarily sitting ina very strenuous show that if you know
you don't really take care of yourself, you would be like, she's I
don't know how I'm gonna make itthrough, but we we. I love.
(10:56):
What I love about this is thatwe uplift one another and anybody that
plays Tina, we have two otherwonderful understudies as well. This show will
teach you about how it takes thevillage, and Tina was very much so
that. We got to meet peoplethat have worked with Tina for decades and
twenty to thirty years and they saythat's probably one of the best. They
(11:18):
don't even say employer, they saythat was the best person I've ever worked
with because she was just her generosityand how she was with people. She
was very particular about what she wanted, but she did it with love and
kindness. And this doing this role, because you know, it takes the
village. Though it may be calledTina the Tina Turning Musical, it really
is an ensemble show and I can'tdo it without them, or I can't
(11:39):
do it out my other Tinas aswell, And so we try to uplift
each other in a role that canbe very very, very I don't even
want to say difficult is powerful.It's demanding. It's definitely demanding, but
in the best of ways. It'slike that, Oh, I'm exhausted,
but I'm good because I've just beenpressed to you know. Let me just
(12:01):
say, let me just say.It speaks to the talent. I say,
there are those people that can doTina and then the rest of us.
So ari is a special talent.And for to keep in a role
where when you start to play andthe curtain comes up and they don't even
see your face and they scream beforeyou even show them your face. That
(12:22):
is the power of Tina Turner's legacy. And then to be able to still
do the show because see me,my ego, people scream before they see
my face. I'm not gonna makeit. Thank you so much the show.
So yeah, but it takes acertain type of discipline to go ahead
and get through it because you havea triumphant beginning and then you got to
(12:46):
go through all of them. Yes, and she had to experience just to
get back. It's to get backinside that triumph. Yeah. And it's
a journey, It's a beautiful journey. It's an arc and Ari does it
so beautifully. She does not getlet up on me. She does what
Tina did to Zelma in real life, did not let Zelma get away with
being a martyr. So it wasalways trying to be a martyr. I
saved your life and I didn't evenwant the baby, and I still had
(13:09):
the baby, and you should beproud of me for that. And Tina
was like, well, aren't youglad you did because now you're rich?
Yeah? You know. So shenever let up on the bull. She
never let her be mean. Yeah, without acknowledging you were mean. You
know, sometimes it's hard you're scaredof your mom. Yeah. Yeah,
but Tina think Tina was ever,No, she was ever. She never
was. She was just like whywhy what did I do make you feel
(13:31):
this way? So you get thatempathetic soul. Yes, obviously we lost
Tina. I think it was backin May May. Yeah, so clearly
she would have had it. Didshe have a hand in this production?
Oh yes. I was a partof the Broadway company and I enjoined in
twenties twenty, literally right before thepandemic hit. I had like three performances.
It was like great, great timing. I was coming from another show.
(13:52):
But she had a big, bigrole into this in a weird way.
This was Tina's like this is mygoodbye in a sense, this is
this is my last. Yeah,this is getting you know, we talk
about it because you know, Iwant to say in twenty sixteen she had
had that that stroke and so shewas just like, Okay, well I
(14:13):
think I'm just gonna be at peaceand just live out the last of my
years. I don't know how longI have. And you know, Irwin
gracious to give it. Was ita Kenny or Liver Kenny. And she
was able to and you know,extend her life a little bit, and
she was able to come to theBroadway Company in twenty nineteen October is when
(14:35):
they opened twenty nineteen, and justthis beautiful soul. But she she had
she was a pivotal part into this. She talked about, you know,
these sort of moments that we don'tknow about. You might hear it in
her book, but you know,now you get to see it on her
stage, and it's like you haveWes Love got to do with the movie.
But this becomes a little bit moreexpansive on you know, her life,
(14:58):
even at as a child to evenhow she actually made you know,
like the whole Private Dancer, youknow, that whole album and what it
took to get there and even beyondthat. But you know, one of
the things is I wish I couldhave met her. I didn't get a
chance to meet her. But shedid meet some of the Tinas. She
met Adrian and and Keck, whois also our Tina. Matter of fact,
she's in that picture right there.But the things that she would say
(15:22):
to us, you always would givesome tips to anybody that played Tina around
the world, and she was justsaying the biggest thing she said was,
you know, to play me isthat you have to be yourself authentically.
First. I don't want to Idon't want somebody to have an imitation of
me. I don't want that.I don't want a caricature. I don't
want this. I want you.And if you are yourself and love yourself
(15:43):
and could be yourself authentically speaking,then you will do me justice because that's
all that I ask for. Andwhat's amazing about this is what you're doing.
This whole show is Tina's legacy forever. Yeah, I always have Tina.
And one what a gift. Yeah, for everybody. It's like,
if we could all live like howYeah, this show is about and as
(16:06):
a cast, you guys are asa family and the community. Wouldn't that
beautiful. I just wish they weremore passionate about this production. Yeah.
They wanted America, Yeah, toknow that she didn't abandon the country that
she loved. She loved she wasbeing a country girl. She loved her
upbringing. She just knew that tobe the star that she had to become,
(16:27):
she had to do it here.Yeah, and that speaks to the
industry. And yeah, sometimes womendon't get the opportunities and she was able
to be a global superstar at thetime and like the latter half of the
yeah, her career. So it'sjust amazing. She's just amazing and I'm
so happy to be able to youknow, somebody that I've been in myron
since I was fourteen years old,to be on stage playing her mother is
(16:52):
like, oh, wow, you'remeant to do this. You know.
The work that we do really changeslives. It does. To do it
on a stage that she just toreup here in Saint Louis's city that meant
so much to her. She seemsto us. Yeah, so it's kind
of like a gift from you guysto bring this show to us here in
Saint louis easy to give us tobe here. Actually, this is amazing.
Megan, I would assume that maybethere are still some tickets available for
(17:15):
the show. Yeah, foxboxofice dotcom. How where you go? The
online fabulous Fox dot com. SeeMegan always takes care of me. I'm
sure you see the show. Definitely. Oh my gosh, guys again,
welcome and thank you. We cannotwait. You've got through the twenty six
to get your tickets to the fabulousFox Theater Tina the Tina Turner Musical.
(17:36):
Thank you guys so much for comingby. Thank you, thank you for
having us so much.
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