Jukebox biomusical.
That inelegant term defines a popular, but problematic subgenre of theatrical songfests. But for every Jersey Boys (Frankie Valli) or Beautiful (Carole King), two popular and critical successes, there are at least as many Cher Shows and Beautiful Noises (Neil Diamond), unsatisfying and overstuffed also-rans.
Into that latter camp we must now deposit Tina, The Tina Turner Musical, playing the Kravis Center this week after a nearly three-year Broadway run. That lengthy staying power was due chiefly to the draw of its originating, Tony Award-winning star, Adrienne Warren.
The touring company also has a stellar performer in Ari Groover, whose impersonation of Turner is soulful and seismic in all the right ways. To hear her grab the microphone and render pitch-perfect, driving renditions of Tina’s repertoire, from “Proud Mary” to “Private Dancer” to “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and beyond is to be persuaded that you are in the presence of Tina herself.
But unfortunately Tina, the musical, feels the need to pause the music at regular intervals to sketch in Turner’s melodramatic life story and that is where the evening gets into trouble.
With a flat recitation of details, the show takes us from rural Tennessee, where a young Anna Mae Bullock (belting Brianna Cameron) lifts her voice in gospel song in church, to the amazement and delight of those around her. Then fast-forward to a St. Louis blues club where she meets the charismatic Ike Turner (Deon Releford-Lee), who dubs her Tina and woos her to join and front his touring revue. If that sounds like the start of a happily ever after, perhaps you — and certainly Tina — did not figure on Ike becoming so physically abusive to her.
Fortunately, Tina finds the gumption to leave Ike behind, forge a successful solo career in the white male-dominant music industry and become a rock icon with a string of record hits. Yes, there are plenty of signposts in Tina’s life and career that would make for compelling entertainment, but that only happens here when Groover is singing.
Much of the blame probably should go to Katori Hall (playwright of The Mountaintop), who heads a trio of adapters of Tina’s early autobiography, I, Tina. And certainly some to director Phyllida Lloyd. For as with her megahit Mamma Mia!, the narrative’s purpose of Tina seems to be to lead us to a rocking post-curtain call finale. With this glitzy coda being the most effective segment of the show, one wonders — as others have — why the creators of Tina did not simply construct a faux-concert to evoke the spirit of their legendary subject.
The production certainly has the physical trappings of a concert. Bruno Poet’s blinding, computerized lighting is authentic to arena venues, complemented by Jeff Sugg’s atmospheric video projections. Kudos as well to Mark Thompson’s costumes which, along with Campbell Young Associates’ wigs, complete the on-target visual impersonation of Tina Turner.
You will have to decide whether a 13-minute wrap-up is worth your time and money. But there is no doubt that this is one show where you do not want to head out to your car at the first sign that the story is ending.
TINA, THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, Kravis Center’s Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Through Sunday, March 17. $89-$119. 561-832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org.