Preview of TINA – The Tina Turner Musical!

Image Courtesy of Seven Venues

The fascinating life and fantastic music of Tina Turner is coming to Chrysler Hall in Norfolk on January 7 through January 12 in the 12-times Tony – nominated musical, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical

You might come for the music, and that is reason enough. Tina Turner is an icon.  Her music sits right up on the top of the mountain with the great ladies of soul, like Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, and Patti LaBelle.

You will stay for the story. Tina Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, overcame poverty, abandonment, racism, and abuse to become the “global Queen of Rock n’ Roll.” She triumphed over adversity again and again with her strength, her sprit, and her talent. TINA – The Tina Turner Musical tells her story, unflinchingly, right through to the (spoiler alert) happy ending.

What would any of us be without our Granny, aka Nana, Grandma, or GG? GG was Tina Turner’s name for her grandmother, Georgeanna. Little Anna Mae Bullock was abandoned by her parents at age 11, and left with her maternal grandmother, GG.  GG gave Tina her love of music, her deep spirituality, and that spine of steel that enabled little Anna Mae to become the fabulous Tina Turner.

Image Courtesy of Seven Venues

Deidre Lang portrays Grandma Georgeanna, GG, in TINA – The Tina Turner Musical.  It’s a small, but mighty role.  Lang has been in show business for a long time, but the stage is her first and true love.  Lang’s story begins with watching the classic movie musicals as a child.  She loved Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Gene Kelly.  She begged her mother for dance lessons and studied with the Alvin Ailey dance school in New York.  Her studies were cut short when she won a role in Bubbling Brown Sugar right out of high school and went to London to perform.

That was in the ’80’s.  Deidre Lang has not stopped performing since. She performed at Disney World, toured the country with Harlem Suite, and the legendary dancer, Maurice Hines, and landed the role of one of the Fly Girls in the revolutionary TV show, In Living Color. Lang was a Fly Girl for all five seasons. Keenen Ivory Wayans, who created, wrote and starred in the show, called Lang the “OG Fly Girl." Lang danced alongside a young Jennifer Lopez.

Broadway kept calling Deidre Lang.  She’s performed in The Lion King, Ragtime, and Hairspray to name just a few. Lang met her husband, Keith Bennett, while performing in The Lion King. Lang was back up on stage in the touring company of Hairspray three months after her daughter was born. She hasn’t stopped since.

Her two daughters are grown now.  Her husband is resident director of the touring company of The Lion King. She says, “This is the life we chose, and we make it work somehow.  My daughters joke that they’re going to need therapy someday, but we’re doing great.”

Deidre Lang still loves touring.  She loves portraying Tina Turner’s beloved GG.  Lang says, “Tina Turner triumphed over hard times to become a legend.  GG gave her that strength to persevere.  She sent her out to conquer the world, and she did.”

TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is full of great music and the triumphs of a great lady. As Tina said, "You asked me if I ever stood up for anything. Yeah, I stood up for my life". 

For more information and tickets go to https://www.sevenvenues.com/events/detail/tina