Tina Turner musical coming to Indy

Apr. 20—INDIANAPOLIS — Tina Turner, also known as "Anna Mae Bullock," was known for having tumultuous relationships — starting with her mother, Zelma.

When Turner was 11 years old, her mother left her, her father and her siblings to start a new life.

This put a strain on their relationship, said Roz White, the actress portraying Turner's mother in "Tina: A Tina Turner Musical," slated for the Murat Theatre stage April 30 through May 5.

White said she tries to give audiences a glimpse into the "whys" behind Bullock's decisions.

Turner later joined her mother in St. Louis.

The pair's tempestuous relationship indirectly gave rise to another tumultuous relationship, White said.

Had she not have moved to be with her mother, she would never have met her then-soon-to-be husband, Ike Turner.

The two would go on to form Ike and Tina Turner which acted as a springboard for Tina's musical career.

The Turners produced several hit songs, their biggest being "Proud Mary," their fast-paced rendition of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic.

On stage, they were a dynamic duo; off-stage, they were a toxic pair as Ike repeatedly abused Tina.

Such abuse is depicted in the play, which, White said, can sometimes be hard to watch because it hits close to home for her.

White remembers seeing her mother and grandmother experience abusive relationships.

She described Turner as a "comeback kid" as she rose from the proverbial ashes of her failed marriage and former career to become a successful solo act.

The musical is also about Turner becoming an empowered woman capable of standing on her own two feet.

White succinctly summarized the play's message for women.

"All that you need is inside you," she said.

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