Music was a staple for Jayna Elise as a child. “When I was growing up, my mom would play classic rock all the time,” she says. “I grew up listening to Queen, Journey … Rock and roll was my music, you know?
It’s an experience Elise is channelling as she steps into the shoes of the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll herself: Tina Turner. Since last fall, she’s starred in TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, which is touring across North America. Tonight, the show hits Calgary, presented by Broadway Across Canada. “I think [that music] just gave me a much deeper appreciation for her story and how she broke those barriers,” says Elise. “Being not just a woman, but a Black woman in a predominantly male space of rock and roll.”
Elise was a finalist on both American Idol and America’s Got Talent. But a production like this is new territory for her. “This is the first time that I’ve done a tour of this calibre,” she says. “I initially thought that it would get easier as time went on, but I found that as I do the story every night and put myself into her shoes, so to speak, the emotional attachment that I have to this character has deepened … It definitely has those emotional barriers that you kind of have to pull back from sometimes.”
Turner’s career spanned decades and accolades, from Grammy wins and concert attendance records throughout her ‘80s comeback to being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice (with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021). She’s a bonafide cultural icon — but it was important for Elise to focus on her story rather than capture an exact impersonation.
“At the beginning, our director was telling us that we don’t want to make a caricature of her … but we do want to evoke her through the story,” she says. “One of the things that I like to do is age her voice. In this role, I’m playing her from 17 to 46, so the idea is to show that she’s getting older and that she’s moving through life. I did a lot of voice work and learned … from when she was speaking in that Southern accent to when she started talking in the more English accent and things like that. And, you know, her mannerisms: she was all about the shoulders, all about the feet, all about moving. It’s bringing those things out so people can be like, ‘Oh yes, I recognize that thing that she did.’”
Since Turner died in 2023, her importance in the fabric of rock music has only grown — and Elise is committed to honouring that. “I’m always in the business of giving people their flowers while they’re here, so I think it’s especially important now to celebrate her because she’s passed,” says Elise. “This is a way to continue her legacy. Just the thought of everything that she went through, from her trials and tribulations as a young girl to her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner to when she was a single mom living in Vegas, working to support her kids, and taking a risk [moving to] London. She didn’t know if it would pay off, but thank God it did. One of the reasons why she needs to be celebrated is because, at her lowest, she was able to triumph above all, and that’s something that everyone can relate to and appreciate.”
It’s also an essential moment for Elise to shine a light on a Black success story, one that transcends barriers and can inspire all. “Something that I’m doing here is just really putting on [a show] for the community of Black women that are looking at her story for inspiration,” she says. “This is, for lack of a better word, a heavily Black show. It’s a story, it’s Tina Turner’s story, [and] it’s definitely is inspiring for our community — for any community, but specifically for the African American community. It’s all about breaking barriers and learning to love yourself. Everything that I want to show people and inspire through is what this show is.”
This touring production features lots of fun easter eggs for Tina fans to revel in, from a recreation of her fringed mini dress from a ‘70s Ed Sullivan Show appearance to Elise’s favourite number, a showstopping rendition of “River Deep – Mountain High.” “There’s just something about that song and where it falls in our production … it’s just a very freeing piece to sing,” she says. “I feel like it was the moment when she realized that she could really make a career out of herself on her own.”
But even the casual fan will find something to love with this show — whether they’re a Tina head, a musical aficionado, or just someone looking for a good time in Calgary this week. And make sure to stay after the curtain call! “There’s a really fun encore that we do where we dance, and everybody can sing, and it’s just a huge party,” says Elise.
TINA – The Tina Turner Musical plays at the Jubilee until Sunday, March 23. Grab tickets over at jubileeauditorium.com.
