Interview with Naomi Rodgers and Zurin Villanueva – Sharing the Role of Tina Turner in The Tina Turner Musical

A Chat with The Two Women Playing the Queen of Rock and Roll!
I spoke with Naomi Rodgers and Zurin Villanueva, the two stars of “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical”, to get a glimpse of what it is like to play such a demanding and inspiring role.

Engle: Tell us about what it is like to play Tina.

Rodgers: It’s an honor for sure, but it’s like a roller coaster you don’t want to get off of. This is the Queen of Rock and Roll. I mean, hey, you’ve got to give your all, and that’s what I love to do every time I hit that stage. 

Villanueva: It’s electrifying. You feel it from your toes all the way to the top of your head! I’ve always wanted to play a rock star; it’s a dream come true for me.

Engle: How did you prepare for the role?

Rodgers: Research, studying, observing her moves online, learning the heart of Tina, and marrying Naomi and Tina together so that I can have the most authentic show possible. Tina wanted us to not imitate her or be like her but find the essence of her, and that’s been an amazing journey to find.

Villanueva: I did my research. I read Tina’s books ‘I Tina” and “Happiness Becomes You.” I watched the documentaries and all the interviews that I could find. After that, I got on my feet. I like to approach all my characters physically first, so watching her move and finding how that fits in my body makes the voice and emotional life follow.

Engle: Did you study past videos and footage?

Rodgers: Yes, all of the things! She has so many, and after her passing, there were a million more videos and pictures I’d never seen before, so I’m still learning, which is exciting.

Villanueva: Yes, I did, and I still do. Thank God for YouTube University. Rewatching her concerts keeps her essence fresh in my body for the show.

Engle: Did you interview anyone to gain insight into the roles?

Rodgers: I did not, but our Directors and Producers of the show got to know her and work alongside her in creating this masterpiece, so they shared everything they knew about her from personal experience, which I’m jealous about, but I’m glad to have been in the room with people who got to know her heart.

Villanueva: Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to speak to anyone who knew her personally before we began performances. We have heard some amazing stories from people all over the country who met her briefly. We met a driver of hers, a musician who played the same venue; it’s not much, but those brief interactions stuck with them.

Engle: What was the most challenging aspect of playing these roles?

Rodgers: Nothing was too hard for Tina; every challenge in her life was helping set her up for the next big, great thing. So this role is only doing the same for me. I’m a ball of energy and a firecracker for sure, so playing Tina was truly God’s work being done in my life, so nothing too challenging except for when I can’t put my feet in my heels during a quick change—now THAT is challenging, haha. 

Villanueva: The most challenging part is doing it on the road. We need to constantly adjust to a new town. We need to find our grocery store, gym, or anything else. We often go weeks without a day off. It’s a hard schedule, but seeing the fans faces and hearing their reactions in each city makes it all worth it.

Engle: Do you have a favorite moment from the show?

Rodgers: “Simply the Best.” It’s the first time Tina gets to play with the audience in the show. The lights go up, the band is revealed, and there’s a beautiful red beam of light hitting the audience so that I can see them face-to-face for the first time. It’s interactive, which I’m so grateful for because I love connection, and connecting with the audience is one of my favorites.

Villanueva: My favorite moment changes. At first, it was River Deep Mountain High. I was thinking about how much I have loved in my life. Recently, it was “I Don’t Want to Fight No More.”

Engle: How has the audience reacted to the musical?

Rodgers: Oh, they are loving it! I walk out the stage door and see so many wonderful Tina fans waiting to see if I’ll come out, and when I do, they give me nothing but positive energy and love and tell me all the time that they want to either see it again or play her music for the next 2 weeks. The audiences are very vocal at this show in particular because there’s a lot that goes on for the 2 hours and 45 minutes, we’re on, but once again, this show is a rollercoaster you don’t want to get off of, so they have been having a good time on the ride with us!

Villanueva: The audience is my favorite part. They respond audibly to multiple parts of the show, and I love it. We get to borrow Tina’s fans for the night, and they are so wonderful.

Engle: What’s next for you?

Rodgers: What’s next is me sitting in this role for a bit and being Tina. I love this show so much, and I know it’ll open more doors for me. I have a few things in the works. I love making music and acting, so films and studio time will be in my near future. I’m blessed and grateful to God for all he has done in my life, and I can’t wait to actually see what’s next.

Villanueva: I am working on an eBook called Stay Booked: How to Keep Yourself Indispensable in a Dispensable Business. It’s what I would want to tell my little sister or brother once they booked their first professional show. It is a collection of my experiences on Broadway. It will come out at the end of the summer. Follow me at zurinspired for updates!