The Tina Turner musical, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, first opened on Broadway in October 2019. The musical tells the story of Tina Turner’s life featuring her music. It has become one of the most popular shows on Broadway since it opened.
Initial Broadway Run
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical first began performances on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on October 12, 2019. It then officially opened on November 7, 2019. The initial production was scheduled for a limited 18-week engagement through August 2020 on Broadway.
However, the show proved to be incredibly popular right out of the gate. Strong ticket sales and positive reviews prompted producers to extend the Broadway run several times. Here are the extensions that were announced:
- December 2019 – Extended through September 2020
- February 2020 – Extended again through January 2021
The extensions added an additional 6 months to the Broadway run before the COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City and Broadway was forced to go dark in March 2020.
Broadway Shutdown Due to COVID-19
When Broadway shut down in March 2020 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical was among the productions that had to suspend performances. At the time, it was scheduled to run through January 2021.
Broadway remained closed for over 18 months before reopening in September 2021. During the extended shutdown, producers had to make decisions about how long their shows would return for when Broadway reopened. Many shows decided not to restart after the pandemic shutdown due to financial reasons.
Reopening on Broadway
Fortunately, the producers of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical announced in May 2021 that the show would resume performances when Broadway reopened. Previews restarted on October 8, 2021 ahead of an official reopening night on October 14, 2021.
This time, the show was only slated for a limited engagement through June 2022. However, strong ticket sales again led to extensions of the Broadway run. In April 2022, the show was extended for the third time through January 2023.
Broadway Run Timeline
Here is a timeline summarizing the key dates in the Broadway run of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical so far:
Date | Broadway Run Milestone |
---|---|
October 12, 2019 | First preview performance |
November 7, 2019 | Official opening night |
December 2019 | First extension through September 2020 announced |
February 2020 | Second extension through January 2021 announced |
March 12, 2020 | Broadway shutdown due to COVID-19 begins |
October 8, 2021 | Reopening preview performances begin |
October 14, 2021 | Reopening night |
April 2022 | Third extension announced through January 2023 |
Will the Show Extend Again?
As of October 2022, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is currently scheduled to run on Broadway through January 2023. The production will have played over 3 years on Broadway if it closes as scheduled next year.
However, given the show’s track record of strong ticket sales and multiple previous extensions, it would not be surprising if producers announce another extension soon. Many Broadway insiders and theatre fans suspect the show will extend again through at least mid-2023 if sales remain steady.
Factors That Could Impact Another Extension
There are a few key factors that will determine whether the show extends again:
- Ticket sales – If sales remain consistently strong, producers will likely extend again.
- Theatre availability – Securing an available Broadway theatre is always a factor when extending a show’s run.
- Competition – Large numbers of new shows debuting in the 2022-2023 Broadway season could potentially soften demand.
- Ongoing pandemic impacts – Case increases or the emergence of new variants could lead to additional restrictions.
Overall, as long as sales stay solid and a theatre is available, an extension past January 2023 seems like a strong possibility. But the fluid nature of the pandemic makes it impossible to predict too far into the future.
Global Productions
In addition to the Broadway production, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical has replicated its success with productions in London and Hamburg, Germany. The West End London production opened in April 2018, while the Hamburg production began performances in December 2019.
Both productions proved successful and extended their limited runs multiple times. However, the London production closed in June 2022 and the Hamburg production is scheduled to close in December 2022.
This demonstrates how even when a major musical is successful in one market, factors in each country can impact longevity. The U.S. Broadway production has managed to outlast the sit-down productions so far.
Future Global Productions
Producers have expressed interest in launching future productions of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical in Australia and on tour in the U.S. and U.K. However, no specific plans or dates have been announced yet.
The timeline for future global productions will likely depend on how long the Broadway production runs. As long as the show continues to succeed in New York, that provides incentive for producers to launch additional tours and sit-down productions around the world.
Conclusion
In summary, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical has exceeded expectations by becoming an incredibly popular, long-running hit on Broadway. The show has already extended multiple times, proving its staying power.
While currently scheduled through January 2023, another extension seems probable if ticket sales remain strong. Various factors will determine just how long producers can keep the show running on Broadway.
Given the musical’s success so far, it would not be surprising to see Tina Turner’s life story continuing to rock Broadway stages for some time still to come.