Excerpts from reviews of RIVER DEEP, A Tribute to Tina Turner

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“A delightful abundance of shimmying, strutting hips. One would be hard pressed to find a more compelling argument for the pleasures of freedom, especially freedom as hard-won as Ms. Turner’s.” - The New York Times

“A fresh look on a well-known subject where the ultimate message is about the resiliency of the human spirit… RIVER DEEP conveys the pop diva’s forceful personality and musical impact while avoiding clichéd jukebox-musical renditions of the songs that made her famous.” The New York Sun
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      “Thoughtfully crafted with skill and compassion... Almost immediately you are drawn to (Pat Hall) this sexy, proud, beautiful woman... she commands your attention-like Tina herself- by the subtle intensity of their mere presence." ­­- Jeff Haymes- www.tinaturner-fanclub.com
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        If this was just an enjoyable jukebox-musical, I could say, "Go see RIVER DEEP, A TRIBUTE TO TINA TURNER! It's got legs!" Fortunately, it also has a brain and heart.  This show does something different - it expresses a point of view through original choreography and a terrific original score that elevates it beyond sheer entertainment and answers the question other tribute musicals often don't bother to ask: What inspired the show's creators to honor this entertainer?  Director and choreographer Gabrielle Lansner gives context and her own meaning to the well-known powerhouse shimmies and struts of Tina Turner by combining interpretive movement created through collaboration with her talented cast, led by Pat Hall, who is fabulous. - NYTheatre.com
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 “RIVER DEEP is a lively homage to a great entertainer and survivor, and Tina Turner buffs may want to hightail it to this high-energy homage.  Lansner captures the singer's indomitable spirit with exuberant choreography. She sets the routines to original songs by Philip Hamilton, and fortunately, his best songs sound quite a bit like hard-driving '60s R&B, and the all-female cast dances with abandon. The cast throw themselves into the upbeat numbers, and they look like they're having so much fun that one almost wants to join in. (During the finale, a reprise of ‘Dancing to the Rhythm and Blues,’ one woman in the audience actually did get up on stage and do a few Tina-esque moves.) - Broadway.com
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“Not just another jukebox tuner, RIVER DEEP is a charming homage to a rock icon. Fun!  . . . The shimmying never stops for long.  Like Hamilton's score, Lansner’s choreography references the energetic R&B of the '60s. One is often reminded of Turner's famous ‘Proud Mary’ moves as the seven-woman troupe -- all wearing short, spangly dresses -- stomp, slide and bounce their way through numbers with titles like ‘Dancing to the Rhythm and Blues,’ providing a spirit of over-the-top showmanship. The cast commits with a spirit that's most infectious.  Pat Hall makes a solid impression as Tina. - Variety