Insider Beat: Mona Swain on breaking every rule with 'TINA-The Tina Turner Musical'

Mona Swain is no stranger to the stage. Having honed her craft from a young age, the talented performer is now gearing up for one of her biggest roles yet — playing the legendary queen of Rock n' Roll, Tina Turner, in "TINA–The Tina Turner Musical" at the State Theatre New Jersey. With her first performance coming up, Swain is ready to bring Turner's electrifying energy and unparalleled story of resilience to life. 

But this wasn't just another role for the graduate of Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts (CCCEPA). In an interview with The Daily Targum, Swain admits that when she first received the offer, she was shocked and uncertain whether she was ready to embody such a powerful figure.

"I was quite honestly shocked, and I did not even think that I had the capability of actually doing it, so I was very tentative, even with my team," Swain said. "When I got it, I was like, 'I don't really know if this is the contract for me, maybe I should wait for something else.'"

Thankfully, her team wouldn't let her second-guess herself, pushing her to take the leap. What follows will be a defining moment in her career, one she's grateful she didn't pass up.

Playing Tina Turner is no small feat. Known for her powerhouse vocals, intense stage presence and remarkable stamina, Turner left a lasting legacy in the music industry. Swain knew she had to prepare both mentally and physically to step into such big shoes. 

"(There's) lot's of running," she said, explaining how she keeps up her endurance for the physically demanding role. "I run pretty much every day just to keep my stamina up, and from the moment I found out that's when I started running more … just singing and running every day."

Swain also spent countless hours researching Turner's life and immersing herself in the music that defined a generation. But despite the preparation, she shared how finding herself within Turner's story was one of the most challenging parts of the process. 

"From all the characters I've ever played, I think this character is the least like me by nature," Swain said.

To make the role her own, she had to find a way to weave herself into Turner's story, focusing on how she, as Mona, would react under the same circumstances as Tina. The result? A deeply personal and unique portrayal of an iconic figure.

For Swain, "TINA–The Tina Turner Musical" is more than just a showcase of Turner's greatest hits. It's an important reminder of Turner's strength in the face of adversity, something that resonates deeply with Swain. 

"Tina's story is a story of resilience and patience — one thing I definitely lack in my own personal life is just patience in general," Swain admits. "We live in an industry where it feels like … it's moving so fast, and it's so easy to feel like you're being left behind, but everybody's timing is so different, and Tina's story is a really great example of that."

Swain hopes audiences, especially young women, will take away one key message from the musical: "They are way stronger than they think … That's one thing that I even realized in prepping for this role, (and) even just doing the show." Turner's journey of tenacity serves as a testament that success comes through patience and unwavering dedication — qualities that Turner embodied throughout her life.

One of the standout elements of "TINA–The Tina Turner Musical" is how it handles Turner's life story.

Unlike many biographical musicals that divide the role between actors of different ages, this production has a single performer portraying Tina throughout her entire career. Minus one young actress who comes out for a brief scene in the beginning, Swain plays Tina for the entire two-hour show.

When asked how she felt after her first full run of the show, Swain revealed that the intensity of the moment was overwhelming, describing what went on in her mind: total blackout. 

"There was nothing that could have really fully prepared for me to like, just do it the way that I did, and I learned so much from doing it for the first time and all that," Swain said, reflecting on her experience. "But as soon as the curtain came up I blacked out."

Despite the nerves, the experience was transformative for her, solidifying her feeling that she was ready for the role. She now looks forward to refining the performance and captivating live audiences. 

Of course, no Tina Turner musical would be complete without her iconic hits, and for Swain, performing these songs is a dream come true. She shared her love for two numbers in particular: the emotional "I Can’t Stand the Rain" and the groovy, high-energy "Disco Inferno."

"Vocally, I really enjoy singing 'I Can't Stand the Rain' ... just the way that it's like placed in our show, it is just so beautiful and so powerful," she said. "But I think just strictly performance, 'Disco Inferno' is so fun."

This isn't Swain's first time stepping into the shoes of a musical icon. Before taking on the role of Tina Turner, she portrayed another legendary figure, Donna Summer, in a previous production, cementing her place as a capable actor.

While stepping into the role of Tina Turner is another milestone for Swain, she's already looking forward to what's next. When asked if she'd like to continue portraying iconic figures in the future, she enthusiastically agreed, recalling her ideal role.

"Oh absolutely. This is my favorite, this is my dream," she said. "Like, my biggest dream is to play somebody in a biopic … In my mind, it's Diana Ross."

For now, though, Mona Swain is focused on doing justice to Turner's legacy. With her mix of passion, preparation and perseverance, audiences are in for an unforgettable performance when "TINA-The Tina Turner Musical" hits the stage in New Brunswick.