By Andy Dillehay
The Cher Show, The Lied Center for Performing Arts, April 3, 2024
If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that Cher is one of the most illustrious artists to ever grace this planet. She has always been uniquely and unapologetically Cher. While there have been countless impersonators and drag queen incarnations, there is no one like her, nor will there ever be anyone like her. Cher truly is in a class of her own. So it’s quite fitting that her story, and music, made it to Broadway in 2018.
The Cher Show takes the audience on a journey, turning back time to when little Cherilyn Sarkasian realizes her dream of becoming a star. Like Cher herself, this production is very self-aware, almost poking fun at itself at times. The fourth wall is more like a screen, with the audience being addressed throughout.
At 16, the shy young singer meets Sonny Bono, a songwriter and member of Phil Spector’s production team. Together, they create their own act, performing as Caesar and Cleo. However, after releasing a few poorly received singles, they drop the name, begin going by Sonny and Cher, and travel England to find success. And success they found. Overnight, they became a sensation with their quintessential song, “I Got You Babe.”
Following their early acclaim, Cher and Sonny find themselves left with only $3. Sonny has a plan – and asks Cher to give him two years to make it come to fruition. The two launch a show in Las Vegas, which finds them new acclaim. And by the end of that two year comeback plan, Sonny and Cher are more successful than they’d ever been with their hit variety show, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. After signing the contract for season four, Cher realizes she has no stake in the show, with Sonny owning 95% of their production company, and the other 5% going to a producer. In response, Cher leaves the show at the height of its popularity to forge ahead on her own.
Cher creates and stars in her own variety show, appropriately titled Cher. In the midst of production, she fires a longtime director and brings Sonny on board. The two reunite on television with The Sonny and Cher Show, but it did not find the same level of success as their first run, resulting in a cancellation after one season. Cher takes this as an opportunity to pursue her desire to become an actress and moves to New York City. This new venture proves to be fruitful, garnering an Academy Award for her performance in Moonstruck.
After experiencing many career highs, Cher finds herself out of work for years. To make a buck, she turns to infomercials, plugging hair care products. As she is someone who doesn’t take herself too seriously, she acknowledges how ridiculous it is, but she needs the work and makes the most of it. Following this slump, Cher re-emerges with her smash single, Believe, then embarks on her farewell tour. Well, her first farewell tour. How can she stop when the beat goes on?
The Cher Show crams 35 songs into this two-hour and twenty-minute production. With that many musical numbers, the story itself never goes too deep. Though the show was produced by Cher herself, it is a bit of a glossed over version of her life. That’s not to say serious topics aren’t addressed, but time doesn’t allow for much exploration. Instead of a biographical musical, this feels more like a celebration of Cher.
As there is only one Cher, it takes 3 actresses to portray the icon in different phases of her life. There’s Babe, played by Ella Perez, who covers the 1950s & 1960s, and Lady, played by Catherine Ariale, depicting Cher in the 1970s. Then there’s Star, played by Morgan Scott, who represents Cher from the 1980s & 1990s. While all three women do a fine job in their portrayals of Cher, achieving a harmonious rhythm, it is Morgan Scott who anchors this production and gives us the best Cher. From the voice to the hair flip and the rest of her physicality, Scott soars and is a true knockout.
Considering that Cher has one of the most recognizable voices in the business, it would be easy to do a cheap imitation. These three remarkable performers refrain from doing that. While they all have a Cher-like sound, they find a nice balance in giving the audience what they expect, but also harnessing their own interpretation.
Other standouts in the production include Lorenzo Pugliese as Sonny Bono, Tyler Pirrung as Bob Mackie, and Mason Derreck Lewis playing a multitude of characters. The live orchestra, conducted by Eddie Carney, also deserves special mention. In an era where many theatres and touring productions opt for recordings, the magic of live music cannot be replicated.
The costumes, designed by Bob Mackie himself, are immaculate. So many of Cher’s quintessential looks adorn the stage in a fabulous sparkly fashion. There’s even a musical number devoted to parading Mackie’s designs, which was a huge highlight. It also received one of the most uproarious responses from the audience.
Since Cher is known for her iconic hairstyles, I must say that I was a bit surprised to see the lack of attention paid to the wigs worn by the three actresses playing Cher. Aside from a few being long (not long enough) and straight, I felt like they missed the mark. Admittedly, my criticism may be born from my lifelong devotion to Cher.
As someone with a giant Cher tattoo going from my hip to my knee, and who has loved Cher for as long as I can remember, I was elated to attend this production. You better BELIEVE I was wearing my concert t-shirt from her 2014 Dressed to Kill tour and a revolver earring (Bang Bang!). For Cher fans and theatre lovers alike, this is an entertaining spectacle that celebrates the life of one of the world’s greatest performers. Have no fear if you weren’t able to attend one of the two performances at the Lied Center. Like Cher herself, I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of The Cher Show.
If you go: The Cher Show runs at The Lied Center for Performing Arts April 2-3, 2024. Ticket information at https://www.liedcenter.org/.
Andy Dillehay is an artist from Lincoln, Nebraska. Through exploring a variety of mediums, Andy shares his love of storytelling.
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