Theater Review: The Cher Show

Cher fans, rejoice! Cher has hit Broadway again…only this time in the form of a musical about her life. 

The Cher Show will have dedicated fans dancing in their seats. As with many of the other bio-musicals that have graced Broadway stages, dedicated fans will have a blast re-living their favorite songs and moments from their favorite star’s career. For the casual fan or non-fan, the appeal of The Cher Show comes down to two things: Stephanie J. Block’s performance as Star (the eldest of three Chers audiences meet from different eras of her life), and the amazing costumes by longtime Cher-costumer Bob Mackie.

Star (Stephanie J. Block) begins the show in the middle of one of her concerts. She then takes us back through defining moments of her life, popping in and out to narrate and, occasionally, give insights to her younger selves. They begin back in her childhood. Babe (the youngest version of Cher played by Micaela Diamond) experiences feelings of being different, but thanks to her loving mother Georgia Holt (Emily Skinner) and discovering her drive to become famous, Babe is propelled forward.

In her teens, she meets and falls in love with Sonny Bono (Jarrod Spector, who excels in the role). From their initial struggles to incredible success with The Sonny and Cher Show (where, it should be noted, she meets Bob Mackie who dresses Cher for decades to come; here he’s played by Michael Berresse), Babe becomes Lady (the middle version of Cher which is performed by Teal Wicks). At this point, she is confronted with balancing her career (controlled very much by Sonny and other men), motherhood, and her own desires.

When she finally breaks free to own her own career and decisions, Star takes over once again. It’s here where the story speeds up a bit, breezing through Cher’s second marriage to Gregg Allman (Matthew Hydzik), the birth of her second child, her failed romance with Rob Camilletti (Michael Campayno), her stage debut under the direction of Robert Altman (Michael Berresse), and Oscar-winning performance in Moonstruck.

As Star, Stephanie J. Block captures the tone and sound of Cher’s voice incredibly well; and, of course, her ability to belt is amazing. Aside from the awesome costumes which are paraded across stage in severl sequences, also of note in this production is the choreography by Christopher Gattelli (the “Dark Lady” scene is fantastic).

While the focus of The Cher Show is solely the drive and success of Cher as a female performer rather than all the details of her life, the achievement of her dreams on her own terms and embracing who she is does make for an inspiring and fun theater experience.

 

For more information and tickets to The Cher Show, click here. 

 

 

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus