Walk through Times Square or past the various Broadway theaters and you will notice a multitude of jukebox musicals. If an artist had a few hits, someone will be trying to take it to Broadway. Such is the case with The Cher Show, the new biographical musical that makes it Broadway bow with three incarnations of Cher in tow.
The Cher Show has set a new precedent for jukebox musicals. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and it doesn't try to tell the audience that the artist in question revolutionized the music industry. It also does not attempt to put her songs into a seperate story. Instead, The Cher Show simply tells the story of a girl who wanted to be famous.
When you have someone with as mush star power as Cher, you need three actresses to play her. Micaela Diamond, Teal Wicks, and Stephanie J. Block portray Cher at different stages in her life, from her beginnings in the music industry, to her marriages and relationships, to her ventures into film and theater, all the way to her tours, which still continue to this day. While Block and Wicks are both stars in their own right, with multiple Broadway credits under their respective belts, their performances will catapult them to a new level of stardom on the Broadway stage. Diamond is wonderful in her Broadway debut, and this will see her leave her mark right out of the gate.
The leading ladies shine on stage, sometimes quite literally, thanks to the fabulous costumes by the one and only Bob Mackie. And Mackie is featured in the show, played by Michael Berresse. Along with Emily Skinner as Georgie Holt and Jarrod Spector as Sonny Bono, as well Matthew Hydzik and Michael Campayno in various roles; the featured cast is wonderful in their own right.
While The Cher Show has continued the trend on Broadway of using LED screens, a proper set is not truly necessary in this case. the show works perfectly well with the bright lights and smaller set pieces that are moved on and off stage when needed.
A standout element of the show is the script. When any of the three Chers are talking, it feels like it could be Cher herself, rather than someone imitating her style of speaking. This is true from the beginning of the show until the end, which is exactly how it should be. The writers have also woven in her extensive catalog of songs in a beautiful way - and they let more than a verse or chorus be sung in the majority of them, something often uncommon in biographical musicals.
The cast and creative team behind The Cher Show have brought a spectacular production to Broadway. With stellar performances, dazzling design, and jaw-dropping vocals, there is only one thing to say about it and uniqueness that sets it apart from other shows. It is, simply, Cher.