I’VE GOT SOME GREAT NEWS TO CHER
The Cher Show, a new musical that follows Broadway’s continuous trend of capitalizing on rockstar jukebox bio-musicals like MJ The Musical and Tina The Tina Turner Musical, stopped at Long Beach’s Terrace Theatre as part of its 2024-2025 national tour (the show closed after a year on Broadway in August 2019).
Morgan Scott, Catherine Ariale, and Ella Perez
We don’t just get one star in the bookwriter’s hand, the hitmaker Rick Elice (Jersey Boys), no, no, no. That is not sufficient to capture the great cultural phenom that is Cher. We get three impersonators to cover the artists’ 60+ years of career. We first meet Babe (powerful singer Elle Perez), the bright-eyed, love-stricken Cher in the 1960s with her straight long hair, fur vest, and bell bottom. Through Babe, we learned Cher had always felt different. From suffering endless teasing as a half-Armenian girl growing up in an LA suburb to failing in school due to her severe and untreated dyslexia, Babe found music as her only solace. With the encouragement of her strong-willed single mother Georgia Holt, (fiery, funny Lucy Werner), Babe searched for a life as a singer (“If you have to play someone, play someone who is brave on stage,” Georgia says). Many of you probably know the rest because Sonny Bono (an immaculate portrayal by an endearing Lorenzo Pugliese) came into her life. The two blew up in the UK, then returned to the United States as stars.
Lorenzo Pugliese and Catherine Ariale
Ella Perez as Babe and Lorenzo Pugliese as Sonny singing "I Got You, Babe"
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour‘s success and eventual end due to the publicized contract dispute became a breaking point for Lady Cher in the ’70s (Catherine Ariale). Torn by her love for Sonny and their shared history, Lady, with the help of her past and future selves, Babe and Star, makes the tough decision of leaving Sonny behind with songs (Mike Bindeman plays Gregg Allman, Cher’s second husband). Powerful unison and, at times, three-part harmony bursts out of the three divas. With creative renditions of “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” “Believe,” and “Song for the Lonely,” Star, Lady, and Babe left nothing on stage and gave us all a performance of a lifetime. This only takes us to the intermission.
Lucy Werner as Georgia Holt, Cher's mother, and Ella Perez as Babe
The Cher Show has a simple theme. The life of a rock star is filled with highs and lows, and it is a breath of fresh air in the era of obsession with narrative nuances. While the story is filled with twists and unfinished narrative threads, the book’s strength lies in Mr. Elice’s integrity in handling Cher’s biography. The reverence and love for the songs, the looks, and the material at hand is self-evident.
The Cast
While many musicals have themes of empowerment and self-discovery, the usage of three Chers cheering on, caring for, and throwing shade at each other provides a unique exploration of our titular heroine’s psyche as well as giving an unconventional character study of how one deals with the past and life’s forks in the road. Cher, as we already know, tackles her fears, doubts, and problems with humility and humanity. With the three-stage personals nurture, celebrate, and grieve with one another, the takeaway message of “you are enough” is amplified without being preachy or gaudy. Let’s say I cried.
Tyler Pirrung as Bob Mackie with The Cast
With Eddie Carney‘s tight musical direction, the songs are jaw-droppingly good. Our three divas, Morgan Scott, Catherine Ariale, and Ella Perez, all have a powerful contralto range. When they sing together, the melodies and emotions ebb and flow together. In terms of acting, Morgan Scott as Star, Cher in the 80s and 90s, captures the diva’s famous dry wit and self-effacing humor. The characters range from tender and loving to manipulating and disgusting and are all performed with great flair and conviction.
Morgan Scott
A entire article could be dedicated to the costuming. After all, Cher’s long-time friend and collaborator, Bob Mackie (Tyler Pirrung), is this show’s costume designer. Cher’s iconic looks are on full display as originally intended, on designer Kelly James Tighe‘s big stage under designer Charlie Morrison‘s bright lights. The finale, composed of a medley of “Believe” / “Strong Enough” /”Woman’s World” / “All Or Nothing”/ and “You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me” is a very welcome excuse to create a runway showcasing the best looks of Cher’s life on stage.
The Cast
The dance team is far from a sideshow. Boy, can they all dance! Choreographer Antoinette DiPietropolo‘s Fosse dance number during Cher’s time in New York is stunningly good. The lines are clean, the technique crisp. The joy on display could ultimately be credited to the celebratory mood of the opening performance. Still, with the empowering message and unrestrained joy, I wholeheartedly wished to jump onto the stage.
Morgan Scott as Star and The Cast
Without reservation, I recommend The Cher Show to everyone. Directed by Casey Husion, this is an entertainment with heart and pazazz — and honestly, especially in these times, this is what a good musical is all about. We all could use a little more of Cher’s grit and love for life in ourselves.
Morgan Scott
photos by Meredith Mashburn
The Cher Show
national tour
Big League Productions / Daniel Sher
reviewed at the Terrace Theater, 300 E. Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach
tour continues; for dates and cities, visit The Cher Show