Do you believe in life after last Tuesday? If the election results left you wishing you could turn back time, a dose of flashy frivolity and fierce femininity might be just what the doctor ordered. Fortunately, there are few entertainment icons who know more about dusting yourself off after a devastating defeat than Cherilyn Sarkisian — better known to drag queens everywhere by her mononym, Cher — whose biography forms the basis for the latest jukebox musical to make it from Broadway to Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center.
The subject of The Cher Show is too big a celebrity for any single actress to embody her, so instead three talented performers portray her at different stages of her career: the 16-year-old Babe (Ella Perez), a shy Cinderella wishing for fame; the lanky Lady (Catherine Ariale), who rocketed to the top and back down alongside an endearingly troll-like Sonny Bono (Lorenzo Pugliese); and the aging Star (Morgan Scott) that made a comeback and conquered the Oscars.
That structural device smartly separates the book (by Jersey Boys co-writer Rick Elice) from other by-the-numbers bio-musicals, making it disarmingly self-deprecating. All three incarnations are blessed with powerhouse voices capable of doing justice to Cher’s extensive catalog of pop hits; more importantly, after touring together for over a year, the leading trio also share an enchanting onstage rapport that elevates their performances beyond clench-jawed impersonations.
Beyond its eponymous subject, The Cher Show’s biggest star is legendary costume designer Bob Mackie, whose unforgettable fashions sparked sartorial scandals throughout the ’70s and ’80s. As brought to life on stage by Tyler Pirrung in the show’s most delightfully campy production number, Mackie and his crazy couture creations — which make choreographer Antoinette DiPietropolo’s high-stepping ensemble sparkle like diamonds under Charlie Morrison’s megawatt lighting — deliver the deliciously campy eye candy that makes this show’s best moments feel like an EDC for Boomers.
Sadly, Mackie is maybe the only unproblematic male in Cher’s life. Her scenes with the borderline-abusive Bono are the show’s most emotionally compelling. Unfortunately, their breakup at the beginning of Act II largely banishes Bono (along with any more than a passing reference to their child, trans activist Chaz Bono) in favor of a succession of broadly drawn buffoons, including musician Gregg Allman (Mike Bindeman) and barely legal bagel-baker Rob Camilletti (Chase McCall). Despite repeatedly invoking Cher’s “goddess warrior” status (which largely manifests in her liberal use of the F-word) the script largely absolves these guys’ inappropriate behavior, depicting them more as clowns than creeps, which diminishes the dramatic stakes.
Although possessing all the building blocks for a first-rate bio-musical, The Cher Show ultimately failed to reach its full potential for me. That’s partially attributable to Daryl Waters’ stop-and-start orchestrations of the songs, which are frequently chopped up into unsatisfying segments. Mostly, it’s down to Casey Hushion’s uneven pacing and flat direction, which sometimes seems as stiff and static as the ’70s TV shows it seeks to satirize.
For a fleeting distraction full of fabulous outfits and familiar tunes, it certainly fits the bill; but if you’re seeking deeper insight into what makes Cher tick, you might be better off reading her upcoming memoir.
Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
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This article appears in Nov 13-19, 2024.