Superstars come and go, but Cher is forever. The accolades she’s received include an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards, among many, many others. The boundary-pushing, barrier-breaking actress and singer, who’s also an LGBTQ+ rights champion and pop culture juggernaut, is the latest multi-talented performer to produce her own Broadway jukebox musical. She joins a list that includes the likes of ABBA, The Temptations, Donna Summer, The Go-Gos, Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, Green Day, Gloria Estefan, Britney Spears and Tina Turner.
“The Cher Show” tells the story of her life, using songs she’s performed throughout her career. The original 2018 production won Tony Awards for Stephanie J. Block (Lead Actress in a Musical) and for legendary outfitter Bob Mackie (Costume Design for a Musical). The show was originally scheduled to tour during the 2020-21 Broadway Across America series but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cher has lived so many lives, it takes three women to portray her. Meet Ella Perez, as “Babe,” the doe-eyed ingenue; Catharine Ariale, as “Lady,” the glam pop star; and, Morgan Scott, as “Star,” the icon we know today. They’re the three women who currently portray the artist born Cherilyn Sarkisian who would go on to have a No. 1 hit in every decade since the 1960s. The bio-musical weaves 35 of the singer’s hits throughout its story, many of them rearranged in variations both creative and unexpected. Perez, Ariale and Scott portray Cher at different stages of her life, frequently conversing – and singing – together.
Practically a character in and of themselves, there’s also the Tony Award-winning Bob Mackie gowns and costumes – envied by any drag queen who’s ever graced a nightclub stage.
The majority of hit Broadway shows tour large market venues first, setting up shop there for a week or so, before moving on to smaller city one-offs. Just like many of Cher’s songs, the tour plans were given a proper remix, and now sees the show alternate between cities both large and small. The tour is now scheduled to play Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center Nov. 12-17 and Tampa’s Straz Center Jan. 14-19.
Watermark spoke with Perez, Ariale and Scott by email about how their roles have influenced, and been influenced by, Cher-presenting drag queens, their own favorite Cher songs and costumes, and the joys – and sometimes pains – of performing songs the audience already knows.
Answers have been edited for space and clarity.
WATERMARK: What roles in previous productions helped prepare you for playing the Cher that you are… and how?
Perez: I had a special opportunity to play the Emcee in “Cabaret” my senior year of college, which changed the game for me. That was a demanding role and, similar to Cher, a huge legacy to represent. I gained a lot of confidence as an actor and became so much more comfortable making my own choices and trusting my instincts. I think I hold my head a little higher now.
Ariale: Nothing can prepare you for portraying such a legend! All other roles I have ever played have been fictional characters. There was room to play and create, whereas with Cher, a real living human, you have to make sure you are doing her justice.
Scott: All roles lead to Cher! I think of every role I’ve played as leading and contributing to the next. I am in a constant search for honesty and genuineness when I play a part, no matter what extreme the theme may fall under. But with Cher – a true living breathing icon – sincerity is paramount.
What type of prep work did each of you do for your particular Cher?
Perez: I watched SO much Sonny and Cher and so many interviews trying to catch her little physical gestures and tics: how she enunciates when she speaks, her laugh, how she listens to people. It’s a lot of pressure to emulate someone who is still alive! I also wanted to find a healthy medium where I am not exactly the confident, famous diva Cher we know today, but the shy, doe-eyed, innocent Cher she was when she was a teenager. There aren’t too many interviews of her in the ‘60s so I had to kind of piece things together myself.
Ariale: I had so much fun diving into the archives of “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.” It really started with studying her mannerisms and the way she spoke and interacted with Sonny. I watched YouTube for hours to soak in every bit of Cher in the ‘70s I could since that’s when I am mainly portraying her. It’s a joy to have such incredible footage to use to pull inspiration from!
Scott: I took in as much Cher as possible: the movies, the music, the interviews, her book… a new one is coming out soon! Then: practice, practice, practice. Speaking and acting like someone who actually exists is different than creating a role born from fiction. We want to make sure we are not doing a caricature or even impersonation, but rather truly paying homage to the legendary human she is.
This is the first time I have needed to truly mimic or imitate a currently living person. Even though the creative team was not looking for an impersonator, they still wanted the essence there. Luckily, I had a fair amount of practice with the singing part because I have been a wedding singer for years and Cher songs often come up on the set list. A few years back “Believe” popped up and I asked the band leader, “Mind if I take a crack singing it ‘as Cher’?” He said, go for it, and people loved it.
Speaking like Cher is a totally different animal though. For that I turned to Frank Caliendo, a renowned impressionist, and asked him for general advice when tackling the speaking voice for a celebrity. I then watched videos of famous Cher impersonators, including famous queens (How can you not Google ‘Chad Michaels’ when researching Cher?) for any throughlines or commonalities between interpretations. The short version: there’s no such thing as too much information when researching a role!
Whether it’s your song to perform in the show or not – or even if it’s in the show at all – what’s your favorite Cher song?
Perez: The one closest to my heart has to be “I Got You Babe.” That is the sweetest, purest love song I have ever heard. It is such a beautiful sentiment to her relationship with Sonny and their rises and falls through stardom together. Getting to perform that iconic song and recreate such a special moment is one of my favorite parts of the entire show and it will absolutely play at my wedding.
Ariale: It changes quite often depending on my mood and season of life. At the moment it’s a song that’s not in the show: “Happy Was the Day We Met,” from her 1978 album “Take Me Home.” It is so quintessential 70s Cher and full of life, joy, and groove! It always puts me in a good mood.
Scott: So hard to choose! It’s kind of like picking your favorite outfit. One day you are seriously feeling yourself in an all-black leather “lewk,” and the next you think, Nah I’m feeling sequins and pink hair. One night, I might crave the vulnerability of “Way of Love,” then the next night the party can’t come soon enough with the “Finale Megamix”! (Guilty pleasure Cher song NOT in the show: “We All Sleep Alone.”)
It’s no secret that many a drag queen has portrayed Cher at some point in their careers. For those newbie queens, what advice would you give them for their performance?
Perez: The hair flip is crucial and show as much skin as possible. A 30-second plank before a performance doesn’t hurt either.
Ariale: As long as you wear something that makes you feel sexy (make sure it has sparkles), have the right wig that lets you do a ton of hair tosses, and give your best Sean Hayes on “Will & Grace” impression of Cher, you’re golden!
Scott: Pretty sure I should still be gathering advice from them! I still watch videos of the Cher queens in the hopes of trying to improve my makeup to a tenth of what they are able to achieve: I am in AWE. For an actual Cher performance, whether lip-synced or live, you want to watch as much Cher as possible: interviews, movies, concerts, etc. Then find a touchstone – could be a word or a phrase – that just brings you back to her if you ever get lost. Mine is picturing Cher saying “Charlotte” in “Mermaids.” I grew up with that movie and Cher’s face, mouth, attitude, and tone is all embedded in me from that moment.
Whether you wear it or not, what’s your favorite Cher “look”?
Perez: The revenge dress and mohawk she wore to present at the Oscar’s is one of the most badass, brilliant moments in fashion history. So incredibly iconic. And I get to just stare lovingly at Morgan in it every single night.
Ariale: My favorite Cher look in the show is “Star’s” curtain call dress! It is that STUNNING dress she wore to the 1974 Met Gala. It’s a true piece of art. I admire that Cher has always made a statement with her fashion and continues to do so through the decades.
Scott: My bow dress is absolute art. I wear it for maybe one minute for the curtain call but it is 60 seconds of bliss. The dress is absolute Met Gala inspiration, honoring the naked illusion Bob Mackie is so known for. All beads and feathers expertly placed. It is an honor to wear.
Why do you think Cher is so revered by the LGBTQ+ community? Why do you think gay men, in particular, LOVE Cher?
Perez: I think her unapologetic, authentic nature is something so sacred to the queer community. She has always been herself: being herself is what made her the superstar she is and the fact she has continuously, proudly supported the community even during times when it was less celebrated. Not to mention that “Believe” is an essential gay club anthem that they still bump in your favorite Brooklyn spots.
Ariale: Cher has always been a champion of people who feel othered. She herself didn’t fit in as a child and was made fun of. I think she recognized that people in the gay community also felt like outsiders at different points in their life and felt a strong connection to their stories. She has always been unabashedly who she is and doesn’t change for anyone. I think people in the LGBTQ+ community saw that in the public eye over the years, and there is nothing to do but have respect and adoration for that sort of agency and love for yourself.
Scott: I think Cher’s continued successful reinventions and her fearless mindset of being who she is and owning that. She speaks to the common question, ‘What’s it like to be Cher” with a nonchalant “I dunno, I’ve always been Cher.” I imagine that speaks to anyone struggling with owning their identity. It gives permission to be your badass self because that’s who you’ve always been.
Most touring Broadway productions play major market cities first, typically for a week at a time, then continue on to one-offs in smaller markets. Your tour has primarily been the reverse. Does that affects the production, whether it’s your personal approach, or the overall show? How does a single show in, say, Portsmouth, Ohio, compare to a week’s worth of shows in Boston, Mass.?
Perez: It’s definitely interesting to move such a spectacle of a show around the country! Sometimes we have to cut set pieces or even people from numbers if a theater doesn’t have the space for it. It can be challenging, but we have such an incredible crew and management team that make these changes as seamless as possible. I think once the show is in your bones, little changes and cuts can even spice it up and keep you on your toes! Sometimes those one-nighter audiences are even more rowdy and excited than a Friday night in a huge city, which makes the challenge all the more worth it. I love getting to bring this flashy show to smaller audiences.
Ariale: It’s been a really beautiful experience to make stops at these smaller markets. It can be really easy to have a negative outlook about a lot of one-nighters or going to a city that isn’t as well known, but the amount of audience members I have met post-show that thank us from the bottom of their hearts for traveling to their town has really impacted me. It’s expected that all of the shows hit places like Boston, or Los Angeles, but there are people in places like Portsmouth, Ohio, who don’t have the same opportunities to access Broadway performances. These smaller communities are thankful to have art coming to them, and we are very happy to be bringing it.
Scott: I consider us fortunate that we were back and forth between weeklong sit downs and brief one-two nighters. We started 2024 with a week in Miami and ended our first year of tour with a week in San Francisco. But the previous two weeks before SF, we bounced around Illinois and Texas in smaller markets, after playing at the prestigious Starlight Theater in Kansas City for another week-long visit. The continuous switch between week-long and one-two nights stays, keeps things moving and fresh.
A one-nighter in Portsmouth feels as special as a week in Boston, just for different reasons. A smaller off-the-beaten path theater may not be a name brand stop, but the people attending that show are so excited for that night, especially in the instance of a First National Tour. It is an amazing privilege for us, the cast, to be the first opportunity that they can see the show outside of New York (and Chicago pre-Broadway tryouts) and those one-nighter audiences do not take our visit for granted!
One selling point of jukebox musicals is that audiences will, most likely, already know the show’s songs. Unfortunately, that knowledge – and a show ticket – seems to encourage (or entitle) some audience members to sing along. (Unwanted audience participation has been of particular note in the UK in recent years.) What are your thoughts on audience members singing along with you during the show?
Perez: As long as it isn’t a super quiet emotional moment, I love hearing people sing along! We give more of a concert vibe than the average musical. These songs and Cher’s story mean a lot to people and bring back special memories, and it makes me so happy to see people so wrapped up in the moment. It means we are doing our jobs! However, our rendition of “The Beat Goes On” is a bit different than the original, and sometimes people will start singing the original words with me while I’m a cappella, which can throw me off a bit! But it’s nothing our wonderful music director, Eddie Carney, can’t guide me through.
Ariale: I think it is one of the coolest parts of a jukebox musical. There’s always a fine line of course, but people know to not be too loud in a quiet part of a song, or stop when the music cuts out, etc. There is something exponentially special about bringing this music that so many generations have loved and resonated with to the stage. Seeing people sing along, and the joy it brings them is priceless. During the “Megamix” at the very end of the show is the first and only time I really get to look out to the audience and make eye contact and connect with people. It sometimes brings me to tears to see everyone on their feet, all ages, singing Cher’s music with us. It feels really beautiful and sacred.
Scott: I don’t mind enthusiastic interactions! I think it’s a sign we are doing something right if a guest gets so carried away with nostalgia during “I Got You Babe” that the song just comes out of them. I also have the privilege of playing “Star,” who breaks the 4th wall often, so if need be, I can call out someone if it’s something actually inappropriate – as Cher, and not Patti! Fortunately, our audiences have been just the right amount of involved and I hope that enthusiasm continues with year two.
“The Cher Show” comes to the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando Nov. 12-17 and the Straz Center in Tampa Jan. 14-19. Tickets at the Dr. Phillips Center start at $45 and are available at DrPhillipsCenter.org. Tickets at the Straz Center start at $48 and are available at StrazCenter.org.
