THE HANGOVER REPORT – The entertaining THE CHER SHOW is self-effacing, and the better for it

Stephanie J. Block leads "The Cher Show" at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Stephanie J. Block leads “The Cher Show” at the Neil Simon Theatre. Photo by Joan Marcus.

This week, the Broadway season’s second jukebox musical opened at the Neil Simon Theatre, the anticipated The Cher Show (the first to open was the under-appreciated Go-Go’s musical Head Over Heels, which concludes its disappointing run in January). Like its numerous forebears – Jersey Boys, Beautiful, The Boy from Oz, On Your Feet!, etc. – The Cher Show is essentially the musical biography of the show’s namesake, tracking Cher’s development as a woman, musician, actress, and cultural icon.

So how does The Cher Show stack up against other jukebox musical biographies? I’d say it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack.  Rick Elice does a decent job of efficiently packing Cher’s eventful life into a briskly-paced and entertaining two-and-a-half hours. But what sets The Cher Show apart from its brethren is its self-effacing, intentionally campy tone. It wisely admits that telling Cher’s life story is secondary to giving the audience exactly what they want and paid for – a splashy, eye-catching spectacle (those Bob Mackie costumes!). And on those grounds, the musical delivers.

Jason Moore, who previously helmed the very different, Tony-winning Avenue Q, has been unexpectedly tapped to direct The Cher Show. He may well have been an inspired choice. His breezy but dazzling staging doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is an asset. Like Summer, the Donna Summer jukebox musical, The Cher Show utilizes three actresses to portray Cher – Stephanie J. Block, Teal Wicks, and Micaela Diamond. The three undoubtedly give outstanding, even thrilling, vocal performances, but it’s Ms. Block’s commanding performance that grounds the musical and gives it soul. The rest of the cast, which includes the likes of Tony-nominees Emily Skinner (Georgia Holt, et al.) and Jarrod Spector (Sonny Bono), hit their marks with amusing relish.

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THE CHER SHOW
Broadway, Musical
Neil Simon Theatre
2 hours, 30 minutes (with one intermission)
Open run

Categories: Broadway, Theater

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