The Cher Show Audience Opinions.

[Malinda5000]

Saw "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" a few weeks back, and yes, the book was really really confusing and bad.  However, I had the time of my life.  The music took me back to my disco days and if it was not closing soon. I'd see it again. I had fun.   Now, I will be seeing The Cher Show in the coming months, and according to the "Critics"  this show has some issues as well.   I like Cher.  She is a national treasure.  I grew up in the 60s 70s 80s when she was in her prime.  I'm  not a die hard follow her all over the world kind of fan, but I like some her songs.   Anyway, I want to have fun when I go see it. Big Splashy Loud Fun.

Has  anyone seen it ?  Please let me know your take on the show.   I am thanking you in advance.

[ljay889]

Big Splashy Loud Fun is exactly what you'll get! 

[haterobics]

If you were ready for a second helping of Summer, The Cher Show is haute cuisine by comparison.

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

If you were a big fan of hers from the 60s to the 80s, you will more than enjoy it!...Stephanie J. Block is beyond amazing!, as well as Micaela Diamond...the Bob Mackie costume piece in the first act is jaw-dropping!...Try the daily lottery and hope for front row seats!..

[bwayphreak234]

I hated Summer, but I LOVED The Cher Show. I had more fun at The Cher Show than I have had at any other show in quite some time. It's big, it's splashy, it's sparkly, and it's just FUN. I loved every second. And Stephanie J Block's performance is unreal.

[VotePeron]

Had no interest in SUMMER so I cant comment on that, but I saw CHER SHOW and thought it was a total misfire. I was extremely disappointed in nearly every way. The performances are mostly great, but it plays like a very bad Vegas show. Im not a Cher super fan though, so apparently Im not the target audience.

Sara Holdren, my favorite new voice in theatre criticism, published an amazingly well written review on TCS. I highly recommend giving it a read: https://www.vulture.com/2018/12/theater-review-how-over-the-top-should-the-cher-show-be.html

And to everyone justifying how terrible it is by saying its just fluff really needs to raise their standards. Cher is an amazing performer who has had an amazing life. She deserved so much better in THE show about her life. We deserve better for paying so much money to see it.

[WhiJo Bloom]

I saw The Cher Show last Friday on the 14th and my boyfriend and I LOVED it!

Granted I do know a lot of Cher's songs so it was fun to hear their takes on these classics, and it may have just been the Friday night audience but it felt like a concert! Lots of "whoo"ing and cheers and laughs, even the cast at the stage door said it was a fantastic crowd.

If it gives you an idea, I'm 23 and was probably one of the youngest people there haha and I thought it was a blast. Gorgeous costumes, SJB and Micaela and Teal are flawless, fun choreography (especially an Act 2 tango that got one of the loudest reactions all night).

It was the show I was most looking forward to and it definitely didn't disappoint me, I wish I could go back and I NEED a cast album to hear SJB belt it out over and over!

[Malinda5000]

Wow … The comments ( like the reviews) are mixed.  I'm still going to give it a go.  I saw Stephanie J. Block in  "9 To 5" all those years ago and she was great.      I LOVED  IT!    I'm a Broadway Baby.  Seen a great deal of shows through the years starting with a musical called "Applause" with Lauren Bacall.    "The Cher Show"  can't be worst than that awful show.    Ms. Bacall was the draw and that's why it lasted as long as it did. … so this show should be fun at least.

[BroadwayBen]

I thought it was just so-so.  Its worst crime was it even with all the glitz, it was often kind of boring.   I find Cher a good entertainer, but hardly a national treasure.  Has she ever done anything other than for herself or her career?  The show is all about how she triumphed over the ups and downs of show business, and I kept thinking 'Why Am I Supposed to Care" about this?   Sure some of the costumes were fun, and I love "And The Beat Goes On..."   But Cher has never really been anything other than fabulously self-involved, which I didn't find that interesting.  I think others did. 

[GavestonPS]

Malinda5000 said: "Wow … The comments ( like the reviews) are mixed. I'm still going to give it a go. I saw Stephanie J. Block in "9 To 5" all those years ago and she was great. I LOVED IT! I'm a Broadway Baby. Seen a great deal of shows through the years starting with a musical called "Applause" with Lauren Bacall. "The Cher Show" can't be worst than that awful show. Ms. Bacall was the draw and that's why it lasted as long as it did. … so this show should be fun at least."

(Just a tip: on this board you don't really need to tell us APPLAUSE was a musical or that it originally starred Lauren Bacall.)

I think you are comparing an apple to an orange. (Disclaimer: I've seen APPLAUSE several times, including the original production with Bacall and a year later with Arlene Dahl, one of Bacall's replacements; I've only read about THE CHER SHOW here.)

While nobody calls APPLAUSE a great musical, its creators did a beautiful job of tailoring the show for Bacall's persona and very limited musical abilities. The show still worked with people like Miss Dahl, a somewhat lesser star of the period with similarly limited musical abilities. LA Reprise revived it about 15 years ago and I agree with you on this much: the show does not demand revival; it really is about a bygone era of Broadway. But it's hardly the worst show to ever be anointed "Best Musical" by the Tony Awards.

[Malinda5000]

Thanks for the tip … but  maybe everyone doesn't know that "Applause" was a musical.   Also, this thread is all about Personal Opinions and I thought "Applause" was awful.  Good to know that more Broadway Babies are responding.   I didn't care much for "Sugar" either … or "Purlie",  but that's MY opinion.

[Jmuep2]

Personally, I enjoyed CHER SHOW more than SUMMER, but that's like saying I prefer a colonoscopy to a root canal.  

[DRSisLove]

Saw this last night and could not believe this show was on broadway. It was really that bad. I went with my family (we see a show on 12/22 or 23 every year) and my dad said, "Guess we still need to see our annual Broadway show, because that was not Broadway." If I didn't know better, I'd think they want the audience to walk with the message that Cher has borderline personality disorder. The 3 Cher idea did not work at all. As good as everyone was, that script was laughable at best. They emailed me a survey today and asked very direct feedback about certain parts. I wonder if they plan on doing more work to it.

As an aside, the show was pretty empty - we were in the mezz and it was full in the first 5 rows and the last 3. Essentially the entire center section was empty from F to Q.

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

DRSisLove, I must strongly disagree with your incredibly inaccurate summation of "The Cher Show".  Cher is a living legend, someone who has overcome many personal situations that you might be familiar with.  I have seen other "shows" that have made it to Broadway and others that have not.  The work that the actors and actresses in this show every night is not easy by any stretch of the imagination.  I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I feel that yours about this show is way off base...

[Steve C.]

Hey there DRS, the simplest thing to ask is "Do I like Cher enough to go see this show?" I've gone twice and while it's not "Beautiful" or "Ain't Misbehavin'" it certainly can reside on Broadway. I myself thought "Jersey Boys" "Motown" the tour of "Ain't To Proud" were interminable messes, but had their moments. I love Motown music but come on! Donna Summer benefited from stellar vocals by LaChanze (along with Ariana DeBose). As for Cher, some of the most dynamic singing on Broadway right now are Teal, Micaela, and Stephanie!!! (...and Jarrod Spector's abs!!) Break out their Tony Awards now. Didn't you at least enjoy that great ensemble, the choreography/dance, Bob Mackie fashion show?

Cher has had an exceptional career, +60 years!!, there just seem to be too many stories to tell in 2 1/2 hours. I thought the Chaz story was woefully passed over.

And while it's not a jukebox, I'm still trying to work out scheduling "Waitress" with Sara and Gavin Creel.. I guess if I was having limited time to spend on Broadway shows I would make sure my investment should bring me something I could/would appreciate.

HoHoHo!!! Happy!

[YvanEhtNioj]

I literally just left the show.

I knew nothing about Cher except the songs I hear play every weekend in Hells Kitchen, and I loved it.

I think most jukebox musicals struggle to integrate the songs into the story, but this worked perfectly.

THE FASHIONS, HENNY. THE FASHIONS. One of the best parts of the first act was the "fashion show" of her most iconic outfits. It was so cute seeing everyone in the audience point and say "I remember that one!".

The Bang Bang number had me in chills.

Lastly, the Choreography during the Dark Lady tango number deserves a Tony alone.

[Wick3]

I really loved this version of "Believe" that he sang for Cher at the Kennedy Awards a few weeks ago. I kinda wish Stephanie sang this version at the Cher Show.

 

[quizking101]

DRSisLove said: "Saw this last night and could not believe this show was on broadway. It was really that bad. I went with my family (we see a show on 12/22 or 23 every year) and my dad said, "Guess we still need to see our annual Broadway show, because that was not Broadway."If I didn't know better, I'd think they want the audience to walk with the message that Cher has borderline personality disorder. The 3 Cher idea did not work at all. As good as everyone was, that script was laughable at best. They emailed me a survey today and asked very direct feedback about certain parts. I wonder if they plan on doing more work to it.

As an aside, the show was pretty empty - we were in the mezz and it was full in the first 5 rows and the last 3. Essentially the entire center section was empty from F to Q."

I’m going to assume you have nary a clue about what Borderline Personality Disorder actually is, because in context, your statement is totally nonsense.

Sorry, I hate correcting language, but as a psych nurse, I get real sick of people using clinical terms incorrectly and to illustrate a negative example. Do better. You could have just stuck with saying that the 3 Cher idea didn’t work for you.

[WestEndGal]

Malinda5000 said: "Thanks for the tip … but maybe everyone doesn't know that "Applause" was a musical. Also, this thread is all about Personal Opinions and I thought "Applause" was awful. Good to know that more Broadway Babies are responding. I didn't care much for "Sugar" either … or "Purlie", but that's MY opinion."

I didn’t know that Applause was a musical fwiw. I love musical theatre, but there’s plenty of shows I haven’t seen or don’t know the history of. It’s so freaking tiring to see people constantly mocked or belittled on these boards just cos they apparently aren’t “experts”!  

[Bettyboy72]

Wick3 said: "I really loved this version of "Believe" that he sang for Cher at the Kennedy Awards a few weeks ago. I kinda wish Stephanie sang this version at the Cher Show.

 

She did. The ballad version of Believe originally closed the show and it was glorious. I saw her do it twice in Chicago. I thought it was interesting that Cher cried when Lambert did it. I take it she was overwhelmed by the night in general because she didn't care for the ballad version in the show and wanted it replaced with the dance version during the curtain call.

 

"

 

[Popular]

Sorry, I hate correcting language, but as a psych nurse, I get real sick of people using clinical terms incorrectly and to illustrate a negative example. Do better. You could have just stuck with saying that the 3 Cher idea didn’t work for you."

THANK YOU!!!!!

[ACL2006]

I saw the show the day after it opened and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Block is the standout, easily. My weaknesses in the cast were Teal Wicks(not her fault) and Jarrod Spector. Wicks' Cher seemed meaningless and the show could have gotten by with just the two Chers. Spector as Sonny just didn't work for me. Did Bono ever have abs? Why is he out singing all the Chers? Anyway, the highlights we're the fashion show, "Dark Lady", "The Beat Goes On", "Bang, Bang" and "Believe". I mentioned elsewhere that word-of-mouth will carry this show. The buzz after the show and outside the theater was very positive. Hoping this does well. Definitely see Tony noms for Block, Michaela, costumes, choreography and hopefully for Best Musical.

[all_that_jazz]

I was wondering about the costume tony nomination. Odd but as i was bored stiff during the show i had a lot of time to think.

As with score theres a certain percentage that has to be written for the stage score. If the score was used previously in movie etc.

This has never happened before that i can think of but all the costumes in this show that are based off her previous looks and shows and such and are iconic. Does this qualify for best original costume design.

I mean they are great obviuosly but they were existant before the show. Is there enough new material to work.

[johnmichael]

YvanEhtNioj said: "I literally just left the show.

I knew nothing about Cher except the songs I hear play every weekend in Hells Kitchen, and I loved it.

I think most jukebox musicals struggle to integrate the songs into the story, but this worked perfectly.

THE FASHIONS, HENNY. THE FASHIONS. One of the best parts of the first act was the "fashion show" of her most iconic outfits. It was so cute seeing everyone in the audience point and say "I remember that one!".

The Bang Bang number had me in chills.

Lastly, the Choreography during the Dark Lady tango number deserves a Tony alone."

 

the outfits probably were amazing in their original times and contexts but that number just cheapened them. I'd far rather have seen a exhibition of them at the MET (like Savage Beauty or Heavenly Bodies) than have sat through that bore of a show.

[jakebloke]

johnmichael said: "YvanEhtNioj said: "I literally just left the show.

I knew nothing about Cher except the songs I hear play every weekend in Hells Kitchen, and I loved it.

I think most jukebox musicals struggle to integrate the songs into the story, but this worked perfectly.

THE FASHIONS, HENNY. THE FASHIONS. One of the best parts of the first act was the "fashion show" of her most iconic outfits. It was so cute seeing everyone in the audience point and say "I remember that one!".

The Bang Bang number had me in chills.

Lastly, the Choreography during the Dark Lady tango number deserves a Tony alone."



the outfits probably were amazing in their original times and contexts but that number just cheapened them. I'd far rather have seen a exhibition of them at the MET(like Savage Beauty or Heavenly Bodies) than have sat through that bore of a show."

I think the outfits/costumes are an important part of Cher’s persona and it was a fun brief moment in the show.  But that was my issue with it.  It was too brief, too toned down in my opinion.  They could have gone a bit grander.  Some of these outfits are so over the top, why not make the scene over the top.  Have fun with it.  To use a line from the show.  ‘When you think you’ve gone too big, go bigger’. Maybe take a few minutes and bring a catwalk like fashion show into the audience.  Lord knows the audience I was in could have used a little more enthusiasm.