6 Reasons You Should See The Cher Show on Broadway ASAP

Cher, originally born Cherilyn Sarkisian, was the daughter of John Sarkisian, an Armenian-American truck driver, and Georgia Holt, a model and bit-part actress. After briefly introducing us to her childhood life, the musical then spans the artist's very public romances with both Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman, as well as her lengthy career in music, theater, TV, and film. Like in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, the lead role of Cher is split among three actresses who show very different internal thoughts and conflicts that arise over the course of her life, representing different shades of her personality.

Micaela Diamond (Jesus Christ Superstar Live) gives a fun, naïve performance as Cher in her days as a scrawny, insecure kid, into her early teens when she first meets Bono, with her iteration of the singer dubbed "The Babe." Teal Wicks (Wicked, Finding Neverland) takes over as "The Lady," aka Cher's time in her early 20s as a glamorous, but criminally overworked diva. The show digs into her time being one half of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, and the toll her grueling work schedule takes on her relationship with Bono, as well as her two children.

The final version of Cher is "The Star," played by powerhouse performer and Tony nominee Stephanie J. Block (Falsettos, Wicked), who nails every detail of the Goddess of Pop's likeness, from her trademark vocal inflections to physical tics. Block is well aware of just how special the role is. "Cher always refers to her legions of fans and what she does onstage as a ministry, and I've felt that," she told AM New York in December. "It truly is like a fellowship. It's wild; not like anything else I've experienced."

The chances of a Broadway musical about Cher's life moving forward without her blessing would be slim, and luckily the singer was more than willing to offer the show her own personal insight. In fact, she not only worked closely with the show's production in general, but also met with all three actresses individually to provide custom pointers about their performances.

For instance, after Block studied hours of old interview footage, YouTube videos, and concert performances to aid her in portraying the larger-than-life role, she sat down for 45-minute one-on-one sessions with Cher to hear personal stories about her past. That obvious level of authenticity is present throughout the clever, genuinely funny musical from start to finish.

Next to Cher, the greatest characters in the musical are her stunning costumes, of which there are many. Bob Mackie, the fashion designer and costumer who's worked with the singer ever since they met on The Carol Burnett Show in the '60s, serves as both a designer on the show and a character within it. His ensembles inject the production with more and more flash as each glittering number parades across the stage.

In one sequence about halfway through the show, when Mackie's character (an excellent Michael Berresse) begins collaborating with Cher on eye-popping looks during her days on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, a dizzying array of his bedazzled creations are revealed again and again by the cast. From her two memorable looks from the Oscars to dozens more stunners from her world tours and TV series, the people sitting around me audibly gasped every time one of her iconic costumes appeared.

If you're hoping to hear Cher's biggest songs during this jukebox musical, you won't be disappointed. The Cher Show boasts a pretty rich catalog of her hits — "Half-Breed," "Turn Back Time," "Believe," and the swoon-worthy "I Got You Babe" — to go along with Daryl Waters' score.

Christopher Gattelli is responsible for the show's thrilling choreography, which ranges from cheeky and retro to physically astonishing. Diamond performs a fun extended sequence set to "The Beat Goes On," for instance, where she acts out moments along Cher's road from Hollywood laughing stock to respected Academy Award winner. And then — and then — there is the simply marvelous number featuring dancer Ashley Blair Fitzgerald during "Dark Lady." The sexy, demanding routine had my jaw solidly on the floor, and unsurprisingly earned a standing ovation.

As a more casual fan of Cher, I can't say I knew all the lyrics to her songs before attending the musical, or even much about her personal history (ex: while I knew much of her relationship with Bono, I had no idea she had a kid with Gregg Allman). But, at least from where I was sitting, it definitely seems like die-hard Cher fans made up most of the audience (and after seeing the show, I officially count myself as one of them).

From the first dazzling number until the show's heartfelt final moments, everyone around me was dancing in their seats, mouthing along with the words to every song, and even full-on sobbing at points (to be fair, The Cher Show has some seriously tear-jerking moments, and I may have had "something" in my eye a few times . . . ). That passion for Cher naturally leads to an incredibly fun atmosphere, and an unforgettable Broadway experience that celebrates an icon.

Tickets are now available for The Cher Show.