MELBOURNE, Fla. – Do you believe in life after love? What about a life filled with Cher songs? That’s what you can expect from “The Cher Show.”
It’s coming to the King Center in Melbourne on Jan. 16-17.
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This glamorous Tony Award-winning show will have 35 songs spanning six decades and, according to the creators behind the show, enough Bob Mackie gowns to cause a sequin shortage in New York.
The musical is packed with so much Cher, it takes three women to play her: the young girl starting out, the glamorous pop star and the icon.
Catherine Ariale is making her national tour debut in her role of Lady, which follows the time in Cher’s life when she was with Sonny.
“I was drawn to the character Lady because she has such an expansive arc in her relationship with Sonny, and a beautiful personal growth that follows,” Ariale said.
“I loved the appeal of her strong confidence and charisma when she and Sonny are at their prime, but she quickly becomes overworked, and you start to see the tension rise in their relationship. There are a lot of tough choices to be made during this part of Cher’s life and it was a storyline I was drawn to,” she went on to explain.
She said playing Cher has even given her more self-confidence in her day-to-day life.
“It has been a gift to play someone with so much agency - I’m learning a lot from her story. Also, I can’t deny how much fun it is to wear these costumes,” Ariale said.
Her favorite song in the show is, “Song for the Lonely.”
“It is the last song in the first act, and comes at a point in the story where my character, Lady, is at a decision crossroad. She is faced with the choice of leaving Sonny, and her younger and older versions of herself come together and all three sing to one another and bring some comfort and uplifting energy. It always gives me chills and makes me feel so empowered,” Ariale said.
Morgan Scott plays Star and she agrees that is also her favorite part of ‘The Cher Show.’
“It is sung by all three iterations of Cher when they come together recognizing a pivotal moment in Cher’s life. It makes you feel all the feels,” Scott said.
The character of Star focuses on how Cher became a cultural icon in a male-dominated industry.
“Not only is this show about a fiercely strong woman, but it was directed and choreographed by women and Cher is portrayed by three women. It is not just a jukebox musical, but a story that speaks to the strength and independence women can now have,” Scott said.
You can purchase tickets to the show in Melbourne here.
The show will also be heading to the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center in The Villages in late February.
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