Catherine Ariale as Lady, Morgan Scott as Star, Ella Perez as Babe, and the cast of THE CHER SHOW. Photo by Meredith Mashburn Photography.
By Selena Haynes
“The Cher Show” is a musical production that celebrates the life and career of the iconic entertainer, Cher. As depicted in the production, Cher is portrayed in three stages of her life: the young aspiring artist, the glamorous pop star, and the enduring icon. Tennessee native, Morgan Scott, plays the role of Star, the enduring icon.
Scott was born and raised in Memphis and attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville to study theater. After graduating, she moved to New York. Scott, a self-proclaimed shy child, first began her acting career by trying out for a school musical. Scott recounted how she told her mother about the audition and her mother asked her if she could sing. Scott ended up with the lead in the musical and remembered her mother’s jaw dropping at the news.
After her first musical, she never looked back. She began acting in local theatrical productions and that carried her all the way to college. “The Cher Show” is Scott’s biggest tour to date and she is honored to play such a legendary icon.
“It’s nothing short of an honor. It’s just unreal to be playing somebody who still is going. She just had another number-one hit and is one of the only people to have number-one hits for seven decades. That’s a person you cannot ignore so to be able to play even a piece of her is an unbelievable honor and you want to do it justice every time,” said Scott.
The show incorporates 35 of Cher’s smash hits, spanning six decades of her stardom. It delves into her remarkable journey, which includes two rock-star husbands, a Grammy, an Oscar, an Emmy, and numerous Tony Award-winning Bob Mackie gowns.
“We are wearing true Bob Mackie costumes. It’s absolute art. It’s such a privilege to be able to wear it. These are the same costumes that he won the Tony for. It came straight from Broadway,” said Scott.
The musical is characterized by its unabashedly fabulous nature, promising to captivate audiences and have them dancing in the aisles. The narrative unfolds the story of a force that has consistently dominated popular culture, overcoming barriers and pushing boundaries.
Scott said one of her most memorable moments was a show in Miami where she was able to get everyone in the theater up on their feet dancing.
“I have the liberty to ad-lib a little bit so, more often than not, I tell everyone to put their hands together, but [that] night I felt this energy in the audience and I thought if I tell everyone to get on their feet, they’re going to get on their feet. And sure enough, there was just a sea of people who lept up. The entire cast was onstage at that moment and we were all overwhelmed and pumped at that moment and it was just a gorgeous energy.” said Scott.
“The Cher Show” has garnered Tony Awards for its portrayal of Cher’s incredible life, making it a must-see for fans and those intrigued by the legendary performer’s impact on the entertainment industry.
When asked what she wants the audience to experience, Scott said, “I think it’s that sense of empowerment and being uplifted. We definitely want you to leave feeling so positive and it’s because, at the end of the day, yes, Cher is absolutely an icon and she feels like somebody who’s untouchable and out of reach but what you get to see in the show is that she is just a human being.”
Scott further said, “She [Cher] has suffered defeat just like anybody. She has fear just like anybody. She’s got a sense of humor for sure just like a lot of us. And watching her having these moments of failure and sorrow, but then still rise up and still triumph and still keep going. I don’t know anybody who can’t identify with that.”
As a performer, Scott said she has experienced the constant dealings with rejection and fear too, and can pull from her inner self to play this iconic role. At the end of the day, it’s about drawing on the simplicity of being human.
“To see what Cher dealt with in her inner monologue where she’s having fear, she’s having doubt and she doesn’t feel valued. […] But I’m sitting there going, oh my gosh I’ve felt that. I definitely experienced that. It was a key thing for me, at least, on how I can portray her because you almost doubt, can I play this icon? But when you find those moments of, oh wait, that’s the human being that I know and I experienced. I have those similarities. I’m going to latch onto that,” said Scott.
Cher’s enduring presence in the world of music and entertainment is emphasized, asserting that while other superstars may come and go, Cher remains a timeless and unstoppable force.
You can see “The Cher Show” on January 19 and 20 at the Andrew Jackson Hall at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. More information and tickets can be found at https://www.tpac.org/event/2024-01-19-to-2024-01-20-the-cher-show/.
About Morgan Scott: Morgan Scott (Star) is both thrilled and humbled to embody the icon that is CHER. Favorite credits: Doctor (Next to Normal), Baker’s Wife (Into the Woods), Gina (REWIND); along with bandleading and audiobook narration. Her cup runneth over with gratitude for her family, friends, Nick, Uisge and BBB. Instagram | https://www.morganscott.org/
About “The Cher Show”: Superstars come and go. Cher is forever. For six straight decades, only one unstoppable force has flat-out dominated popular culture – breaking down barriers, pushing boundaries and letting nothing and no one stand in her way. THE CHER SHOW is the Tony Award®-winning musical of her story, and it’s packed with so much Cher that it takes three women to play her: the kid starting out, the glam pop star, and the icon.
THE CHER SHOW is 35 smash hits, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, a Grammy®, an Oscar®, an Emmy®, and enough Tony Award-winning Bob Mackie gowns to cause a sequin shortage in New York City, all in one unabashedly fabulous new musical that will have audiences dancing in the aisles! https://thechershowtour.com/
