SOUTHEND THEATRE SCENE
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FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR
THE CHER SHOW
UK & IRELAND TOUR TO OPEN APRIL 2022
NOW IN REHEARSALS AND HEADING TO SOUTHEND ON 16-20 AUGUST

“All of us invent ourselves.
Some of us just have more imagination than others.”
The producers of the brand new production of The Cher Show are delighted to announce the full cast joining Debbie Kurup, Danielle Steers and Millie O’Connell, all starring as Cher – Star, Lady and Babe respectively. 

Lucas Rush will play Sonny, Jake Mitchell will play Bob Mackie, Sam Ferriday will play Greg Allman and Tori Scott will play Georgia. Joining them are Jordan Anderton, Jasmine Jules Andrews, Carla Bertran, Catherine Cornwall, Áine Curran, Sam Holden, Samantha Ivey, Aston Newman Hannington, Ingrid Olivia, Clayton Rosa, Chay Wills and Guy Woolf. 

With book by Tony and Olivier Award-winning Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, The Addams Family, Peter and the Starcatcher), direction by Arlene Phillips (Saturday Night Fever, Starlight Express, Grease), choreography by Oti Mabuse (two-time Strictly Come Dancing champion) and costume design by Gabriella Slade (Six, In The Heights, Spice World 2019 Tour), the UK & Ireland Tour will open at Leicester’s Curve on 15 April 2022 and will continue through to 1 April 2023.

From a young child with big dreams, the shy daughter of an Armenian American truck driver, to the dizzying heights of global stardom, The Cher Show tells the incredible story of Cher’s meteoric rise to fame.  Cher takes the audience by the hand and introduces them to the influential people in her life, from her mother and Sonny Bono, to fashion designer and costumier Bob Mackie.  It shows how she battled the men who underestimated her, fought the conventions and, above all, was a trailblazer for independence.  

The musical is packed with 35 of her biggest hits, including ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’, ‘I Got You Babe’, ‘Strong Enough’, ‘The Shoop Shoop Song’ and ‘Believe’.  

With over 100 million record sales, an Academy Award®, an Emmy®, a Grammy®, three Golden Globes® and an award from The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Cher has influenced popular culture more than most.  Her on-screen career started in 1971 with her weekly television show that attracted 30 million viewers a week, and went on to include starring roles in iconic films from Moonstruck, for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress, to Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, which prompted the New York Magazine to realise “every single movie—no matter how flawless—would be infinitely better if it included Cher.”  Her ‘Farewell Tour’ became the highest grossing music tour in history – in true Cher fashion, she followed up her ‘Farewell Tour’ with two further sell-out, worldwide arena tours.  She is the only artist in history to have a number one hit in the Billboard chart for six consecutive decades; an achievement that caused Vogue to deem her “eternally relevant and the ruler of outré reinvention”.  She became known as the Queen of Reinvention.  

In the 1990s, she established The Cher Charitable Foundation to support causes around the world.  She has been a long-time donor and supporter of Habitat for Humanity, The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and Keep A Child Alive, an organisation that helps to combat the AIDs epidemic.  Most recently, she co-founded Free the Wild to help rescue Kaavan the Asian elephant from Islamabad zoo.

Written by Tony Award-winning Rick Elice, The Cher Show made its debut on Broadway in 2018 in a production that earned two Tony Awards and delighted fans from around the world.  This new production will be the European premiere. 

The Cher Show UK & Ireland Tour will have set design by Tom Rogers, musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Rich Morris, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Dan Samson, music production by Gary Hickeson, wigs, hair and make-up design by Sam Cox, associate direction by James Cousins, associate choreography by James Bennett, musical direction by Danny Belton and casting by Will Burton CDG.

The Cher Show UK & Ireland Tour is produced by ROYO with Fiery Angel, Cuffe & Taylor/LIVE NATION and Playing Field in association with Tilted, Aria Entertainment and JONES Theatrical Group.

Website: www.cheronstage.com
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @TheCherShowUK ​
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INTERVIEW WITH OTI MABUSE
Here, Cher and Everywhere 

A bundle of zesty energy, Oti Mabuse may be on a rare day off when we meet but she’s still operating at warp speed. But then the double Strictly Glitterball champion has good reason to be so happy and animated. 

Currently revving up for the hotly anticipated brand new production of The Cher Show, directed by national dance treasure Arlene Phillips and with a book by Tony and Olivier Award-winning Rick Elice (of Jersey Boys fame), Oti will be choreographing the show, which will tour until April 2023. 

Telling the story of the Armenian American truck driver’s shy daughter who rose to global stardom, The Cher Show charts superstar Cher’s meteoric rise to fame. And of course there is a cracking soundtrack. Packed with 35 of her biggest hits, it’s part show and part party.  

“It’s the story that so many women connect with, but it’s also the songs and the clothes. It will be epic!” beams Oti, adding: “It has to be bigger than anything because it’s her; it has to live up to Cher’s iconic status. She has been such an inspiration to so many people and this musical is going to be a celebration of everything people love about her.”

And so it’s down to Oti to weave that star quality into the choreography - a challenge that she is absolutely thrilled with. 

“What I love about choreography is that, when I’m dancing, I am only part of the picture, but when you are choreographing, there are so many elements that are so exciting. Creating a storyline through dance means you go through the smallest details - is there a connection or a secret between the dancers that we need the audience to share? What props are there? What is the dancer at the back of the stage doing?”

As for the music, Oti’s exuberance ratchets up yet another notch when we start talking about Cher’s hits. 

“I grew up with a family that always listened to music and we all loved Cher’s music. Her songs have stories behind them and I LOVE choreography that has a story behind it! It has an intention you can then give to the movement. It makes everyone in the theatre part of the story. And everyone connects to Cher’s music because it is timeless. SHE is timeless!

“The show starts from the beginning of her life and comes to present day, so if you don’t know Cher’s story you will learn it. There are so many great songs that will make people feel uplifted too. And the show is going to almost every theatre in the country because Cher is an international phenomenon!”

But while she won’t be on the road with The Cher Show, Oti will be touring with her own dance production, I Am Here.

“This is very exciting because it’s my first official tour. It’s such an honour. It’s going to be loud, funny and truthful, and people will meet the real me. We have a live band, great music and a cast of great dancers.

“I love touring and the audiences make it for me. People have paid to come and be entertained and it’s lovely to do that; to create a memorable moment in their lives.”

And, it seems, Oti relishes the educational aspect of touring life. 

“I love learning and when you tour in the UK you learn crazy things like whether you put cream or jam on a scone first! I love hearing the different accents and the different way people greet each other depending where you are.” 

With an infectious chuckle she adds: “I think touring is the best way to understand human beings!”

“I love playing theatres in the South. As well as being lovely and welcoming venues, if it’s a nice day you can go to the beach before the show!”

But even with two stage shows hitting the road, human dynamo Oti is still thinking ahead. 

“I have a lot of things that I want to achieve in life and I am lucky that my parents raised me to be driven and ambitious. But my goals come from a good place and I really enjoy the journey of pursuing my dreams. Anyone who hires me knows that I will be the hardest working person in the place. For instance, there were very few books about dancing for children, so I wrote one.” 
And that’s by no means all. Born in South Africa in 1990, Oti has been dancing since childhood. From making a name for herself in South Africa as the undefeated  eight-time South African Latin American champion, she also managed to train as a Civil Engineer while competing in dance competitions. Winning awards and championships across Europe, TV soon beckoned and Oti joined the German version of Strictly Come Dancing. After two successful seasons, she joined the original BBC version of the show. Winning the coveted trophy in 2019 with actor Kelvin Fletcher, the following year Oti became the first Strictly Pro ever to win the Glitterball two consecutive years, alongside her partner Bill Bailey. TV and theatre work continues to flood in, which she juggles with running The Oti Mabuse Dance Studio, but, I ask, was performing always the dream? 

“I wanted to go into Musical Theatre straight from High School, but my mum said I should be first academic and then pursue my passions. Since she was paying the bills, I didn’t have much choice!”

Reflective for a moment, she adds: “Engineering and dance are both about problem solving and precision and I love them both equally. I’d love to do a TV show about it.”

 A TV show about engineering told through the medium of dance? If anyone can pull that off then it’s Oti. Stand by for the Reinforced Concrete Rumba… 

​
TOUR SCHEDULE​

15 - 23 April 2022     Leicester Curve     0116 242 3595
    www.curveonline.co.uk      on sale

26 - 30 April     Sunderland Empire Theatre    0844 871 7615*
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire     on sale 

3 – 7 May    Hull New Theatre    01482 300 306
    www.hulltheatres.co.uk     on sale 

10 – 14 May    Sheffield Lyceum Theatre    0114 249 6000
    www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk    on sale

17 - 21 May     Manchester Opera House      0844 871 7615*
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester      on sale

24 – 28 May    Belfast Grand Opera House    02890241919
    www.goh.co.uk     on sale 

31 May – 4 June    Blackpool Opera House    0844 856 1111
    www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk    on sale

7 - 11 June     Nottingham Theatre Royal    0115 989 5555    
    www.trch.co.uk    on sale 

14 - 19 June     Canterbury Marlowe Theatre    01227 787787
    www.marlowetheatre.com    on sale 

21 – 25 June    Plymouth Theatre Royal    01752 267222
    theatreroyal.com    on sale 

19 – 30 July    Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre    0844 847 2455*
    bordgaisenergytheatre.ie     on sale 

2 – 6 August    Birmingham Hippodrome    0844 338 5000*
    www.birminghamhippodrome.com    on sale 

9 - 13 August     Milton Keynes Theatre    0844 871 7615*
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre     on sale

16 – 20 August    Southend Cliffs Pavilion    0343 310 0030
    www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk    on sale 

23 – 27 August    Cardiff New Theatre    07925 659065
    www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk     on sale 

30 August - 3 September     Stoke Regent Theatre    0844 871 7615*    www.atgtickets.com /venues/regent-theatre     on sale

6 - 10 September     Woking New Victoria Theatre    0844 871 7615*
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre      on sale

13 – 17 September    Cheltenham Everyman Theatre    01242 572573 www.everymantheatre.org.uk    on sale


20 – 24 September    Dartford Orchard Theatre    01322 220000
    orchardtheatre.co.uk    on sale

27 September - 1 October     Glasgow King’s Theatre    0844 871 7615*    
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre    on sale

4 – 8 October    Aberdeen His Majesty’s Theatre    
    aberdeenperformingarts.com     on sale 

11 – 15 October    Edinburgh Festival Theatre    0131 529 6000
    www.capitaltheatres.com    on sale 

18 – 22 October    Wolverhampton Grand Theatre    01902 429212
    www.grandtheatre.co.uk    on sale 

25 – 29 October    Bradford The Alhambra Theatre    01274 432000
    www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/the-alhambra-theatre    on sale

1 - 12 November     Brighton Theatre Royal    0844 871 7615*    
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton    on sale 
     
15 - 19 November     York Grand Opera House    0844 871 7615*
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york     on sale

22 – 26 November    Ipswich Regent Theatre
    ipswichtheatres.co.uk     on sale

3 - 7 January 2023     Southampton Mayflower Theatre    02380 711811
    www.mayflower.org.uk     on sale 

10 – 14 January    Northampton Royal & Derngate     01604 624811        www.royalandderngate.co.uk    on sale 

17 - 21 January     Liverpool Empire Theatre    0844 871 7615*    
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire       on sale

24 - 28 January     Bristol The Hippodrome    0844 871 7615*
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome    on sale

31 January - 4 February     Wimbledon New Wimbledon Theatre     0844 871 7615*    www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre    on sale

7 – 11 February    Darlington Hippodrome    01325 405405
    www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk    on sale 

14 - 18 February     Torquay Princess Theatre    0844 871 7615*
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/princess-theatre-torquay     on sale

21 - 25 February     Oxford New Theatre    0844 871 7615*
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford    on sale

28 February – 4 March    Llandudno Venue Cymru    01492 872000
    www.venuecymru.co.uk    on sale 

7 – 11 March    Norwich Theatre Royal    01603 630 000
    norwichtheatre.org    on sale soon

14 – 18 March    Carlisle The Sands Centre    0333 33 55055
    www.thesandscentre.co.uk    on sale    

Further dates to be announced

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  • Home
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