Sherri Shepherd is running hard so she won’t run behind. She hops on a phone call explaining she’s just been in the last phase of an audition, a producer’s session, for “& Juliet.” The hit Broadway musical reimagines Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet.”
“I’ve done Broadway before. I did ‘Cinderella.’ I played the Evil Stepmother (Madam), and Keke Palmer played Cinderella. So I have that experience,” says Shepherd, appearing at 8 p.m. today at the Palazzo Theatre on her “Make It Make Sense” tour.
Shepherd welcomed the cast of “& Juliet” to perform “Since U Been Gone,” with a full stage set, on the Galentine’s Day celebration on her syndicated talk show in February. That appearance might have been an indication of the show’s interest in Shepherd, and vice versa.
“Broadway is almost like doing stand-up comedy. It’s a live showing, eight shows a week, and that’s the same energy,” Shepherd says. “It’s a very comedic role, which I love.”
But there is a concern.
“I don’t know how to sing,” Shepherd says. “That’s the only problem.”
It is suggested that anyone can learn to sing, as long as they find their range.
“That’s what they do for me: They put those songs in my range so that I could do them,” she says. “That’s what they said they can do: ‘We can work with you,’ so we’ll see if that transmits into a job.”
After completing this tour, Shepherd will be in Cape Town, South Africa, working on the movie “Angel in the Rubble.” The project is a film adaptation of the story of Genelle Guzman-McMillan, the last survivor pulled from the World Trade Center rubble after the 9/11 attacks.
The movie is due out on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy, executive produced by Shepherd and Robin Roberts’ Rockin’ Robin Productions.
Shepherd is also focusing on comedy in “Make Me Laugh May” on episodes of “Sherri” airing this month. Though it was announced in February the show would be canceled after four seasons, “Sherri” producers stated, “We believe in this show and in Sherri and intend to explore alternatives for it on other platforms.”
Her stand-up set is relatable to everyone, similar to her talk show. She’s in front of a transient audience, mostly tourists, at the Palazzo show.
“I think laughter is universal, so if I’m talking about something that is going on with my son, which I frequently talk about, and that’s universal,” Shepherd says. “It doesn’t have to be Las Vegas specific. If you’re a parent and you are trying to get your kid out of the house, but they won’t go, everybody relates to that. If you’re a single woman and you’re trying to date, that’s not Las Vegas specific. This is for every woman who’s single and trying to date.”
Bill Burr, Wanda Sykes and Dave Chappelle are among Shepherd’s comedy inspirations. She has also been captivated by Whoopi Goldberg’s stage show.
“Whoopi was one of the first ones that I saw who did her stand-up in the form of a one-woman show, and she had the most amazing stories,” Shepherd says. “That’s where I learned not everything is being funny. You can tell a really great story, and touch a heart, and I love that.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.