Viral Vocal Coach Cheryl Porter Makes Her Broadway Dreams Real in & Juliet

Age: 52

Hometown: South Side of Chicago, Illinois

Current Role: Cheryl Porter is making her Broadway debut as Angelique, a character inspired by the Nurse in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in the musical & Juliet.

Credits: While this is Porter’s first time taking the stage on Broadway, she’s lent her voice to the Italian version of the 2019 live-action remake of The Lion King, singing “The Circle of Life.” Her career as a trained opera singer has taken her around the world, with performances in Germany, Mexico, Singapore, Italy and at the Vatican for the Pope and Luciano Pavarotti. She is also a beloved and internationally recognized vocal coach, with 45 million followers across her social media channels.

A Second Chance at Romance
Getting a first shot on Broadway in her 50s makes playing Angelique even sweeter for Porter. “I’m proud to portray this woman who sacrificed her love and travel for Juliet—which is truly like the story of my life when I look at my career,” she says. “I was all over Europe, and I found this love of vocal coaching and felt I had a pull to help these students,” she adds, noting that pursuit of creative arts is often a family effort and not just the responsibility of the artist alone. “To be a part of so many families’ journeys, I definitely relate to Angelique having so much love for Juliet and making sure she’s OK before she finds her true love,” Porter says. For Angelique, that true love is romance, but for Porter, it’s stepping onto the stage, a newfound passion that she says marks the first time she’s doing something entirely for herself. “I can really appreciate this moment more at 52 years old because I know it could have easily not come to me,” she says. Broadway, she explains, as a youthful aspiration of hers that she had long since set aside. “Who would have ever thought that the decisions I made to become a vocal coach would be the catalyst to bring me back to the stage? It’s the craziest turnaround in my life, and I think it’s the most beautiful thing ever.”

Written in the Stars
Just as Romeo and Juliet were fated to meet, the stars aligned for Porter to land her Broadway debut in a Shakespeare-inspired musical. Porter is a longtime resident of Vicenza, Italy—the hometown of Luigi Da Porto, the original author of Romeo and Juliet—Porter lives just 20 minutes from Verona. “It’s real life to me. I can see the hills, the castles, the church—I’ve sung in the church,” Porter says, speaking of the Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore, where Romeo and Juliet are meant to have been married. “It’s a beautiful coming home. It’s been following me all my life, I just didn’t know it,” Porter adds. “The story has been so magical to me for so many years, and now everything is coming full circle.”

A Friend Like Him
& Juliet may be one of the most entertaining musicals on Broadway, but that doesn’t mean preparing for it was easy. For Porter, the singing came easy thanks to her work as a vocal coach, but the dancing proved more demanding. “The vibes are great, but let me tell you honey—the training and preparation for this show was intense,” she says. “If I was to imagine myself doing a Broadway debut, I would have never imagined having to train so hard. It’s a young show. I’m up there trying to keep up with these kids!” Still, she finds the energy of her younger castmates energizing. “They give me so much life. I love being around aspiring artists at the beginning of their career.” She also shares the stage with Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart, best known as the original Genie in Aladdin. “James is an icon and a giant in this industry. He has become a big brother and friend to me,” Porter says. “The first thing he said to me when we met was, ‘You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. Don’t doubt yourself.’” For Porter, those words became a coaching moment as she embraced the role of student, learning from her co-stars and the directors and producers. “Right before every show, James comes down to my room and asks, ‘You OK, Mama?’ And then at halftime, I go to his room and ask, ‘You all right, Daddy?’ So we have our check-ins many times during the day. He’s my rock, for sure,” she says.

Internationally Known
Porter has built a global reputation as an inspiring and powerful force for her vocal students, but being on Broadway makes her feel like the student for once. While it’s common to see fans of movie and TV stars flock to Broadway, it’s rare to see that kind of outpouring of support from students of a vocal coach. But Porter has earned so much love through her work that groups of her international students have been organizing trips to see her Broadway debut. One student from Ecuador even brought her a handmade hat. “He got the tickets the day I made the announcement and came up with some other students,” Porter says. “Every country is creating a Mama Cheryl Broadway trip. There’s a group coming from Mexico, and a group of seven singers from Germany just came.”

Hallmark Dreams
Playing a powerhouse, fairy godmother-type in & Juliet makes it easy to picture Porter in a Disney musical, guiding a princess with strength and wisdom. But her dream role is a little different. “One of my big dreams is to have a Hallmark Christmas special, like Mama Cheryl Saves Christmas, where there’s a school who wants to sing but the choir isn’t good, so I come and help them,” she says. “I’ve never told anybody, but that’s one of my dreams.” It doesn’t seem far-fetched for someone like Porter, who has released holiday albums and singles and even performed her original song, “Carefree Christmas” on the Today show in 2023. She’s also always dreamed of playing Ursula in The Little Mermaid. “I think it’s so funny because I’m a vocal coach—I give voices—and Ursula takes them away,” she says. Her biggest dream, though, is simply to keep spreading light, touching lives and bringing joy into the world. “Where does one go after Broadway?” she marvels. “I’m just so happy to be here. So, who knows what’s in store? I’m just along for the ride.”