Cher receives a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Play.
On April 12, 1983, Cher received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Play for her performance in Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. The Drama Desk Awards, established to honor excellence in New York theater across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions, represented a significant critical acknowledgment of Cher's dramatic acting abilities.
This nomination was an important marker of legitimacy for Cher within the theater community, an industry that had not previously considered her a serious dramatic talent given her background in pop music and television variety entertainment. It validated her decision to pursue stage acting and dramatic film roles.
The recognition helped solidify the critical reappraisal of Cher as a genuine actress, setting the stage for her subsequent successes in film, including her breakthrough performances in Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985), and ultimately her Academy Award-winning role in Moonstruck (1987). This nomination stands as an early milestone in what would become a celebrated parallel career in acting alongside her music.