Tuesday, July 5, 2022

From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 327, A Review: "Smokey Joe's Cafe" (Ivoryton Playhouse)

By James V. Ruocco

"Neighborhood"
"Spanish Harlem"
"Stand By Me"
"Little Egypt"
"Hound Dog"
"Love Potion #9"
"Poison Ivy"
"Yakety Yak"
"On Broadway"
"Jail House Rock"

Welcome to the world of Leiber and Stoller's celebratory musical revue "Smokey Joe's Cafe."

Then, now, today and tomorrow, this two-act musical is a feast of pop nostalgia, wonderful songs, fabulous sounds, booming voices, playful personalities, tangy lyrics, captured memories, sweet emotions and time-remembered innocence.
As presented on the stage of Ivoryton Playhouse, it spins and tilts its well-chosen, slice-of-life anthems, melodies and ballads into exciting musical tales of life, love, loss, desire, lust, romance and angst in the most imaginative of ways.

A tribute to one of the industry's most iconic songwriting teams, this revival is a rhythmic, enthusiastic entertainment, chock full of finger-snapping, foot-stomping, good, old-fashioned fun.

Its got feel.
Its got game.
Its got fire.
Its got pulse.
It sparks the heart.
It seductively acknowledges sexual heat and attraction.
It sings.
It dances.
It jives and shimmy's.
It transports you to a time and place of another decade.
It recognizes and respects the wit, the humor, the spark and the imagination of its creators.

It's also the perfect summer refreshment.
And boy, do we need it now.

To direct "Smokey Joe's Cafe" - and get it exactly right on all artistic and conceptual levels - directorial requirements mandate someone with a complete understanding of theatrical performance, theatrical form, theatrical presentation and theatrical expression. In Todd L. Underwood, a respected, acclaimed and award-winning director whose stage credits include "Saturday Night Fever," "Cabaret," "Rent," "The Color Purple" and "West Side Story," this revival of the original 1995 Broadway production is blessed with a dynamic individual whose technique, inspiration, knowledge and love for musical theater is extraordinary, detailed, creative and virtuosic. That mindset, mixed with musical-loving candor, consistency, correctness and homage dazzle, sparkle and spill gives this musical trajectory its nostalgic validation.

As storyteller, Underwood's direction complements the music at hand, thus, making important, stand-out choices that reflect the age and time of the piece, its characters, its setting, its musical revue mentality and its bounce from song-to-song flair and frenzy. In turn, nothing is out of place or out of sync during the musical's Act I and Act II evolution. Its all been carefully blocked, rehearsed, executed and staged with seamless energy and spirit that keeps it miraculously alive as actors take their place individually, in pairs, in quartets or as a full-front, nine member ensemble bringing a new sense of style and rhythm to the already familiar music. Or, as performers, complementing one another with the bend and snap concurrent in Underwood's swooping, stand-alone, emotionally-charged chart-stopping showcase.

Doubling as choreographer for "Smokey Joe's Cafe," Underwood creates a fusion of diverse styles, moods, themes and ideas that heighten the musical's flavor, its seriousness, its humor, its warmth and its actor-audience involvement. Torsos twist. Hands pop. Arms move heavenward. Bodies shake, quake and shimmy. Images reflect unity, beauty, love, lust and loss. Dancers twirl and swirl with ignited passion and purpose. It's all performed with irresistible elan using choice dance choreography that reflects the tradition, the magic, the conscience, the power and the musical heritage of the Leiber and Stoller legacy.

In revue format, "Smokey Joe's Cafe" unfolds through 41 musical numbers, presented in various combinations with no dialogue or no interconnected, unifying themes. They are (in order of being sung by the nine-member ensemble):  "Neighborhood," "Young Blood," "Falling," "Ruby Baby," "Dance With Me," "Neighborhood (reprise)," "Keep on Rollin,' " "Searchin," "Kansas City,"  "Trouble," "Love Me/Don't," "Fools Fall in Love," "Poison Ivy," "Don Juan," "I Keep Forgettin,' " "On Broadway," "D.W. Washburn," "Saved," "Baby, That is Rock & Roll," "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown," "Stay a While," "Pearl's A Singer," "Teach Me How to Shimmy," "You're the Boss," "Smokey Joe's Cafe," "Loving You," "Treat Me Nice," "Hound Dog," "Little Egypt," "I'm a Woman," "There Goes My Baby," "Love Potion #9," "Some Cats Know," "Jailhouse Rock," "Fools Fall in Love (reprise)," "Spanish Harlem," "I (Who Have Nothing)," "Neighborhood (reprise)" and "Stand By Me." 

Given the artistry, vibe and musical vocabulary of Leiber and Stoller and their elicitation of strong, moody, particularly fancied, lively songs. melodies and showstopping solos, musical director Mike Morris comes to Ivoryton with an even-handed pitch, boom, pace, clutch and understanding of the duo's iconic music, influence, vitality and thematic blocks. As "Smokey Joe's Cafe" evolves, he knows exactly how to make every single pop, R&B and rock 'n roll song present in this stellar revue to resonate with the inclusive, intimate haze and supper club magic that was prevalent in the 1950's and 1960's. Here, his approach to the actual, familiar music is fast, snappy, detailed, grounded and adventuresome. There's also a freshness to it all, complemented by choice orchestral ingredients that pinpoint different notes, styles, beats, rhythms, combinations and collisions. At the same time, it's more than just Broadway sonic pastiche. You get reinvention and reinterpretation that is smart, clever and veritable.

Doubling as conductor and pianist, Morris surrounds himself with the very talented orchestral team of Mark Gehret (bass), Andrew Wilcox (keyboard 2), Alex Giosa (drums/percussion), Dan Hartington (guitar) and Michael Paglione (saxophone), all of whom expressively share his fondness and appreciation of the Leiber and Stoller songbook. Under his tutelage, the band address and play the signature musical score with just the right amount of enthusiasm, emotion and humor evident in the duo's moody, ever-changing songs and styles. It all comes together beautifully, contoured with addictive, vibrant accounts, observed variants, projected buzz  and carefully calibrated tonal stability. The cast, in turn, have great fun with the material, never once missing a single beat, intention, harmony or rhythm associated with the tangy "Smokey Joe's Cafe" musical songbook. 

"Smokey Joe's Cafe" stars Debra Thais Evans, Tiffany Frances, Joseph Castro, Elvie Ellis, Cartreze Tucker, Cameron Loyal, Sandra Marante, Warren Nolan, Jr. and Gabriella Saramago. As dictated by the show's creator and director Todd L. Underwood, every performer on the Ivoryton stage gets his or her place in the spotlight while embracing the catchy, familiar sounds of Leiber and Stoller and illuminating the vocal brilliance, thrust and individuality of the musical score with integrity, wit, style, class, compassion and dignity.
There are star turns. There are showstoppers. There are laughs. There are tears. There are playful and sexy bits of stage business and musicality that get the pulses racing. Song by song, all nine members of the ensemble cast are in full and fine voice, reflecting the conceit of the material, its fluent story arcs, its conjuring questions and answers and its artistic brilliance. What's wonderful about this particular group of performers - all stars in their own right - is the depth and versatility they bring to every song they perform, their amazing range and control, their individual harmonizing and how they wrap their voice around a lyric they want you to appreciate and understand. Then again, that's the point of this oft-produced musical.

An energetic and savvy tribute to one of America's most celebrated songwriting duos, "Smokey Joe's Cafe"  gigawatts lightning-fast ripples of mood, voice, harmony and excitement with nostalgic spectacle and thrilling momentum. It jumps. It pops. It sparkles. It sings. It dances.
Every one of the musical numbers shows Leiber and Stoller at their very best and the cast - all nine of of them - go full-throttle as both singers and dancers - under Underwood's lofty, inspired direction and emotionally shifting choreography. 
It's sugar-rush escapism mixed with inviting, whizzing megamix, paraded around with charm and dazzle that goes a very long way.

"Smokey Joe's Cafe" is being staged at Ivoryton Playhouse (103 Main St., Ivoryton, CT), now through July 31, 2022.
For tickets or more information, call (860) 767-7318.
website: ivorytonplayhouse.org.

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