Review: SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE A Pleasant Diversion

SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE originally opened just over ten years ago in 1995, and after 2036 performances, became the longest running musical revue in Broadway history. A revue showcasing the music of Leiber and Stoller, this is music positioned in 2016 to be much more recognizable to the Greatest Generation and retired Baby Boomers than it does, of course, to the Madonna and Prince crowd. And if Leiber and Stoller are not recognizable names, perhaps the names who sang their music are: The Drifters, Dion, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, even Joni Mitchell and Donna Summer. Do the songs "Spanish Harlem," "Jailhouse Rock," "Hound Dog," and "Kansas City" ring a bell? That's Leiber and Stoller. This makes it perhaps, a perfect show for the beautiful Georgetown Palace. The audience in attendance last Saturday was quite full of lively well-dressed retirees who enjoyed the nine-member cast and six-piece band performing each of the thirty-nine (!) numbers that make up the show.

It's a pleasant show, however, viewer be warned, SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE is the kind of juke box musical that has no plot whatsoever, and makes no apologies about it. Given that it ran for those 2036 performances before it closed on Broadway, the music (as evidenced by winning a Grammy when the six Tony nominations it garnered produced no wins) is the real star of this show.

Artistic Director Mary Ellen Butler and Technical Director Ron Watson have a clear dedication to production values in general and Scenic Artist Rebecca Barbour doesn't disappoint with this show either. The projection and artwork provide the perfect backdrop, literally, for this production.

The nine company members in SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE take on a great deal of work with the show's thirty-nine numbers. Thankfully for them, Vincent Sandoval's choreography is uncomplicated, adding necessary interest without overshadowing them or the music. Alternately, it is obvious that a few of the cast members, as evidenced in their own bios and enthusiasm for dance, would have willingly taken on a lot more. On occasion, a few of the actors were overshadowed by some distracting technical issues with the mics here and there, but they ably perform and execute the show. This challenge, along with the monumental task of getting through thirty-nine numbers in a fashion that holds our interest, is no small feat. This kind of production calls for each and every performer to command attention without demanding it. While each company member carries their own weight in this regard, the adorable Kelsey Wooldridge and class act Emily Perzan have that gift in particular.

SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE is a pleasant diversion, especially for those who are familiar with the tunes Leiber and Stoller made famous. It evokes a gentler time and it's light and fluffy. It may be just what is needed in July of an election year.

SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE runs at the Georgetown Palace Theatre, 810 S. Austin Ave, Georgetown; Weekends July 15 - August 14, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets $28, call 512-869-SHOW.

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