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Smokey Joe's Cafe Revival 2018

Run Time:
One hour and 30 minutes
Ages: 6+
Opened: July 22, 2018
Closing: November 04, 2018

Smokey Joe's Cafe - 2018 Off-Broadway History , Info & More

Stage 42
422 West 42nd Street (between 9th and 10th) New York, NY 10036

An all-new incarnation of the record-breaking Broadway hit returns to NYC!

Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller, the Grammy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated smash, made history as Broadway's longest-running musical revue. Featuring 36 of the greatest songs of the past century, including showstopping classics like "On Broadway," "Stand by Me," "Jailhouse Rock," "Hound Dog," "Love Potion No. 9," "Spanish Harlem," "Yakety Yak" and "Charlie Brown," it celebrates the music of the legendary songwriting duo, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Their generation-defining songs provided hit after hit for icons like Elvis Presley, Ben E. King, The Coasters, and The Drifters.

Featuring a wide-ranging catalog that celebrates the humor, passion, and heartbreak of everyday life, this classic show now returns to NYC to thrill a new generation of theatergoers with its enduring themes and searing emotions.

Directed and choreographed by Emmy Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee Joshua Bergasse, whose credits include Broadway's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and On the Town, Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" and NBC's "Smash."


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Breaking: SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Will Play Final Off-Broadway Performance Next Month
by Nicole Rosky - October 17, 2018


Producers Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel and Tom Viertel announced today that Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, the all-new incarnation of the record breaking Broadway hit, will close on Sunday, November 4, 2018. The show will have played 20 previews and 121 performances at Stage 42 (422 West 42nd Street). Previews began on Friday, July 6 and the production officially opened on Sunday, July 22.

VIDEO: Rock Out with the Cast of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Performing 'Ruby Baby!'
by A.A. Cristi - August 30, 2018


Get ready to rock with Leiber & Stoller's 'Ruby Baby!" Previously recorded by such legendary acts as The Drifters, Elvis Presley, and The Beach Boys, the revival's soulful take on this hit song features Max Sangerman, along with members of the cast and band of Smokey Joe's Cafe, jamming out together at Stage 42.

VIDEO: SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Explores Leiber and Stoller's History with the Gibson Guitar
by A.A. Cristi - August 29, 2018


The new production of Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, officially opened on, Sunday, July 22. The vibrant nine-member ensemble led by director choreographer Joshua Bergasse brings new life to more than 30 classic songs including 'Stand by Me,' 'I'm a Woman,' 'Hound Dog,' 'Fools Fall In Love,' 'On Broadway,' 'Yakety Yak,' 'Pearl's a Singer,' 'Treat Me Nice,' 'There Goes My Baby,' 'Love Potion #9,' 'Jailhouse Rock,' and 'Spanish Harlem.' Check out a new video exploring the history of Leiber and Stoller and the Gibson guitar below!

Alysha Umphress Responds to NY Times Journalist's Alleged Body Shaming
by Julie Musbach - July 23, 2018


Alysha Umphress is one of Broadway's most sparkling talents, currently starring in Smokey Joe's Cafe Off-Broadway. Despite Umphress's talents and a general positive reaction to the show, New York Times critic Laura Collins-Hughes made a comment in her review about the actress's weight, and the Twitter-verse is calling it out as body shaming. The review reads:

BWW Review: Joshua Bergasse Creates a Sensational New Style For the Leiber and Stoller Smash SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE
by Michael Dale - July 23, 2018


When the smash hit revue SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, celebrating the pop classics of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, opened on Broadway in 1995, director Jerry Zaks staged each beloved number with snazzy show-biz slickness and glitz, suggesting the ways they might have been performed by the artists who introduced them when in concert or on television variety shows.

Review Roundup: What Did the Critics Think of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE?
by Stephi Wild - July 23, 2018


The new production of Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, officially opened on Sunday, July 22. Let's see what the critics are saying...

Photo Coverage: SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Celebrates Opening Night!
by Jessica Fallon Gordon - July 23, 2018


The new production of Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, officially opened last night, Sunday, July 22. The vibrant nine-member ensemble led by director choreographer Joshua Bergasse brings new life to more than 30 classic songs including 'Stand by Me,' 'I'm a Woman,' 'Hound Dog,' 'Fools Fall In Love,' 'On Broadway,' 'Yakety Yak,' 'Pearl's a Singer,' 'Treat Me Nice,' 'There Goes My Baby,' 'Love Potion #9,' 'Jailhouse Rock,' and 'Spanish Harlem.'

SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Announces Digital Rush and Ticket Lottery
by Julie Musbach - July 6, 2018


Performances for Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller begin tonight, Friday, July 6 at Stage 42 and today the producers announced the Digital Lottery and Rush policy. Tickets for both the digital lottery and rush tickets will be $30 which includes the facility fee.

TV: Yakety Yak, SMOKEY JOE's Is Back! Meet the Company and Catch a Sneak Peek
by Nicole Rosky - July 1, 2018


They say the neon lights are bright off Broadway! The new production of Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, begins preview performances on Friday, July 6 and officially opens on Sunday, July 22.

Photo Coverage: The Cast of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Meets the Press at Feinstein's/54 Below!
by Walter McBride - June 27, 2018


They say the neon lights are bright off Broadway! The new production of Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, begins preview performances on Friday, July 6 and officially opens on Sunday, July 22.

TV: The Neon Lights Are Bright Off-Broadway! Watch Sneak Peek of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE!
by Nicole Rosky - June 27, 2018


They say the neon lights are birght off Broadway! The new production of Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, begins preview performances on Friday, July 6 and officially opens on Sunday, July 22.

Video: Mike Stoller Chats About The Return Of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE
by A.A. Cristi - June 6, 2018


Over the course of a 61-year partnership, Jerry Leiber (d. 2011) and Mike Stoller created enduring classics in a variety of genres including rhythm & blues, pop, country, jazz, cabaret, and-perhaps most notably-rock & roll. Elvis Presley and the Coasters are only two of the many acts whose careers skyrocketed because of Leiber and Stoller's creative partnership.

Review Roundup: Ogunquit's Off-Broadway Bound SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE
by Alan Henry - May 25, 2018


Smokey Joe's Cafe is grooving across the stage, get a first look at the production below! The show is currently playing at The Ogunquit Playhouse (Bradford Kenney, Executive Artistic Director) through June 9 prior to the New York production. Performances at Stage 42 begin on Friday, July 6.

VIDEO: Mike Stoller Appears at Opening Night of Ogunquit's Off-Broadway Bound SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE
by A.A. Cristi - May 24, 2018


Smokey Joe's Cafe is grooving across the stage, get a first look at the production below! The show is currently playing at The Ogunquit Playhouse (Bradford Kenney, Executive Artistic Director) through June 9 prior to the New York production. Performances at Stage 42 begin on Friday, July 6. Visit www.smokeyjoescafemusical.com for more information.

VIDEO: First Look at Ogunquit's Off-Broadway Bound SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE
by Alan Henry - May 24, 2018


Smokey Joe's Cafe is grooving across the stage, get a first look at the production below! The show is currently playing at The Ogunquit Playhouse (Bradford Kenney, Executive Artistic Director) through June 9 prior to the New York production. Performances at Stage 42 begin on Friday, July 6. Visit www.smokeyjoescafemusical.com for more information.

Smokey Joe's Cafe FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the songs in Smokey Joe's Cafe and what's the order?
Neighborhood
Young Blood
Falling
Ruby Baby
Dance with Me
Keep On Rollin'
Searchin'
Kansas City
Trouble
Love Me
Don't
Fools Fall in Love
Poison Ivy
Don Juan
Shoppin' for Clothes
I Keep Forgettin'
On Broadway
D. W. Washburn
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
Little Egypt
There Goes My Baby
Love Potion #9
Some Cats Know
Spanish Harlem
I (Who Have Nothing)
Stand By Me
Saved
Loving You
Treat Me Nice
Hound Dog
I'm a Woman
Jailhouse Rock

Smokey Joe's Cafe History

Other Productions of Smokey Joe's Cafe

1995   Broadway Original Broadway Production
Broadway
1996   West End London Production
West End
2018   Off-Broadway Off-Broadway Revival
Off-Broadway

Smokey Joe's Cafe - 2018 Off-Broadway Awards and Nominations

Note: Award winners will appear on a background
Year Ceremony Category Nominee
2019 Drama League Awards Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical Smokey Joe's Cafe
2019 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Revival of a Musical Smokey Joe's Cafe

Videos