When the musical "Smokey Joe's Café" opened on Broadway in 1995, the show held great promise. It combined songs such as "Stand by Me" and "Love Potion #9," which are familiar even to people of our generation, with the sultry and edgy movement of "Fosse" for an unexpected and high-energy musical revue. With its jukebox-worthy soundtrack of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller music, the quintessential rock 'n' roll composers, and direction and choreography by Chet Walker, the creator of "Fosse," the show was nominated for seven Tony awards.
However, the Bethesda Theatre's performance of "Smokey Joe's" did not live up to its hype, with flat and clichéd directing choices that evoked cheese rather than sass.
"Smokey Joe's" is a musical revue in the full sense of the term. There is no storyline other than that created in each short song. Without the narrative arc usually found in musicals, the songs seem stilted and occasionally tedious. There is no movement to the show. Consequently, it relies too heavily on nostalgia to fill in the gaps.
Costuming and set choices augmented the sense of being at your parent's prom. It is clear that the costumes were supposed to embody the "Fosse" ethos of spunk and sex. However, with short-fringed dresses and leotards, the wardrobe often smacked of middle school dance recital rather than of Broadway.
The stage consisted of a skeletal suggestion of urban apartments, with images of the good old days projected on giant white screens. The screens, however, never seemed to close at the right time, blocking out snippets of song and dance. Further, the second act introduced occasional strobe lighting during slower numbers that cheapened the music.
The cast's vocals and energy, however, were the light of the show. Four members of the cast, Alexander Elisa, Miles Johnson, Teren Carter and Erich McMillan-McCall, brought their quartet of richly harmonized music to numerous numbers. Aurelia William's vocals were incredible, often lighting up entire numbers such as a feisty rendition of "Hound Dog" and a high-energy cast performance of "Saved."
Jennifer Byrne, who brought extensive credits in the New York theater scene, brought expert dancing and unflagging enthusiasm to the show.
She said in a phone interview that doing a musical revue demanded a constant level of energy.
"It's 41 songs of singing and dancing with no breaks," she said. "But the energy of the show comes naturally."
Byrne worked with Walker before in a New York production of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and said she loves how he teaches the cast his vision, allowing the revue's songs to take a different shape.
"He hears different things in the music," she said. "You would never think to put the 'Fosse' style choreography with the music of the '50s and '60s.
McMillan-McCall said the intensity of the show required stamina. The show drew on his experience in all facets of theater - singing, acting and even ballet.
The unique nature of the show will create a connection with those of different generations, he said.
"The music has themes found in music of all eras," he said.
The attempt to make "Smokey Joe's" multi-generational is what ultimately trips it up. The songs lose its roots and the modern choreography and set seem out of place, creating a generic show rather than a universal one.
