With 39 pop songs, you can’t go wrong with ‘Smokey Joe’

The musical “Smokey Joe’s Café” played for 14 years on Broadway and it has been performed in everything from a Broadway theater to a small-town shoebox to Reno casinos. It has, and continues to enjoy great success with audiences no matter where the venue.

And why not? It includes 39 songs by the team of Jerome "Jerry" Leiber and Michael "Mike" Stoller.

“Smokey Joe's Café” made its theatrical debut in 1994 in Los Angeles. The show opened on Broadway on March 2, 1995, at the Virginia Theatre. The first London production was in 1996 at the Prince of Wales Theatre. The New York production closed on Jan. 16, 2000, after 2,036 performances, making “Smokey Joe's Café” the longest running musical revue in Broadway history. The final performance was filmed, and released on DVD in 2001.

IF YOU GO Who: Brewery Arts Center Summer Stock Theatre Company What: “Smokey Joe’s Café,” the songs of Leiber and Stoller Where: 511 W. King St., The Brewery Outdoor Stage in the Performance Hall parking lot When: Today-Saturday; July 31- Aug. 2; Aug. 7-9. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $15 general seating; $3 off for BAC members, seniors, and students Refreshments will be available. Sponsored in part by Click Bond and Brewery Arts Center.

“Smokey Joe's Café” is a musical theatrical revue showcasing 39 pop standards, including rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm and blues songs written by songwriters Leiber and Stoller. The range of musical subjects is awesome — from “Charlie Brown”” to “Jailhouse Rock,” which helped propel Elvis to mega-stardom.

The musical was nominated for seven Tony Awards.

Throughout its run, the cast included special appearances by a variety of popular recording artists, including Gladys Knight, Gloria Gaynor and Rick Springfield.
Which brings us naturally to the local cast, all veterans of local stages and shows. The cast includes Susan Sonnemaker, Rich Garrett, Andy Sonnemaker, Karen Chandler, Steven Meyer, Therese Curatolo, Domenic Procaccini II and Andie Anderson — names familiar to local theater-goers. The production is directed by Tony DeGeiso with musical direction by cast member Susan Sonnemaker.

We caught up with the “Joe” cast at the outdoor dining area of Adele’s on Carson Street, where diners were given a 30-minute preview of the show. The guests loved the show and so will audiences this weekend at the Outdoor Stage of the Brewery in the parking lot of Performance Hall. Refreshments will be available for those who’ll enjoy the singing and acting but need a little sustenance.

And why not?

Show Songs: In Act I: • “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” • “Saved” Don’t remember them all? You will when you hear these in Act II: • “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” • “Loving You” • “Treat Me Nice” • “Hound Dog” • “Little Egypt” • “I'm a Woman” • “There Goes My Baby” • “Love Potion No. 9” • “Some Cats Know” • “Jailhouse Rock” • “Spanish Harlem” • “I (Who Have Nothing)” • “Stand by Me”