Smokey Joe’s Café

Concept by Stephen Helper and Jack Viertel. Music and lyrics by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, with additional material by Phil Spector, Ben E. King, Doc Pomus, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Kent Harris, Ralph Dino, John Sembello, Carlo Donida, “Mogol”, Benjamin Earl Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell, Louis Lebish and Irv Nathan. The original Broadway production opened on 2 March 1995 and was directed by Jerry Saks with choreography by Joey McKneely. The production closed on 16 January 2000, running for a total of 2 036 performances. A DVD production of the Broadway show has been released.

Synopsis and Musical Numbers

Smokey Joe’s Cafe is a musical revue. There is no plot, just nine extremely powerful performers enjoying the glory of American music in the fifties. If there is one thing that can describe that era, it is certainly the music and the neighbourhoods in which it played. Two men were behind it all and Smokey Joe’s Cafe is in their honour: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Songs written by the duo are strung cleverly together one following another, featuring wonderful choreography and delightful comedy. The songs include:

NEIGHBORHOOD (which links the show together with a few strategically placed reprises); YOUNG BLOOD; FALLING; RUBY BABY; DANCE WITH ME; KEEP ON ROLLIN’; SEARCHIN’; KANSAS CITY; TROUBLE; LOVE ME; DON’T; FOOLS FALL IN LOVE (in both up tempo and ballad versions); POISON IVY; DON JUAN; SHOPPIN’ FOR CLOTHES; 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; SPANISH HARLEM; I (WHO HAVE NOTHING); and STAND BY ME.

Mini Gallery