REVIEW BY RUTH BINGHAM / Special to the Star-Advertiser
For “Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller,” Manoa Valley Theatre has transformed itself into a basement club on the hoppin’ side of a 1950s-60s town.
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‘SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE’Presented by Manoa Valley Theatre» Where: Manoa Valley Theatre, 2833 E. Manoa Rd. |
The set by M.J. Matsushita merges exterior — a neon sign and clotheslines, apartments, bricks and balconies — with interior aspects like stairs descending to a stage and small tables served by staff in aprons and bow ties. The audience plays both itself in the here-and-now and the there-and-then, drinking and clapping along as patrons of the club.
“Smokey Joe’s Cafe” recreates the uniquely American club scene during the rise of crossover genres: gospel, country, blues, jazz, big band, and the emerging rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly, R&B and pop. Jerome (“Jerry”) Leibner’s and Mike Stoller’s names may not be familiar to all, but their music was powerful, weaving the many genres into a new sound that launched the ‘60s.
MVT’s revue delivers 37 numbers, including mega-hits such as “Hound Dog,” “Love Potion #9,” “Kansas City,” and “Spanish Harlem,” as well as a few little-remembered songs like “Neighborhood” and “Shoppin’ for Clothes.” Curiously enough, it does not include its title number, an early hit from the mid-1950s.
Not surprisingly in an era of Baby Boomer nostalgia, “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” holds the record as Broadway’s longest running musical revue (2036 performances between 1995 and 2000). It’s a sure-fire hit among those who lived through the ‘50s and ‘60s, yet fun for all ages.
In this revue, the songs are linked not by storyline or chronology, but by more subtle means: mood, tempo, style, and even by contrast. In other words, don’t search for connections — just enjoy the flow.
MVT’s production, engagingly directed and choreographed by Brad Powell, features an excellent five-piece band, nine talented singers and dancer Pam Sandridge, who appears just once for a cameo performance in “I’m a Woman” from 1962, a song neatly balanced between the misogyny of the 1950s and the emerging feminism of the 1960s.
In the course of the evening, the singers play multiple roles, combining and recombining as soloists and backups, couples, boy- and girl-bands, and ensembles.
Perhaps because male vocal styles have changed less over the ages, the five males – Derrick Brown, Jonathan Causey, Sheldon Gomabon, Ethan Okura, and Miguel K. Pa‘ekukui – provided the most cohesive sound, matching and blending smoothly. Their rendition of “Keep on Rollin’,” a four-part close-harmony number (lacking only Gomabon), was terrific.
The four females presented a more individualized group: Alison Aldcroft’s jazz approach, Katja Berthold’s contemporary Broadway technique, Alison Maldonado’s gospel/blues/R&B style that best suited the ‘50s/‘60s sound and Lelea‘e “Buffy” Wong’s Broadway belt style.
All nine are outstanding performers, each in his or her own way.
Nostalgic revues such as this one present an inherent challenge. Too accurate, and they come across as corny, reminding everyone why the style fell from popularity; too updated, and they don’t evoke that pleasurable yearning for what’s past. Powell struck an appealing balance, offering fresh impressions while preserving the feel and charm of the old.
Because musical styles changed so very much in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Powell could pick singers to match songs, sometimes providing a new perspective. Assigning Elvis Presley’s signature “Hound Dog” to a female (Maldonado), for example, neatly side-stepped the inevitable comparison while highlighting its blues genealogy.
Powell also choreographed new interpretations, turning “Dance With Me” (ensemble) into a comedy and “You’re the Boss” (Maldonado and Brown) into a delightful scene.
Each performer revealed a different aspect of Leiber and Stoller. Only the very pretty and talented Berthold seemed miscast, too young and with too contemporary a voice for these songs. Her almost virginal delivery of “Trouble” came across as satire; only when Maldonado growled, “I’m evil, so don’t you mess around with me,” did the song’s true nature emerge. What was clear is that Berthold has a bright future on stage.
MVT’s production lacks the perfection of harmonies and precision in back-up singers’ choreography that were so essential to the era’s aesthetics, but the performers’ talent, energy, and enthusiasm are infectious.
MVT’s band was especially noteworthy, presenting not only solid support throughout but several wonderful solos, especially in “Baby That is Rock & Roll.”
“Smokey Joe’s Cafe” delivers a fitting cap to MVT’s 45th Anniversary season, returning audiences to the musical world of its origins.