'Smokey Joe's Cafe' Opens at the Encore Musical Theatre

Grab your dancing shoes and join the party this weekend as brings the classic show, , to Dexter beginning today.

The show, which debuted in the early ’90s on Broadway, is a musical revue showcasing 39 pop standards written by songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

“It’s a nonstop musical extravaganza,” director Barbara Cullen said.

In a stark departure from last season, the Encore has moved back to its roots and is doing what it does best: smaller shows with a smaller cast.

“I love working on shows like Smokey Joe’s Café,” Cullen said. “It gives me the ability to really do some cool things with choreography.”

The cast of eight will present the songs — including hits like “Charlie Brown,” “Stand By Me” and “Jailhouse Rock” — in various combinations, with no dialogue and a minimalist set.

According to Cullen, the show takes elements from musical theater’s heyday.

“Musicals used to be collections of what the producers hoped would become hit songs, held together with a thin veil of dance, plot and dialogue,” she explained.

Over the years, shows transformed to what audiences are familiar with today — plot, character development and drama mixed with singing.

“In Smokey Joe’s Café, there’s not a plot per say, but each of the characters goes on this journey, and the audience will relate to one or all of them,” Cullen said. “You don’t need a plot, you don’t need performers to talk or act, all you need is musicians, some choreography and costumes, and some great singers.”

In order to train the cast to develop their characters without a script, Cullen said it was important to forge friendships early in the rehearsal process.

“I told the cast that, even though the audience doesn’t know it, I want them to play their part like they are old friends who have come to Smokey Joe’s for years and reminisce over old memories,” she said.

To aid the illusion, the cast created a scrapbook and contributed photos of their early years on stage.

“Every day before rehearsal, they would get together to look at the photos and bond,” Cullen explained.

Amy Smidebush of Nashville, ID, is making her debut at the Encore this season and will star in Smokey Joe’s Café and Godspell.

“I am thrilled to be in Dexter,” she said. “It’s been an amazing opportunity.  From day one, I felt like this was my family.”

Smidebush said working on Smokey Joe's has been a lot of fun.

"It's a party on stage," she said. "By the time the show ends, the audience will be having just as much fun as well."

No stranger to the world of musical theater, Smidebush will also present a one-night show titled New York State of Mind at The Encore on Feb. 11. The show features Smidebush and other Encore actors performing classic musical and pop songs.

“I used to perform several cabaret-style shows in New York and this is a reincarnation of that,” she said. “I think audiences will really enjoy it. There’s something for everyone.”

Tickets for New York State of Mind are $18 and are on sale at the Encore’s Box Office.

Guests at the performance of Smokey Joe’s Cafe on Friday are invited to attend the Opening Night After Glow Party with cast and crew at . Hors d’oeuvres will be provided along with a cash bar. 

Smokey Joe’s Cafe will run Feb. 2-26. Tickets are available by visiting The Encore’s website at http://theencoretheatre.org or call 734-268-6200.