Classic Songs Are Center Stage at SVP's Smokey Joe's Cafe

Imagine strolling into a little known club on a cold, dark night. The neon sign is bright and the jukebox is playing some of your favorite pop songs. You’ve just wandered into the music hot spot known as “Smokey Joe’s Café – The Songs of Leiber and Stoller,” a celebration of one of rock and roll’s most successful songwriting duos that opens at the Somerset Valley Players on September 7.

“The intimate performing space at the SVP theatre is so appealing to me,” says director and choreographer Genevieve Estanislau. “The space naturally lends itself to showcasing the relationships between the actors and the audience. I want the audience to remember it as a personal space shared with friends.”

Smokey Joe’s Café originated on Broadway in 1995 as a cabaret production. Estanislau has taken a different approach with the SVP production. “Since there is no script – just these classic songs – I’ve created definitive character arcs/relationships for my performers,” she explains. “As both the director and choreographer, I’ve built 'scenes' out of each song – each one becomes a musical vignette.”

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were a songwriting and producing team responsible for some of the most famous rock and roll pop hits of the 1950s and 1960s. Their songs were recorded by The Coasters, The Drifters, Elvis Presley, Ben E. King, and many other artists. Together and with other collaborators, they wrote over 70 chart hits including Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, Yakety Yak, There Goes My Baby, Spanish Harlem, and Stand by Me. Both have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Producer Todd Bennington puts it simply, “The Leiber and Stoller songbook is the show. And to do it justice we have an amazing cast of performers who make the songs come alive. Genevieve and Musical Director Anthony “Coop” Competello are a great leadership team. Genevieve did exhaustive research into each song in the show, knowing how she wanted each one to sound. Coop believes in telling a story through the lyric of a song, not just the notes. Their technical expertise and passion are perfect for this show.”

What if, like at a real music joint, the audience has the urge to sing along or dance in their seat? “They absolutely will!” replies Estanislau. “My cast is tremendous, the music is timeless, and come opening night, SVP will be the hottest spot around!”

“Smokey Joe’s Cafe” opens September 7 and runs through September 23, at the Somerset Valley Players on 689 Amwell Road (Route 514) in Hillsborough. For times and tickets go to www.svptheatre.org . The theatre is air conditioned, wheelchair accessible and barrier free.