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Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and StollerOpening Date: March 2, 1995
Closing Date: Jan 16, 2000 Air date: Sept 10, 2000 Medium: TV Where to watch: DVD (affiliate link) |
Stage Production Notes
The first rock ’n’ roll jukebox musical, Smokey Joe’s Cafe is a revue celebrating the songbook of 1960s pop composers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Leiber and Stoller composed hit songs such as “Hound Dog,” “Love Potion No. 9,” “On Broadway,” and “Yakety Yak.” Their tunes were performed by Elvis, the Drifters, the Coasters, Big Mama Thornton, and Peggy Lee.
The musical was initially workshopped under various titles including "Vinyl", "Lieber and Stoller's All Star Singing Black and White Revue", and then "Baby That's Rock n' Roll".
Following 25 previews, Smokey Joe’s Cafe opened on Broadway at the Virginia Theatre (now the August Wilson) on March 2, 1995. The cast included Ken Ard, Adrian Bailey, Brenda Braxton, Victor Trent Cook, B.J. Crosby, Pattie Darcy Jones, DeLee Lively, Frederick B. Owens, and Michael Park.
According to union rules, musicals staged at the Virginia Theatre required a minimum of 16 musicians in the pit. Smokey Joe’s Cafe stirred controversy when it won a ruling to use a synthesizer along with a reduced pit of 7 players.
New York Times theatre critic Ben Brantley described the revue as “a strangely homogenized tribute to one of the popular music’s most protean songwriting teams…”
The show was nominated for seven Tony Awards during the 1995 season, and was one of only two shows nominated for Best Musical that year (the other show, Sunset Boulevard, ultimately won the Tony). The song "On Broadway" was performed live from the Virginia Theatre as part of the opening number, and the cast members were filmed singing and dancing across Times Square to the Minskoff Theatre. The cast was also scheduled to perform "Woman" at the Tony Awards, but due to timing constraints, the number was cut.
A national tour opened in Iowa City on September 18, 1998 and performed around the United States until May 1999.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe ran on Broadway for 2036 regular performances before closing on January 16, 2000. The revue was still showing decent numbers at the box office, but was closed to make room for The Wild Party by John Michael LaChiusa and starring Toni Collette.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe opened on the West End at the Prince of Wales theatre in 1996. It ran for two years before closing on October 3, 1998.
Supervision Media and Broadway Worldwide announced in September 2011 that Smokey Joe’s Cafe would be one of four musicals to be screened in cinemas worldwide in 2012. The other musicals on offer included Jekyll & Hyde, Putting it Together, and Memphis.
In 2014, the original cast reunited for a one night only concert at 54 Below.
An off-Broadway production directed by Joshua Bergasse opened at Stage 42 on July 22, 2018 and ran until November 4. The cast included Dwayne Cooper, Emma Degerstedt, John Edwards, Dionne D. Figgins, Nicole Vanessa Ortiz, Kyle Taylor Parker, Jelani Remy, Max Sangerman, Alysha Umphress, and understudies Shavey Brown, Antionette Comer, Dan Domenech, and Bronwyn Tarboton.
On September 1, 2020, the original cast reunited on Stars in the House featuring guest host Brenda Braxton.
Amateur rights for Smokey Joe’s Cafe are available through the Rogers & Hammerstein Organization.
The first rock ’n’ roll jukebox musical, Smokey Joe’s Cafe is a revue celebrating the songbook of 1960s pop composers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Leiber and Stoller composed hit songs such as “Hound Dog,” “Love Potion No. 9,” “On Broadway,” and “Yakety Yak.” Their tunes were performed by Elvis, the Drifters, the Coasters, Big Mama Thornton, and Peggy Lee.
The musical was initially workshopped under various titles including "Vinyl", "Lieber and Stoller's All Star Singing Black and White Revue", and then "Baby That's Rock n' Roll".
Following 25 previews, Smokey Joe’s Cafe opened on Broadway at the Virginia Theatre (now the August Wilson) on March 2, 1995. The cast included Ken Ard, Adrian Bailey, Brenda Braxton, Victor Trent Cook, B.J. Crosby, Pattie Darcy Jones, DeLee Lively, Frederick B. Owens, and Michael Park.
According to union rules, musicals staged at the Virginia Theatre required a minimum of 16 musicians in the pit. Smokey Joe’s Cafe stirred controversy when it won a ruling to use a synthesizer along with a reduced pit of 7 players.
New York Times theatre critic Ben Brantley described the revue as “a strangely homogenized tribute to one of the popular music’s most protean songwriting teams…”
The show was nominated for seven Tony Awards during the 1995 season, and was one of only two shows nominated for Best Musical that year (the other show, Sunset Boulevard, ultimately won the Tony). The song "On Broadway" was performed live from the Virginia Theatre as part of the opening number, and the cast members were filmed singing and dancing across Times Square to the Minskoff Theatre. The cast was also scheduled to perform "Woman" at the Tony Awards, but due to timing constraints, the number was cut.
A national tour opened in Iowa City on September 18, 1998 and performed around the United States until May 1999.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe ran on Broadway for 2036 regular performances before closing on January 16, 2000. The revue was still showing decent numbers at the box office, but was closed to make room for The Wild Party by John Michael LaChiusa and starring Toni Collette.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe opened on the West End at the Prince of Wales theatre in 1996. It ran for two years before closing on October 3, 1998.
Supervision Media and Broadway Worldwide announced in September 2011 that Smokey Joe’s Cafe would be one of four musicals to be screened in cinemas worldwide in 2012. The other musicals on offer included Jekyll & Hyde, Putting it Together, and Memphis.
In 2014, the original cast reunited for a one night only concert at 54 Below.
An off-Broadway production directed by Joshua Bergasse opened at Stage 42 on July 22, 2018 and ran until November 4. The cast included Dwayne Cooper, Emma Degerstedt, John Edwards, Dionne D. Figgins, Nicole Vanessa Ortiz, Kyle Taylor Parker, Jelani Remy, Max Sangerman, Alysha Umphress, and understudies Shavey Brown, Antionette Comer, Dan Domenech, and Bronwyn Tarboton.
On September 1, 2020, the original cast reunited on Stars in the House featuring guest host Brenda Braxton.
Amateur rights for Smokey Joe’s Cafe are available through the Rogers & Hammerstein Organization.
Filmed Production Notes
The final few performances of the Broadway run were taped by Broadway Television Network in January, 2000. The final cast included Ken Ard, Adrian Bailey, Matt Bogart, Brenda Braxton, Victor Trent Cook, B.J. Crosby, DeLee Lively, Deb Lyons, Frederick B. Owens, and Virginia Woodruff.
Broadway Television Network aired the program on pay-per-view television on September 10, 2000. The special was preceded by a free half-hour preview featuring Tony Orlando and Deborah Gibson.
Due to lower than expected viewership, attributed to competition from the Emmy Awards, BTN re-broadcast Smokey Joe’s Cafe in January 2001. Numbers from both broadcasts were not made available.
The program was also aired on HBO in early 2003.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe was released on VHS and DVD in November 2001 by GoodTimes Entertainment.
Image Entertainment re-released the DVD (affiliate link) in 2007.
The final few performances of the Broadway run were taped by Broadway Television Network in January, 2000. The final cast included Ken Ard, Adrian Bailey, Matt Bogart, Brenda Braxton, Victor Trent Cook, B.J. Crosby, DeLee Lively, Deb Lyons, Frederick B. Owens, and Virginia Woodruff.
Broadway Television Network aired the program on pay-per-view television on September 10, 2000. The special was preceded by a free half-hour preview featuring Tony Orlando and Deborah Gibson.
Due to lower than expected viewership, attributed to competition from the Emmy Awards, BTN re-broadcast Smokey Joe’s Cafe in January 2001. Numbers from both broadcasts were not made available.
The program was also aired on HBO in early 2003.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe was released on VHS and DVD in November 2001 by GoodTimes Entertainment.
Image Entertainment re-released the DVD (affiliate link) in 2007.
Learn more about the filming of Smokey Joe's Cafe with actor Brenda Braxton on Episode 5 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast.
Smokey Joe's Cafe PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Virginia Theatre
Producer: Bruce Brandwen, Nicholas Van Hoogstraten
Words and Music: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Director: Jerry Zaks, film: Don Roy King
Musical Director and Arrangements: Louis St. Louis
Vocal Arrangements: Chapman Roberts
Orchestrations: Steve Margoshes
Musical Staging: Joey McKneely
Scenic Design: Heidi Ettinger
Costume Design: William Ivey Long
Lighting Design: Timothy Hunter, film: Alan Adelman
Sound Design: Tony Meola, film: Matt Kaplowitz
Hair and Make-Up Design: Randy Houston Mercer
Stage Manager: Lisa Dawn Cave
Cast: Ken Ard, Adrian Bailey, Matt Bogart, Brenda Braxton, Victor Trent Cook, B.J. Crosby, DeLee Lively, Deb Lyons, Frederick B. Owens, Virginia Woodruff
Theatre: Virginia Theatre
Producer: Bruce Brandwen, Nicholas Van Hoogstraten
Words and Music: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Director: Jerry Zaks, film: Don Roy King
Musical Director and Arrangements: Louis St. Louis
Vocal Arrangements: Chapman Roberts
Orchestrations: Steve Margoshes
Musical Staging: Joey McKneely
Scenic Design: Heidi Ettinger
Costume Design: William Ivey Long
Lighting Design: Timothy Hunter, film: Alan Adelman
Sound Design: Tony Meola, film: Matt Kaplowitz
Hair and Make-Up Design: Randy Houston Mercer
Stage Manager: Lisa Dawn Cave
Cast: Ken Ard, Adrian Bailey, Matt Bogart, Brenda Braxton, Victor Trent Cook, B.J. Crosby, DeLee Lively, Deb Lyons, Frederick B. Owens, Virginia Woodruff
Sources
Books
Articles
Websites
- Mark A. Robinson, The World of Musicals: An Encyclopedia of Stage, Screen, and Song ABC-CLIO (2014)
Articles
- Ben Brantley, “SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE; The Song's the Thing: A Leiber-Stoller Revue,” New York Times (March 3, 1995)
- Eileen Fitzpatrick, “GoodTimes Links With Broadway TV Network to Distribute Live-Performance Event Videos,” Billboard (July 14, 2001)
- Andrew Gans, “HBO To Offer Jekyll & Hyde, Smokey Joe's Cafe& Putting It Together,” Playbill (Dec 2, 2002)
- Mihcael Gioia, “Original Smokey Joe's Café Cast Members Reunite for On Broadway Feb. 9 at 54 Below,” Playbill (Feb 9, 2014)
- Stuart Kemp, “Broadway Shows 'Memphis,' 'Jekyll & Hyde,' 'Putting It Together' and 'Smokey Joe’s Cafe' to Play in Theaters,” Hollywood Reporter (September 23, 2011)
- Alvin Klein, “Smokey Joe's' Creators: Long Shots for Tonys,” New York Times (June 4, 1995)
- Murdoch McBride, “Broadway Television Network Is First to Market With PPV Smokey Joe's, Sept. 10,” Playbill (Sept 10, 2000)
- Murdoch McBride, “With Viewership Numbers Still Coming In, BTN Says PPV Smokey Joe Was Success,” Playbill (Sept 11, 2000)
- Murdoch McBride, “BTN Airs January 2001 Repeat of PPV Special, Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” Playbill (Dec 11, 2000)
- Donald G. McNeil Jr., “New Show Is First Not to Have to Pay Idle Musicians,” New York Times (Feb 8, 1995)
- Robert Viagas, “Smokey Joe's Café Broadway Revival Is “Coming Together”,” Playbill (May 12, 2016)
- Jack Viertel, “Remembering Jerry Leiber, a Reluctant Pioneer of the Jukebox Musical,” New York Times (Sept 1, 2011)
Websites
- Broadway World, “Broadway @ Home Video Database: Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller on Video - 2001,” Accessed via: https://www.broadwayworld.com/video/Smokey-Joe-s-CafeThe-Songs-of-Leiber-and-Stoller--2001
- Direct from Broadway, “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” Accessed via: http://directfrombroadway.com/our-shows/smokey-joes-cafe/
- Playbill, “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” Accessed via: http://www.playbill.com/production/smokey-joes-cafe-virginia-theatre-vault-0000005236
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, “Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller,” Accessed via: https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/jerry-leiber-and-mike-stoller
- “Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller” Official Website, Accessed via: https://web.archive.org/web/20000303033246/http://www.smokeyjoescafe.com:80/siteonly.html
Written by Luisa Lyons (August, 2017; updated Sept 2020)