SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE
The Sitting Duck
by Lynn A. Harmon

Doo-Wop Thrives at Capital Playhouse

Smokey Joe's Cafe, which appeared recently at Capital Playhouse, is a musical revue featuring 39 songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who provided a long list of 1950's - 60's rock 'n' roll classics through such performers as the Coasters, the Drifters, Elvis Presley, Dion, and Ben E. King.

With an ensemble cast of nine taking turns as soloists, leads, and back-up singers, Smokey Joe's opening numbers immediately put this reviewer on guard:  how could the other singers favorably compare to the beguiling performance of Jarvis Antonio Green, the first lead, in "Young Blood?"  How could the classic Coasters-style choreography remain this much fun all the way to the finale?  Other female voices would surely be a letdown following Deanna Barrett's fetching rendition of "Falling."  And how could performers with the vocal talent required to sustain a revue of this nature be anything but mediocre dancers?

Such fears were completely annihilated as one after another, the numbers joyfully rocked and rolled, each singer as brilliantly skilled and captivating as the next, each performer a versatile and talented dancer, and each number its own fabulous event, due to the amazing talents of choreographer Steven Taylor. 

It's hard to tell where Mr. Taylor (who also appeared in the cast) began and where director Troy Arnold Fisher left off, but the endlessly exciting and deliciously clever staging and choreography became downright thrilling.

Every number had freshness to it, if not through entirely different styles of staging and choreography, then by mood-alternating changes in lighting, such as the subtle rising of the moon in Act II.  Costume designer Mary Lindberg evoked the 50's and 60's with capri pants, voluptuous feather boas, Elvis duds, and bouffant wigs.

As designed by Bruce Haasl, the set was a friendly New York City street scene of brick buildings with fire escape, stoop, stairs, and even a footbridge, for all sorts of interesting and diverse entrances, exits, and choreography.

Fun advantage was taken of windows; but, whenever a character's head cheerfully emerged between the curtains, a smidge of lifeless background was revealed; this dead space longed to be a fully furnished period room, however fleeting each glimpse of the room might have been.

Highlights included Melissa A. Backstrom in a green satin gospel robe with lavishly sequined stole, lustily leading "Saved" with true Aretha soul; and the fringe flying on Ms. Barrett's dress in "Teach Me How to Shimmy."  With sly and agile moves delectably reminiscent of King Elvis himself, Bruce Haasl energetically led "Jailhouse Rock" from the top of the fire escape on one end of the stage to a daring tiptoe perch straddling the steps at the other.

Lucia V. Ahrens's selling of "Pearl's A Singer" was exquisite, David Devine beautifully moved hearts with "I (Who Have Nothing)," and Pamela Taylor and Agrippa Williams tickled the audience by humorously arm-wresting throughout their adorable cocktail table duet, "You're the Boss."

I'd like Mr. Williams to accompany me wherever I go to punctuate my daily round with his soul-tickling bass.  Whether he's providing an astonishingly low, deliciously rumbly foundation to vocal harmonics, leaping out of ensemble with comic melodic commentary ("Why's everybody always pickin' on me?"), or delighting musical phrases with syncopated enhancements, Mr. Williams enriched the music as Leiber and Stoller surely planned.

Led from the piano by the superbly talented Mr. Fisher, who was also musical director of this production, the 7-piece rock band was so good your critic frequently forgot to think of listening with a critical ear.