SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller -- Broadway Archive

©2001
studio: Good Times Video
dir: Jerry Zaks (Broadway?)
cast: Ken Ard, Adrian Bailey, Matt Bogart, Brenda Braxton, Victor Trent Cook, B.J. Crosby, DeLee Lively, Deb Lyons, Frederick B. Owens
Broadway Musical performance

This DVD is a well-edited tape from the final performance of the Broadway show. Rather than the dull, plain video-taping often done of Broadway shows, this film uses multiple camera angles, including some from the band POV.

I was impressed with the breadth of work of Leiber and Stoller. I had no idea who they were, and then had no idea that they were the creators of many very memorable songs ("Stand By Me" being just one of their more famous hits).

My problem with this show is the concept of it being a "musical." The weak attempts to put some kind of story line (or lines) together to unite the songs somehow, just doesn't cut it for me. I think that this is why the concept it not faring well in other attempts on Broadway (most recently with John Denver songs!). I would think that simply having a "cabaret" or "revue" would be better.

However, this has been successful in the past (Sondheim) and indeed this very production ran much longer than I would have expected.

I saw this on Broadway and was extremely under-impressed. This DVD is much richer and more exciting than watching it from the back row of the balcony. However, even though I enjoyed watching this, I expect that the average person would get more enjoyment out of listening to the CD.

As for any directing or choreography, most of the songs were performed in the same style and pace, which grew thin quickly.

Skip this, and listen to the CD and you might be surprised that some of the hits you grew up with were written by this duo.