Kristen Gonzales
Reno, Nevada
kreego@juno.com
The Eldorado Hotel has opened, “Smokey Joe’s
Café, The Songs of Leiber and Stoller.” Originally produced on
Broadway, this rock and roll musical revue is being presented in the
Eldorado Showroom from June 9 through September 4, 2005.
The show is filled with 39 songs showcasing
popular “oldies” such as, “Hound Dog,” “Love Potion #9,” “On Broadway,”
“Charlie Brown” and “Jailhouse Rock.” With a modest stage design and
simplistic costumes for players, the fast-paced show allows the audience
to truly focus on and enjoy the harmonizing vocals and dance routines.
The show runs approximately 90 minutes with
13 players in the show which vary with each number from featured
soloists to small group numbers as well as several whole group numbers.
The full-house audience particularly enjoyed
four of the male cast members who were often singing as a quartet and
performing numbers nostalgic of the 1950-60’s era complete with suits,
ties, dark shades and shiny shoes.
The upbeat music and lyrics are permeated
with romantic themes and a continuous twist of humor. A couple of gospel
songs and slow solo tunes are also intertwined in a way where the
audience feels as if it had a short visit to the past.
For those who are not familiar with the
songs of Leiber and Stoller, a little background on the writer duo is
appropriate. The writers of the words and music for the show, Jerry
Leiber and Mike Stoller met in 1950 and immediately began writing songs
which blended a blues and “boogie-woogie” style of music together.
Stoller brought a jazz background to the
pair and both had a common love of rhythm and blues music whose style
appealed to audiences around the world.
As you listen to the songs of “Smokey Joe’s
Café,” the backgrounds of Leiber and Stoller are apparent in the varying
styles of songs many of which are Grammy Award winners of the 1950’s
and 60’s that have remained popular over time.
Leiber and Stoller were inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 with notability in most of the songs
included in “Smokey Joe’s Café.”
The show itself is a winner of the Grammy
Award and also has been nominated seven times for the Tony Award,
including Best Musical and Best Choreography.
If “Smokey Joe’s Café” appeals to you, tickets can be purchased through the Eldorado by calling 800-648-5966.