Shrewd direction elevates Drury Lane's 4-star 'Smokey Joe's Cafe'
The short list of first-tier jukebox musicals just got a little longer thanks to Marcia Milgrom Dodge, director/choreographer of Drury Lane Theatre's expertly conceived, wonderfully executed revival of “Smokey Joe's Cafe.”
Drury Lane's production could very well set the standard by which future revivals of this show are judged, and that includes a rumored return to Broadway after a 16-year absence.
Dodge - whose Broadway bona fides include a Tony Award nomination for directing the 2009 revival of “Ragtime” - imposes a narrative on a show that has none. And she artfully crafts a winning musical from what is essentially a greatest hits showcase of tunes by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the celebrated songwriting duo who composed songs for Elvis Presley, The Coasters, The Drifters, Peggy Lee and others during the 1950s and 1960s.
The sung-through show features a rockin' quintet led by conductor/pianist Chris Sargent playing vivid, character-driven songs. Buoyant and bluesy, these roots rock tunes are paired to create a series of vignettes that serve as snapshots of an urban neighborhood, a place where folks don't have much, but they always have each other's backs.
Dodge's canny choice of locale is Chicago's Maxwell Street Market, which originated on the South Side in the late 19th century. Set designer Kevin Depinet conjures its late 1950s incarnation in gloriously gritty, painstaking detail. Hulking elevated tracks loom over makeshift stalls where vendors sell everything from clothes to hub caps. A small cafe and a tenement building flank the marketplace, teeming with life.
Along with that distinct sense of place, Drury Lane's production benefits from a talented ensemble of nine singer/dancer/actors who create the keenly drawn denizens of this bustling community.
Chris Sams, a lithe dancer with a soaring voice, plays Cornelius, a returning soldier whose best girl may no longer be his. Petite powerhouse Donica Lynn plays cafe owner Willie Mae, whose praiseworthy performance of the gospel-tinged “Saved” had at least one audience member murmuring “amen.” Justin Keyes is terrific as Little Walter, an alcoholic undone by unrequited love. His anguished, authentic “I (Who Have Nothing)” is the show's emotional punch to the gut.
The first-rate cast also includes Carrie Abernathy as faded beauty Pearl, a once-promising vocalist down on her luck. Her descent is passionately recounted by Meghan Murphy's tough, compassionate Ruth in “Pearl's a Singer.”
Fresh-faced Will Skrip plays Rod, the college boy pining for a new car while ignoring Amy Orman's agile waitress Annette, who pines for him. Rounding out the cast are Sean Blake as suave hustler Sonny and Tyrone L. Robinson, who, with his delicious bass, plays Doc the mechanic.
Sully Ratke's spot-on costumes reflect the circumstances these characters face - a once-glamorous now-tattered purple gown for Pearl, stained T-shirt and duct-taped shoes for Walter, a sexy fringed dress for Annette.
All of it adds up to a vibrant revival helmed by a shrewd director whose vision elevates “Smokey Joe's Cafe” from pedestrian to sensational.
“Smokey Joe's Cafe”
★ ★ ★ ★
Location: 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, (630) 530-0111 or
Showtimes: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, 1:30 and 8 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday; through Oct. 23
Running time: About two hours including intermission
Tickets: $45-$60
Parking: Free parking in adjacent lot, valet parking available
Rating: Slight sexual content, for teens and older