BROOKE ASTON SINGS
  • Home
  • Calendar
  • Videos and Stills
  • Brooke Aston Directs
  • Contact
  • Resume
  • Blog

Smokey Joe's Review

2/29/2012

0 Comments

 
February 26, 2012 REVIEW: ‘Smoky Joe’s Cafe’ at Derby Dinner Playhouse Let the music take you back in time BY CHARLES WHALEY Local Columnist

CLARKSVILLE — How fabulous it would be if every neighborhood sported a cozy, companionable joint much like Derby Dinner Playhouse’s “Smokey Joe’s Café,” the (Jerry) Leiber and (Mike) Stoller songbook celebration now on the Clarksville stage.

It’s a place where nostalgia jostles with good times, hard-driving romance, male-female contretemps, sexy dancing, and dynamic takes on more than 30 songs by a multi-talented cast of nine.

There’s no story line or dialogue, just song-after-terrifically-sold song on Lee Buckholz’s handsome streetscape set dotted with lamposts and benches. Associate producer Buckholz’s direction keeps things moving at top speed with Heather Paige Folsom’s vigorous choreography and Sharon Murray Harrah’s spot-on costumes ramping up the enjoyment.

And what a song list it is of early rock ‘n’ roll from the ‘50s and ‘60s immortalized by such as Elvis Presley, Dion, the Coasters and the Drifters.

“On Broadway,” that 1963 Drifters hit (Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill were collaborators) brought forth an appreciative howl of recognition as spiffy Alonzo Richmond, Lem Jackson, Christian Bradford and Lamont O’Neal, dressed in black and white and wearing shades, resurrected the era as they tapped, blended voices and postured.

Then there was force-of-nature Willie Illeana Kirven blasting out “Hound Dog” as a latter-day Big Mama Thornton, shoving aside thoughts of Elvis. “The Pelvis,” however, got a masterful “Jailhouse Rock” tribute from Matthew Chappell and company. Chappell also soared in an impassioned “I Who Have Nothing.”

Slinky, leggy Brooke Aston, trailing a mile-long red feather boa, was electrifying in “Don Juan,” matter-of-factly telling her man who’d lost his fortune that “when your money’s gone, your baby’s gone.” And she knocked out of the ballpark the cheekily erotic “Some Cats Know.”

“Dance With Me (and we’ll be lovers when the music ends)” switched gears hilariously when determined Willie Illeana Kirven went after guys scared to death that she’d get them.

The four women did booming right by “I’m a Woman,” their feminist manifesto, and the whole company, led by Alonzo Richmond, brought the festivities toward a close with a heartfelt “Stand By Me.”

It was a nice touch when musical director Scott Bradley from his piano bench sang a soulful “Stay a While.” His splendid fellow musicians in the show produced by Bekki Jo Schneider were Darryel Cotton (drums), Mark McCulloch (bass), Jim Schweickart (guitar), and Tim Whalen (saxophone).

“Smokey Joe’s Café” runs through April 1. For tickets and information call 812-288-8281, toll free 877-898-8577, or www.derbydinner.com.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Brooke Aston

    Since the age of sixteen my adventures in music have taken me all over the country. After years of bouncing around I've made Orange County my home. Here are my stories.

    Tweets by @BrookeASings

    Archives

    February 2019
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    June 2014
    May 2014
    December 2013
    November 2012
    August 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    August 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010

    Categories

    All
    Anxiety
    Christmas
    Concert
    Derby Dinner
    Friends
    Fullerton
    Goals
    Gratitude
    Las Vegas
    Name Dropping
    New York
    Opening Night
    Performing
    Perfrming
    Rehearsal
    Review
    Schedule
    The Journey
    Time Off
    Unemployment
    Upcoming Gigs
    Young Americans

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Calendar
  • Videos and Stills
  • Brooke Aston Directs
  • Contact
  • Resume
  • Blog