Play remembers '50s songwriters

By DEBRA YEMENIJIAN
Collegian Staff Writer

The '50s were a time of James Dean, poodle skirts and good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll.

At 8 p.m. tomorrow and Friday, the song and dance of this era will shake down Eisenhower Auditorium when The Troika Organization presents Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller.

Inspired by the music of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, well-known '50s songwriters, Smokey Joe's Cafe is a musical revue of their collaborative efforts.

There is no plot. Instead, nine cast members sing the praises of '50s America throughout the show's 40-plus choreographed musical numbers.

For more than two hours, the cast will perform some of the top musical hits of the era, including "Jailhouse Rock," "Dance with Me" and "Spanish Harlem," all linked together by song and dance. The show's exciting mixture of comedy and song increases the impact of Leiber and Stoller's original lyrics.

Leiber and Stoller began writing songs in 1950, during the birth of the boogie-woogie and blues styles. In their early days, their songs were recorded by Bull Moose Jackson, Ray Charles and Big Mama Thornton.

Thornton's recording of "Hound Dog" in 1953, a song later remade by Elvis Presley, launched Leiber and Stoller into a contract with Atlantic Records. Their partnership with Presley marked a high point in the history of rock 'n' roll music. Leiber and Stoller began writing for The Coasters and produced all of the group's hits, including "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown" and "Poison Ivy."

After the '50s, Leiber and Stoller continued to produce songs. Their hits were continuously on the charts in the following decades. Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" and The Clovers' "Love Potion No. 9" are just a few of their well-known compositions. More recently, Jimi Hendrix, John Mellencamp, Barbra Streisand and Luther Vandross have recorded their songs.

Smokey Joe's Cafe first played in Chicago under the name That is Rock and Roll. After moving to Los Angeles under the direction of four-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Zaks, the show changed names and moved to New York City.

It debuted on Broadway at the Virginia Theatre on March 2, 1995. Since its opening, the musical has been nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Actor awards, and two Olivier Awards. It also won a Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Musical Show Album.

Tickets for each show are $28 and can be purchased before each performance at the Eisenhower Box Office. Students with a Penn State ID and the Smokey Joe's Cafe advertisement from The Daily Collegian can purchase two tickets for $40.