Print edition: 
There's no plot, no dialogue, no specific characters to "Smokey Joe's Cafe," the second offering of the summer by Music Theatre of Wichita. Instead, it's a collection of 39 classic R&B and rock songs from the 1950s and 1960s performed by nine principal singers either solo or in various combinations from romantic duet to male quartet (think: the Coasters) to close-harmony choir.
We're talking familiar but seemingly unrelated songs like "On Broadway," "Stand by Me," "I'm a Woman," "Jailhouse Rock," "Hound Dog," "There Goes My Baby," "Fools Fall in Love," "Poison Ivy" and "Love Potion No. 9" — all penned by the legendary team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
But under director-choreographer Darren Lee and his associate, Melanie Lockyer (both here before for "Miss Saigon"), it's not just a random concert. Lee and Lockyer divide the songs into a half -dozen vignettes to celebrate youth passing through various stages of life.
The cast for this show is nothing short of wow with rich and colorful voices that created highlight after highlight. There was a lot of sass and soul plus some strutting, street-wise attitude and mischievous comic bits to enhance some lyrics.
Kevyn Morrow, who was in the 1995 original Broadway production, has a deep, wonderfully clear bass that caught every ear to see how low he would go, as well as providing a glorious lead for "Stand by Me." Lawrence Cummings (last seen here in "The King and I") turned his powerful tenor (with falsetto) loose on "I, Who Have Nothing," and soared to seemingly impossible, heartbreaking heights. Cummings was also the chief funny guy, giving easy, breezy turns to "D.W. Washburn" and "Shoppin' for Clothes."
Grasan Kingsberry ("The Color Purple," "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" on Broadway) gave a resonant, mellow tone to "Spanish Harlem" and a haunting lyricism to "Love Me." Kolby Kindle, a member of the MTW summer ensemble, fronted the quick-stepping homage to male quartets (backed by Morrow, Cummings and Kingsberry) for lively versions of "Love Potion No. 9," "Poison Ivy" and "There Goes My Baby."
Debra Walton (seen here as Velma in "Chicago" and Anita in "West Side Story") was a sexy, tongue-in-cheek delight as she purred her way through "Don Juan" and "Some Cats Know" but could also jolt you to attention and make you believe that her middle name really is "Trouble." Darcie Roberts ("Curtains," "Aida" on Broadway) cleverly turned the bluesy lament "Pearl's a Singer" on its ear by giving it an up-tempo sexuality the second time through.
Betti O. ("Hairspray," "The Drowsy Chaperone" for MTW) gave the original bluesy, growly Big Mama Thornton treatment to "Hound Dog" complete with hilarious finger-wagging attitude. Kimberly Faure (blond bombshell Ulla in "The Producers" here) gave a beautifully wistful lilt to the romantic "Falling." And Josh Sassanella ("Rent," "Mamma Mia!") gave the full hip-swinging Elvis treatment to "Jailhouse Rock."
Accompanying the singers was a lively, seven-member onstage combo headed by music director Thomas Douglas on piano.
