Every night at Stage 42 in New York City, four women are bringing the house down in the musical “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”: Emma Degerstedt, Dionne D. Figgins, Nicole Vanessa Ortiz, and Alysha Umphress.
The musical celebration of songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s work premiered on Broadway in 1995 and earned seven Tony nominations, including a nod for best musical. The show — featuring tunes such as “I’m a Woman” and “Hound Dog” — ran for five years in the 1990s, making it the longest-running revue in Broadway history.
The four women of the latest revival have impressive résumés. Degerstedt has appeared in “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Monk,” “Hannah Montana,” and “Life.” Figgins’ film and TV credits include “Power,” “Glee,” “House,” and “Flesh and Bone.” Ortiz made her debut in the Off-Broadway parody “Spamilton” last year. Umphress’ TV credits include “The Climb,” “Law and Order: SVU,” “Nurse Jackie,” and “Royal Pains.” All four women have extensive theater, music, and dancing experience.
Women and Hollywood recently spoke with Degerstedt, Figgins, Oritz, and Umphress about the show and how it tackles female empowerment, diversity, and unity.
“Smokey Joe’s Cafe” is playing off-Broadway through November 4. The cast will record an album, and a national tour is expected to launch in 2020.
W&H: How is the camaraderie with the other women in the cast of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”?
AU: Each woman in this show is so different from the next. We represent different ages, shapes, sizes, and races, which is a beautiful thing to see onstage. We see the beauty in our differences.
ED: This will sound trite, but these women are truly like sisters to me. We dance backstage together, have borderline therapy sessions in between shows, take care of each other onstage and off, and also make a lot of fun of each other. These women make me a better me. I love them.
DDF: We are such a unique group of women, each with our own strengths and talents. We are truly like sisters in that we don’t always see eye to eye and sometimes we flat out disagree, but as grown, respectful women, we discuss all our problems and swiftly come to resolutions.
NVO: The thing that I love most about these women is how unique we all are. We each have our own way of relating to each other, and being around a diverse group of women really brings out the best in all of us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiFuCxLFiSc
W&H: What does being in the show mean to you and how does it compare to other shows you’ve been in?
AU: This show is special compared to other shows I’ve done because it’s a true ensemble piece. Usually, in musicals, there are principal characters, supporting and ensemble. In “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” each company member gets to do what they do best and everyone is unique and individual. We all have multiple moments to shine.
ED: It’s an immense honor to have been chosen to carry on this legacy and also have the incredible gift of creating this new version with our names.
DDF: “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” was the first show I ever saw on Broadway, so of course it is an especially significant part of my artistic journey. It was also one of the first shows I performed as a leading player. Doing it gave me the confidence to push the boundaries of what a “dancer” could achieve in musical theater.
NVO: The music really allows me to express myself in a way that I normally wouldn’t be able to if I were playing a character. In this show I play myself, so I really get to share who I am. Whereas at the last show I did, I was performing character impressions.
W&H: What do you think it is about “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” that has made the show a success again in 2018?
AU: The music. These timeless songs. They appeal to this generation and every generation. This revival has packaged them in a modern way of making them more accessible to younger generations.
ED: The themes of these songs are universal and timeless. That is why songs like “Stand By Me” are still performed every day across the world.
DDF: Young musical artists of today are using samples from the Leiber and Stoller catalog, and the kids that are listening to that music don’t even realize it until they come and see our show. The themes we are addressing are also relatable to what’s happening in our world today.
NVO: The versatility of genres in this show really make it easy for the audience to relate to these songs both past and present.
W&H: What song in the show has significance to you?
AU: “Pearl’s a Singer” is my favorite song to perform in the show. I connect so much to it because as a singer myself, I can relate to starting out in this business with hopes and dreams and aspirations to be “a star.” The truth is, that doesn’t happen for 99 percent of performers. This particular song is the heartbreaking story of a singer who didn’t become the star she aspired to be, but she’s still singing. It’s just at a bar scattered with some lost and lonely souls, instead of a stadium of thousands.
ED: The weight of “I’m a Woman” has intensified for me. I have always felt empowered by this song. My interpretation is, women can do anything and everything. If you really listen to the lyrics in the first verse, it’s like we’re describing a superhero. And we are. Women are superheroes.
DDF: I think with everything going on today in politics and women’s rights, the song “I’m a Woman” holds so much weight. It’s become a battle cry in many ways. It is also the one time in the show where the ladies get to take the stage together. I think we all look forward to that moment every night because we know it is a song about female empowerment and camaraderie
NVO: As an ensemble, I personally love “I’m a Woman” and “Stand By Me.” They really represent the unity within our cast.
