Singing the Music’s Praises

The scene: Cast members of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller” celebrated their opening at the Orange County Performing Arts Center on Tuesday with a party at Birraporetti’s restaurant in Costa Mesa. Joined by center leaders and supporters, the cast dined on pasta and sipped bubbly while listening to the mellow sounds of the Matt Johnson trio.

The buzz: Whitney Mandel seemed to speak for the audience when she called the show “a wonderful chance to revisit my high school and college years.” After hearing such ‘50s and ‘60s tunes as “Love Potion No. 9” “Poison Ivy,” “Yakety Yak” and “Stand By Me,” guests couldn’t stop buzzing about those beloved happy days. Said center Chairman Mark Johnson: “I loved all the songs they wrote for Elvis. ‘Hound Dog’ is a favorite.”

Happy cast: Cruising the buffet line, cast member Eugene Fleming said the songs of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were his father’s favorites. “My dad played them all on our little record player when I was growing up,” he said. “I used to sing those songs when I was a kid.”

For Fleming, the best part of performing in the show is watching the reaction of the audience. “I love seeing them smile, watching their excitement build. I get chills every night.”

Noted singer Kim Cea: “It’s one big rock and roll party, and you need the audience in your corner. Orange County’s opening night rocked!”

Head mikes: As they performed, members of the cast wore headset microphones, making them look like air traffic controllers, observed one party guest. Fleming said those little microphones are responsible for “the best sound out today.”

“With them, you can hear every word we sing,” he said. “It’s that rock concert thing. Madonna and Janet Jackson started it all.”

How to shimmy: Wearing a short white dress layered with fringe, singer-dancer Mary Ann Hermansen brought the house down with her high-energy “Teach Me How to Shimmy” number. She shook so hard her fringe flew. The method: “First, you tighten every part of your body. Then you move every part of your body. Of course, it helps if your dress has batteries,” she deadpanned.

I am woman: Women in the audience went wild when the show’s four female stars--Cea, Hermansen, Alltrinna Grayson and Reva Rice--belted out “I’m a Woman.”

“Female bonding right now is so wonderful,” noted Hermansen, who wore a two-piece black halter dress to the party. “I’m so happy we’re finally singing a song where we can look into the audience and bond with the women.”