Smokey Joe’s Café, the current fare being served at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre, is a musical revue that gives us some of the biggest hits of the 1950s sung by eight performers—four men, four women. There is no Smokey Joe, nor is there a café; it’s simply one song after another that we’ve tapped our toes to, all our lives.

The first act is high-on-youth sweet; all about the delicious affairs of first loves, comprised of such tunes as “Neighborhood,” “Keep on Rollin’,” “Don Juan,” “On Broadway” and “D.W. Washburn.” The second act is much more bittersweet, when songs such as “Pearl’s A Singer,” “There Goes My Baby,” and “I Who Have Nothing” remind us what it’s like to lose a dream, a love or a hope; fortunately, it’s also peppered with the ever-fun “Charlie Brown,” the gyrating “Hound Dog” and the empowering “I’m a Woman.”

The show rings best when the men—James Cepero, DeMond Nason, John Pirroni and Raphael Rawlins—are onstage in one of several simultaneously choreographed dances (which is to say, they’re all up there doing the same thing). Cepero is an incredible dancer, as is Rawlins; Nason has a rich, full voice that effortlessly scales octaves; and the standout of the four is Pirroni. His voice is not as perfected as some of the others, and his dancing not nearly as polished, but with his wide smile and sheer joy of performing, he pastes his heart thoroughly right on his sleeve for all of us to see. It creates a magic that draws us all into each note he sings and step he dances.

The four women—Merrill Pfeiffer, Jennifer Sue Mallard, Claudia Koziner, and Mariela Hill—all have opportunities to show off their impressive vocal ability. Hill especially has a spine-tingling instrument, but her acting falls far short of the high mark her voice sets. Rather than put on a character at any given time, she opts to sing to the audience, but isn’t particularly comfortable doing so. Pfeiffer is equally talented in the three mediums of singing, dancing and acting; “Pearl’s A Singer,” from her lips, is truly a soulful show-stopper. Koziner also takes the opportunity to stop the show in “Shimmy,” as she twists her shapely body into all sorts of moves. And she also has a truly lovely voice, but it’s often overwhelmed by the mighty orchestra behind her; on several occasions it was impossible to hear her at all. Mallard has no trouble being heard, and she seems as comfortable onstage as a duck in water. Her powerhouse voice draws you in, and her easy, sassy, ain’t-we-all-here-to-have-a-rocking-good-time persona makes us fall in love with her.

Costumes by Jeanné McCartin, who in her biographical note describes herself as a recovering costumer who’s fallen off the wagon, and set and lighting design by Aaron Hutto lend to the beautiful period feel of the piece. This night of walking down memory lane is certainly worth the stroll. 

Smoky Joe’s Café
runs through Feb. 19 at Seacoast Repertory Theatre, 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Showtimes are Wednesday at 7 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $32-$22. Call 603-433-4472 for reservations.