FLAT ROCK —  It’s all about the songs in “Smokey Joe’s Café: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller,” the first large-scale musical production of the 2017 mainstage season at Flat Rock Playhouse.

Indeed, the April 22 performance proved to be a fun, spirited and nostalgic trip back to simpler times — mostly the mid-1950s to the mid-’60s.

And ultimately, the show evokes the power of music to fire up youthful optimism, despite losses and setbacks. It opened April 21 and will run through May 13.

“Smokey Joe’s Café” begins — apropos —  with the simplest of sets and setups (singers performing under a streetlamp). 

Deftly directed by Amy Jones, the two-act, 100-minute revue ended wth a standing ovation from a large, enthusiastic and — predictably — mostly older audience.

The production is a revival of FRP’s 2007 production of the Broadway classic featuring the hits of the stellar songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. 

There is neither a narrative, a story line nor an underlying theme, just a revue format, featuring mostly terrific performances by a talented cast of singers, giving its all on one after another of 39 hits featured in the show.

“Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” a 1995 Broadway smash, was nominated for seven Tony awards and became the longest-running musical revue in Broadway history.

The nine-member cast included Dustin Brayley, Meredith Brayley-Patterson, Wendy Jones, Alfred Jackson, Patrick Clanton, Breanna Bartley, Phillip Brandon, Jared Joseph and Martina Sykes. The cast is a combination of FRP veterans and newcomers.

Besides blistering-hot individual vocal performances, the cast excelled at soaring four-part harmonies and eye-popping choreography with smooth, synchronized dance moves in the style of the ‘60s soul groups — and a large helping of humor.

An ultra-tight six-member band was led by Music Director Garrett Taylor, who played keyboards. Other band members included Bill Altman, guitar; David Gaines, keyboards; Paul Babelay, drums; Wes Parker, saxophone; and Michael Hines, bass.

Choreographing the show superbly was Christopher Kirby. Also outstanding were Ashli Arnold with costumes and Paul Feraldi with props. 

Among the memorable songs performed were “Jailhouse Rock,” “Stand by Me,” “Hound Dog,” “I Who Have Nothing,” “Stay Awhile,” “Loving You,” “Fools Fall in Love,” “I’m a Woman,” “Poison Ivy,” “Love Potion #9,” “There Goes My Baby,” “Dance With Me” and “Yakety Yak.”

Often, the songs were acted out by the cast, but strictly self-contained to each song, rather than portraying characters who carry over to the next song.

The first act began with, and the second act ended with, the song “Neiborhood.” (Although, the final song of the night — performed more like an encore — was Stand by Me.”)

“Neighborhood,” first heard by more than a few people on television’s “Ally Mcbeal,” was originally sung by Vonda Shepard and was not a major hit.

However, “Neighborhood” probably most approximates a unifying structure in “Smokey Joe’s Café.” While “Neighborhood” is a relatively bland number, it likely won such a prime spot because of its theme of nostalgia, around which the show revolves.

The best song of the first act, arguably, was a blistering rendition of The Drifters’ “On Broadway.” It began dramatically, with four male singers in striking poses with their backs to the audiences, silhoutted. They eventually spin around and the harmonies and choreography are explosive.

Also interesting were rendtions of the songs “Trouble” and “Don Juan,” both of which featured empowered women. Along the same line, the women joined forces to sing a fiery “I’m a Woman.” 

Another fun number  putting the focus on a woman was“Teach Me to Shimmy,” with amazing moves — and singing.

The second act began with a blast, with “Baby That Is Rock and Roll,” followed by “Yackety Yak” and “Charlie Brown.”

However, the standout songs of the second act were — arguably — a rendition of The Drifters’ “There Goes My Baby,” which morphed — as a two-song medley — into “Love Potion No. 9,” and the final song of the show, a rendition of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.”

While the production emphasized Leiber’s and Stoller’s contribution to rock ‘n’ roll, including “Jailhouse Rock,” “Baby, That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Hound Dog,” it also showcased their notable rhythm and blues works, such as “Pearl’s a Singer,” “On Broadway,” “Spanish Harlem” and “Stand By Me.”

Indeed, beyond Elvis Presley and other rockers, Leiber and Stoller’s work was recorded by artists as diverse as The Drifters, George Benson and Big Mama Thornton.