Nightclub singer Joey Evans has seen quite a few revisions to his character since John O’Hara first penned his short stories for The New Yorker in the late 1930s. But in Richard LaGravenese and Daniel “Koa” Beaty’s brand-new adaptation, the character of Joey undergoes a complete transformation. Played by Tony-nominated actor Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud), Joey is a Black jazz singer refusing to compromise on his craft and struggling to make it big his way, with his sound.
Directed by tap icon Savion Glover and Tony Goldwyn, with bold dance stagings by Glover that capture the real beat of Chicago jazz, this Rodgers and Hart classic features songs like “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” and newly incorporated gems like “The Lady is a Tramp” that shine with sexy wit and powerful new subtext. Revered, revised and now re-envisioned for a new era, Pal Joey proves it has more to tell us about love, lust and the music behind it all.
