Meet The Director and Choreographer of Smokey Joe’s Café Joshua Bergasse

Broadway’s longest-running musical revue Smokey Joe’s Café returns to the New York stage this summer. The show will play Off-Broadway at Stage 42, beginning July 6th with an official opening night July 22nd.

The cast features Dwayne Cooper (Motown, Hairspray), Emma Degerstedt (Desperate Measures Off-Broadway), John Edwards (Jersey Boys), Dionne D. Figgins (Hot Feet, Memphis), Nicole Vanessa Ortiz (Spamilton Off-Broadway), Kyle Taylor Parker (Kinky Boots, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Jelani Remy (Disney’s The Lion King), Max Sangerman (Blue Man Group Off-Broadway), and Alysha Umphress (On The Town, American Idiot).

Tony nominee Joshua Bergasse directs and choreographs the production, which first played Maine’s Ogunquit Playhouse. Joshua Bergasse won the Emmy Award for his choreography on NBC’s musical drama “Smash.” He also choreographed multiple segments on “So You Think You Can Dance” and “PBS’s Sinatra: A Voice for a Century.”

On Broadway, Josh choreographed the revival of On The Town, which opened to rave reviews. He received an Astaire Award and was nominated for the TONY, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Awards. Also on Broadway, Josh choreographed the revival of Gigi, and most recently, choreograph the Broadway debut of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Off Broadway credits include Sweet Charity staring Sutton Foster; Cagney (Drama Desk, Astaire, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for choreography); Bomb-Itty of Errors and Captain Louie. Joshua’s other credits as a choreographer include West Side Story at the Stratford Festival; Little Me, and It’s A Bird… It’s A Plane… It’s Superman! at City Center Encores!; Pirates of Penzance at Barrington Stage Co; Guys and Dolls, and The Sound of Music at Carnegie Hall.

As a director/choreographer, Joshua co-directed and choreographed the Bombshell on Broadway concert at the Minskoff theatre. He directed and choreographed Hazel, a new musical at the Drury Lane Theatre, and West Side Story at North Carolina Theater.