After the musical “Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara” received rave reviews and numerous awards, including the Ovation Award for Best Musical, both co-writers and co-stars Vanessa Claire Smith and Jake Broder are enjoying another warmly received run at the Geffen Playhouse, where the musical is playing until May 24.
However, it seems even the brains behind this award-winning musical are clueless as to how the production garnered such success.
“I didn’t even think anyone knew who (Louis and Keely) were, much less if they were going to enjoy the story or not. It’s been an incredible and unbelievable success, and I’m not sure exactly why,” said Smith, who plays Keely in the musical.
The story is about the birth of Las Vegas and the lounge act, and is based on the true events surrounding the life of jazz musician Louis Prima, played by Broder. Prima attempted to reinvent himself by creating a star out of 16-year-old singer Keely. Broder and Smith have been portraying the characters of Louis and Keely since the musical’s debut in Hollywood in June of last year.
“We’ve always had this idea where we would send the audience out into the night snapping their fingers and crying at the same time. Because it’s a very upbeat tragedy,” Broder said.
The inspiration behind the story stems from Smith’s upbringing in Louisiana. She began to research Prima, who was born in 1910 and lived and performed in New Orleans during the jazz movement in the 1920s. Smith, who was previously married to a fellow performer and is now divorced, was particularly intrigued by the turbulent relationship between Prima and his wife, Keely.
“I found myself more drawn to … the idea of two performers being married together and trying to make that work,” Smith said. “And at some point, both have to choose between family and career, and it’s hard to do.”
Although she was doubtful that she would find an actor dynamic enough to play the vibrant Prima, during a performance of “Lord Buckley” in a Los Angeles bar where Smith worked as a bartender, she saw Broder perform as a 1950s figure who reminded her of Prima.
“When I saw Jake do the show, I was like, “˜Wow, I think I found my guy,'” Smith said.
That night, she bought him a shot of 12-year-old whiskey and asked if he would be interested in playing the role, although she had not yet written the script. He told her when she had the script, they could talk. After she presented a few drafts to Broder, he agreed and began to assist Smith in the writing process.
The pair researched the couple
in-depth, watching documentaries and YouTube clips and reading biographies and online interviews. Smith admits that there was pressure to do her character, who is still alive, justice, estimating that about 70 to 80 percent of the performance is true, based on actual quotes and stories from their lives.
“We try to make both (portrayals) sympathetic, obviously, but at the same time, we don’t want the truth to get in the way of the story either,” Smith said. “One of my goals was to bring their story back and their music back. And it seems to be working. Thank God.”
From their first show in Hollywood 11 months ago, the performance has received enthusiastic standing ovations and glowing reviews. This could be due to the accuracy of the plot or the poignant message Smith and Broder’s characters reveal.
“I think our thesis is: If at the end of your life you look back, and you’ve chosen self-fulfillment over love, you will be empty,” Smith said. “I think too many of us get so enmeshed in our own stupid careers or in the little, tiny, stupid details that we forget to just realize that we are living in our life.”
The play has come a long way since opening night. With new characters and a new director, Academy Award-winning director Taylor Hackford, both Smith and Broder agree that the show’s dynamic has changed.
“The show is changing into a larger machine on every level. The story is bigger. The production is bigger. Everything is just different,” Broder said. “Eleven months ago, this show didn’t even exist. So we’re just getting our feet wet.”
Pointing out the higher ticket prices and more theater-savvy viewers attending the Geffen performances, Smith admits to the pressure that comes with the new venue, but sees both positives and negatives in this change.
“It’s great because we have a lot more support, so we’re able to focus more on just being actors and writers, but it’s also a lot more pressure on us. We have a lot more people depending on us,” Smith said.
“The stakes are just a lot higher because we have sort of the world looking at us, whereas before we could make mistakes and that was OK.”
However, no matter the change in venue or audience size, audience reaction has stayed the same: enthusiastic clapping and standing ovations.
“It still blows my mind everyday,” Smith said. “People still walking away from it genuinely affected, from what I understand. And that’s what we’re going for.”