Seriously, you have to be a fool not to fall in love with Aurelia Williams.

Whether she's brashly convincing a round of paramours to "Dance With Me", stealing the scene merely by rolling her eyes as her suitor begs her to "Treat Me Nice", or ruefully explaining to us why fools fall in love, all eyes are on Williams when she's on the stage during Bethesda Theatre's new production of Smokey Joe's Cafe. The revue is at its best when the cabaret performers let their own personality shine through, but falters when its stars get by on exaggerated smiles and Broadway-style cheese.

Smokey Joe's was one of the first so-called "Jukebox Musicals," which rely on previously written songs for their score (think Mamma Mia!, Movin' Out, et al). Its numbers are all drawn from the repertoire of songwriting legends Leiber and Stoller, whom you probably think of as oldies' hit-makers - "Jailhouse Rock" and "Stand By Me" are among their most popular. But don't hold its jukebox status against it too much. Smokey Joe's was written back when a revue was just one genre musical theater had to offer, rather than just about the only art form Broadway producers were willing to put dollars behind. Don't go looking for a storyline, or even much of a theme, in Smokey Joe's Cafe - this is a night at the theater where you're in for fine singers, energetic dancing, a collection of music classics, and nothing more.

And are there ever plenty of these classics. Even at just over two hours, the show boasts no less than 40 musical numbers, and you have to wonder if the show creators might have trimmed a few (we'd not lose sleep over losing, say, "Little Egypt" or "Keep On Rollin'", for example). That said, the songs are snappy and short, and the tone switches from peppy (the iconic "On Broadway") to smooth (the sultry "You're The Boss") to plaintive (the aching "I (Who Have Nothing)". Audiences will recognize songs like "Yakety Yak" and "Love Potion #9", but it is the pair's lesser known works that often make for better stage moments - Jasmin Walker, feather boa in hand, sells the hell out of the material-minded "Don Juan", and a mismash of "Love Me" and "Don't" makes for a moving duet between Teren Carter and Jennifer Byrne.

Byrne at times has almost an unduly harsh stage presence, and it would have been nice to see her pour some country soul into numbers like "Pearl's A Singer" - her delivery on most of her numbers is textbook musical theater, with a little added intensity. Additionally, the chief offender in the bland Broadway delivery category would be the oily, constantly-winking John Ashley Brown, whose "Jailhouse Rock" does a disservice to the King.

Largely, though, the stars range from reliable utility players (Carter, Alexander Elisa) to breakout performers - making goofy use of a deep bass voice is always a guilty pleasure, but Erich McMillan-McCall proves he can do more than just hit low notes when he shows off his velvety upper register in the second act. Miles Johnson has the most offbeat charm of the male ensemble, gamely slithering through numbers like "DW Washburn" and "Shoppin' For Clothes".

Director/choreographer Chet Walker's dance moves are often pleasantly reminiscent of the New York production, but it wouldn't hurt for the staging to have a bit more pizazz - during the first three songs of the second act, for example, the cast spends most of its time swaying and snapping their fingers in a single line across the stage (particularly puzzling when the act opener, "Baby That Is Rock & Roll", is so damn uptempo and infectious). Occasional slide-show photos decorating the background would be more at place in a high school choir performance, and the costumes can run from sharp ( the clever oversized dancing suits in "Shoppin") to garish (cheap-looking metallic prison garb here, an awkward maroon dress with half sleeves there). For a show that really needs to sell itself through sheer stage presence, Smokey Joe's certainly entertains, but too often feels like it's coasting.

Smokey Joe's Cafe runs through May 11 at Bethesda Theater. Tickets are available online.