Ain't Misbehavin'
Encyclopedia
Ain't Misbehavin' is a musical revue
with a book by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr.
, music by Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller
, and lyrics by various writers. It is named after the song by Fats Waller, "Ain't Misbehavin'"
It serves as a tribute to the black musicians
of the 1920s and '30s who were part of the Harlem Renaissance
, an era of growing creativity, cultural awareness, and ethnic pride, and takes its title from the 1929 Waller song "Ain't Misbehavin'
". It was a time when Manhattan
nightclub
s like the Cotton Club
and the Savoy Ballroom
were the playgrounds of high society
and Lenox Avenue dives were filled with piano players banging out the new beat known as swing. Five performers present an evening of rowdy, raunchy, and humorous songs that encapsulate the various moods of the era and reflect Waller's view of life as a journey meant for pleasure and play.
's East 73rd Street cabaret
on February 8, 1978 with featured singer Irene Cara
. Its reception was such that it was decided to develop it into a full-scale production. After fourteen previews, the Broadway
production, directed by Maltby with musical staging and choreography
by Arthur Faria, opened on May 9, 1978 at the Longacre Theatre
, later moving to the Plymouth
and then the Belasco
before finally completing its 1604-performance run on February 21, 1982. The original cast featured Nell Carter
, André DeShields
, Armelia McQueen
, Ken Page, and Charlayne Woodard
. Luther Henderson
adapted Waller's music for the revue and served as the production's original pianist. Replacements later in the run included Debbie Allen
, Yvette Freeman
, Adriane Lenox
, and Alan Weeks
. An original cast recording was released by RCA Victor.
The West End
production opened on March 22, 1979 at Her Majesty's Theatre
. DeShields and Woodard were joined by Evan Bell, Annie Joe Edwards, and Jozella Reed. It was revived in London
in 1995 with Debby Bishop
, Dawn Hope, Melanie Marshall, Sean Palmer, and Ray Shell. A London revival cast recording was released by First Night.
On June 12, 1982, NBC
broadcast the revue with the original Broadway cast.
After eight previews, a Broadway revival with the same director, choreographer, and cast as the original production a decade earlier opened on August 15, 1988 at the Ambassador Theatre
, where it ran for 176 performances.
In 1995, a national tour starred the Pointer Sisters
, Eugene Barry-Hill, and Michael-Leon Wooley
. Although it never reached Broadway as originally planned, a recording of highlights from the show was released by RCA.
Beginning in November 2008 and lasting until at least May 2009, season two American Idol
contestants Frenchie Davis
, Trenyce Cobbins
and winner Ruben Studdard
will be starring in the 30th anniversary national tour of the show. A new cast recording has been made and is available on the Rhino label.
Act II
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
with a book by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr.
Richard Maltby, Jr.
Richard Eldridge Maltby, Jr. is an American theatre director and producer, lyricist, and screenwriter. He is also well known as a constructor of cryptic crossword puzzles. He has done this for Harper's Magazine, sometimes in collaboration with E. R...
, music by Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller
Fats Waller
Fats Waller , born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer...
, and lyrics by various writers. It is named after the song by Fats Waller, "Ain't Misbehavin'"
Ain't Misbehavin' (song)
"Ain't Misbehavin" is a 1929 song written by Thomas "Fats" Waller, Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf . Waller recorded the original version that year for Victor Records and also later performed the song in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. It was used in the off-broadway musical Connie's Hot Chocolates...
It serves as a tribute to the black musicians
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
of the 1920s and '30s who were part of the Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the "New Negro Movement", named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke...
, an era of growing creativity, cultural awareness, and ethnic pride, and takes its title from the 1929 Waller song "Ain't Misbehavin'
Ain't Misbehavin' (song)
"Ain't Misbehavin" is a 1929 song written by Thomas "Fats" Waller, Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf . Waller recorded the original version that year for Victor Records and also later performed the song in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. It was used in the off-broadway musical Connie's Hot Chocolates...
". It was a time when Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s like the Cotton Club
Cotton Club
The Cotton Club was a famous night club in Harlem, New York City that operated during Prohibition that included jazz music. While the club featured many of the greatest African American entertainers of the era, such as Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, Count Basie, Bessie Smith,...
and the Savoy Ballroom
Savoy Ballroom
The Savoy Ballroom, located in Harlem, New York City, was a medium sized ballroom for music and public dancing that was in operation from March 12, 1926 to July 10, 1958. It was located between 140th and 141st Streets on Lenox Avenue....
were the playgrounds of high society
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
and Lenox Avenue dives were filled with piano players banging out the new beat known as swing. Five performers present an evening of rowdy, raunchy, and humorous songs that encapsulate the various moods of the era and reflect Waller's view of life as a journey meant for pleasure and play.
Productions
Ain't Misbehavin opened in the Manhattan Theatre ClubManhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club is a theater company located in New York City. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has grown since its founding in 1970 from an Off-Off Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most acclaimed...
's East 73rd Street cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
on February 8, 1978 with featured singer Irene Cara
Irene Cara
Irene Cara is an American singer and actress. Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling." She is also known for her recording of the song "Fame", and she also starred in the 1980 film Fame.She married Hollywood stuntman...
. Its reception was such that it was decided to develop it into a full-scale production. After fourteen previews, the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production, directed by Maltby with musical staging and choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
by Arthur Faria, opened on May 9, 1978 at the Longacre Theatre
Longacre Theatre
The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 220 West 48th Street in midtown Manhattan.-Theatre History:Designed by architect Henry Beaumont Herts in 1912, it was named for Longacre Square, the original name for Times Square...
, later moving to the Plymouth
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 236 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan named for Gerald Schoenfeld....
and then the Belasco
Belasco Theatre
The Belasco Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 111 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan.-History:Designed by architect George Keister for impresario David Belasco, the interior featured Tiffany lighting and ceiling panels, rich woodwork and expansive murals by American artist...
before finally completing its 1604-performance run on February 21, 1982. The original cast featured Nell Carter
Nell Carter
Nell Carter was an American singer, and film, stage, and television actress. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin, as well as an Emmy Award for her reprisal of the role on television...
, André DeShields
André DeShields
André De Shields is an American actor, singer, dancer, acclaimed novelist, choreographer, and college professor....
, Armelia McQueen
Armelia McQueen
Armelia McQueen is an American actress. A native of North Carolina, she has played roles in both film and TV.-Films:* Sparkle as Ann* Quartet by James Ivory, as Night Club Singer...
, Ken Page, and Charlayne Woodard
Charlayne Woodard
Charlaine "Charlayne" Woodard is an American film, stage and television actress and playwright. She has written four plays, titled Pretty Fire, Neat, In Real Life, which she starred in, and "Flight"....
. Luther Henderson
Luther Henderson
Luther Henderson was an African American arranger, composer, orchestrator, and pianist.Born in Kansas City, Missouri, he was educated at the Juilliard School of Music where he received a B.S. in 1942...
adapted Waller's music for the revue and served as the production's original pianist. Replacements later in the run included Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
, Yvette Freeman
Yvette Freeman
Yvette Freeman is an American actress best known for her role as Haleh Adams, a registered nurse, on the NBC drama ER...
, Adriane Lenox
Adriane Lenox
Adriane Lenox is an American stage and film actress whose performance in the play Doubt: A Parable garnered her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2005. She also appeared as Hattie in the Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate and had a role in the 2009 film The Blind Side, as Denise...
, and Alan Weeks
Alan Weeks
Alan Frederick Weeks was a British television sports reporter and commentator.-Personal life:...
. An original cast recording was released by RCA Victor.
The West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production opened on March 22, 1979 at Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
. DeShields and Woodard were joined by Evan Bell, Annie Joe Edwards, and Jozella Reed. It was revived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1995 with Debby Bishop
Debby Bishop
Debby Bishop is a British actress. She is probably best known to television viewers for her appearance in the second series of the crime drama Widows, having taken over the part of Bella O'Reilly from Eva Mottley....
, Dawn Hope, Melanie Marshall, Sean Palmer, and Ray Shell. A London revival cast recording was released by First Night.
On June 12, 1982, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
broadcast the revue with the original Broadway cast.
After eight previews, a Broadway revival with the same director, choreographer, and cast as the original production a decade earlier opened on August 15, 1988 at the Ambassador Theatre
Ambassador Theatre (New York)
The Ambassador Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 219 West 49th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.Designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp for the Shuberts, the structure is unusual in that it is situated diagonally on its site to fit the maximum number of...
, where it ran for 176 performances.
In 1995, a national tour starred the Pointer Sisters
Pointer Sisters
The Pointer Sisters are an American pop/R&B recording act from Oakland, California that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Spanning over three decades, their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, disco, jazz, bebop, blues, soul, funk, dance, country and rock.The...
, Eugene Barry-Hill, and Michael-Leon Wooley
Michael-Leon Wooley
Michael-Leon Wooley is an American television, film and theatre actor and singer. Wooley lends his voice to Louis the Alligator in Disney's Oscar nominated animated feature film, The Princess and the Frog. Wooley has also done a small role in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV.- Early life :Wooley was...
. Although it never reached Broadway as originally planned, a recording of highlights from the show was released by RCA.
Beginning in November 2008 and lasting until at least May 2009, season two American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
contestants Frenchie Davis
Frenchie Davis
Franchelle "Frenchie" Davis is an R&B singer and former contestant on the second season of the American reality television show American Idol. Davis performed in Rent on Broadway in 2003...
, Trenyce Cobbins
Trenyce
Lashundra Trenyce Cobbins , known professionally as Trenyce, is an American singer and was a finalist for the second season of American Idol in 2003, finishing in fifth place.- Biography:...
and winner Ruben Studdard
Ruben Studdard
Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard , best known as Ruben Studdard, is an American R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol...
will be starring in the 30th anniversary national tour of the show. A new cast recording has been made and is available on the Rhino label.
Song list
Act I- Ain't Misbehavin'Ain't Misbehavin' (song)"Ain't Misbehavin" is a 1929 song written by Thomas "Fats" Waller, Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf . Waller recorded the original version that year for Victor Records and also later performed the song in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. It was used in the off-broadway musical Connie's Hot Chocolates...
- Lookin' Good but Feelin' Bad
- 'T Ain't Nobody's Bizness
- Honeysuckle RoseHoneysuckle Rose (song)"Honeysuckle Rose" is a 1928 song composed by Fats Waller, whose lyrics were written by Andy Razaf. Fats Waller's 1934 recording was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999....
- Squeeze MeSqueeze Me"Squeeze Me" is a 1925 jazz standard composed by Fats Waller. It was based on an old blues song called "The Boy in the Boat". The lyrics were credited to publisher Clarence Williams, although Andy Razaf has claimed to have actually written the lyrics....
- Handful of KeysHandful of Keys"Handful of Keys" is a composition in the stride piano style by the jazz composer and pianist Fats Waller and originally published by Chappel & Co....
- I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling
- How Ya Baby
- Jitterbug Waltz
- Ladies Who Sing with the Band
- Yacht Club Swing
- When the Nylons Bloom Again
- Cash for Your Trash
- Off-Time
- The Joint is Jumpin'
Act II
- Spreadin' Rhythm Around
- Lounging at the Waldorf
- The Viper's Drag
- Mean to Me
- Your Feet's Too Big
- That Ain't Right
- Keepin' Out of Mischief Now
- Find Out What They Like
- Fat and Greasy
- Black and Blue
- I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a LetterI'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" is a 1935 popular song with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Joe Young. It has been recorded many times, and has become a standard of the Great American Songbook....
- Two Sleepy People
- I've Got my Fingers Crossed
- I Can't Give You Anything but Love
- It's a Sin to Tell a LieIt's a Sin to Tell a Lie"It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" is a 1936 popular song by Billy Mayhew. Originally introduced by Fats Waller on the 78 rpm record Victor 20-1595, it was revived in 1955 by Somethin' Smith and the Redheads, reaching #7 on the Billboard charts in that year. John Denver tells a story about the song and...
- Honeysuckle Band
Original Broadway production
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Drama Desk Award Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category... |
Outstanding Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since. Before the 21st Drama Desk Awards, acting awards were given without making distinctions between roles in straight dramas as opposed to musicals, nor were there... |
||
| Outstanding Actor in a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since... |
Ken Page | |||
| André DeShields André DeShields André De Shields is an American actor, singer, dancer, acclaimed novelist, choreographer, and college professor.... |
||||
| Outstanding Actress in a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since... |
Nell Carter Nell Carter Nell Carter was an American singer, and film, stage, and television actress. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin, as well as an Emmy Award for her reprisal of the role on television... |
|||
| Charlayne Woodard Charlayne Woodard Charlaine "Charlayne" Woodard is an American film, stage and television actress and playwright. She has written four plays, titled Pretty Fire, Neat, In Real Life, which she starred in, and "Flight".... |
||||
| Outstanding Choreography Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography -1970s:* 1970: Ron Field – Applause** No nominees* 1971: Michael Bennett – Follies and Donald Saddler – No, No, Nanette** No nominees* 1972: Patricia Birch – Grease and Jean Erdman – Two Gentlemen of Verona... |
Arthur Faria | |||
| Theatre World Award Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:... |
Nell Carter Nell Carter Nell Carter was an American singer, and film, stage, and television actress. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin, as well as an Emmy Award for her reprisal of the role on television... |
|||
| Armelia McQueen Armelia McQueen Armelia McQueen is an American actress. A native of North Carolina, she has played roles in both film and TV.-Films:* Sparkle as Ann* Quartet by James Ivory, as Night Club Singer... |
||||
| Tony Award Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway... |
Best Musical Tony Award for Best Musical This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical, first awarded in 1949. This award is presented to the producers of the musical.-1940s:* 1949: Kiss Me, Kate – Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack... |
|||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical This is a list of the winners and nominations of the Tony Award for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. The award, introduced in 1950, was previously named as Best Performance by a Featured or Supporting Actress in a Musical until 1976.... |
Nell Carter Nell Carter Nell Carter was an American singer, and film, stage, and television actress. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin, as well as an Emmy Award for her reprisal of the role on television... |
|||
| Charlayne Woodard Charlayne Woodard Charlaine "Charlayne" Woodard is an American film, stage and television actress and playwright. She has written four plays, titled Pretty Fire, Neat, In Real Life, which she starred in, and "Flight".... |
||||
| Best Direction of a Musical Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Prior to 1960, category for direction included plays and musicals.-1950s:Note: this category was for both dramatic and musical productions... |
Richard Maltby, Jr. Richard Maltby, Jr. Richard Eldridge Maltby, Jr. is an American theatre director and producer, lyricist, and screenwriter. He is also well known as a constructor of cryptic crossword puzzles. He has done this for Harper's Magazine, sometimes in collaboration with E. R... |
|||
| Best Choreography Tony Award for Best Choreography -1940s:* 1947: Agnes de Mille – Brigadoon / Michael Kidd – Finian's Rainbow* 1948: Jerome Robbins – High Button Shoes* 1949: Gower Champion – Lend An Ear-1950s:* 1950: Helen Tamiris – Touch and Go* 1951: Michael Kidd – Guys and Dolls... |
Arthur Faria | |||
Original London production
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Laurence Olivier Award | Musical of the Year | ||
1982 NBC broadcast
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Primetime Emmy Award Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming... |
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series is a category in the Primetime Emmy Awards. It is awarded annually to the best variety show or similarly formatted program of the year.... |
||
| Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program. Awards in this category from 1974 through 1978 were presented for Outstanding Supporting Actor or Actress in A Variety Show or Special... |
Nell Carter Nell Carter Nell Carter was an American singer, and film, stage, and television actress. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin, as well as an Emmy Award for her reprisal of the role on television... |
|||
| André DeShields André DeShields André De Shields is an American actor, singer, dancer, acclaimed novelist, choreographer, and college professor.... |
||||
| Outstanding Choreography Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography.-Award winners:1950s* 1955 June Taylor – The Jackie Gleason Show* 1956 Tony Charmoli – Your Hit Parade* 1959 Hermes Pan – An Evening with Fred Astaire1970s... |
Arthur Faria | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction | ||||
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special | ||||
| Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special | ||||
| Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Limited Series or a Special | ||||
1988 Broadway revival
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Tony Award Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway... |
Best Revival of a Musical Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical The Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical has been awarded since 1994. Before that time, both plays and musicals were considered together for the Tony Award for Best Revival.... |
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External links
- Music Theatre International Obtain a license to produce Ain't Misbehavin' at your theater.
- Ovrtur.com Page
- Official Tour Site
- Ain't Misbehavin' original cast album on Masterworks Broadway
- Ain't Misbehavin' new cast album on Masterworks Broadway