On this day in 1978, the musical revue Ain't Misbehavin' opened on Broadway!
The winner of the 1978 Tony Award for Best Musical, "Ain't Misbehavin'" features the songs of Fats Waller based on an idea by director Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz. The original cast included Nell Carter (later of TV's "Gimme a Break"), Ken Page, André DeShields, Armelia McQueen and Charlaine Woodard. The original production ran on Broadway for nearly four years.
Musicians regard Thomas Wright ("Fats") Waller as one of the founders of jazz piano whose popular compositions have been recorded by countless artists over the decades.
Set in the Harlem Renaissance in New York City, "Ain't Misbehavin'" includes favorite Waller standards such as "Honeysuckle Rose," "The Joint Is Jumpin'," "'T Ain't Nobody's Biz-Ness If I Do," "Squeeze Me," and of course the title song. The show also features songs that Waller made hits, including "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Mean to Me" and "Two Sleepy People."
Videos