"Ain't Misbehavin'," The Fats Waller Musical Show, opens Friday, April 24 at 8 p.m. at the Ahmanson Theatre. Performances of the Center Theatre Group production continue through May 31.
The exclusive engagement celebrates the 30th anniversary of the irresistible, toe-tapping, finger-snapping Tony Award-winning revue which pays tribute to one of America's true originals, the charismatic songwriter, singer, pianist and superb entertainer from the 1920s and 30s, Thomas "Fats" Waller. The fun-filled musical brings the audience into the world Waller helped make famous - the world of places such as The Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom, of honky tonk dives along Lenox Avenue, of rent parties, of stride piano players, and most importantly, that new beat - swing.
Conceived and directed by Richard Maltby, Jr., the "Ain't Misbehavin'" cast includes EuGene Barry-Hill, Doug Eskew, Armelia McQueen (who was in the original cast), Roz Ryan and Debra Walton. Choreography is by Arthur Faria, who staged the original production. The music director is William Foster McDaniel. "Ain't Misbehavin'" is based on an idea by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr.
"Ain't Misbehavin'" includes 30 songs, all presented with the zest for life and cheeky humor for which Waller was known, "The Joint is Jumpin'," "Honeysuckle Rose," "Mean to Me," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Two Sleepy People," "T'ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do," "Your Feet's Too Big," "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," "Black and Blue," "Ain't Misbehavin'" and more.
Tickets for "Ain't Misbehavin'" are available by calling (213) 628-2772 or online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.
Photo by Craig Schwartz
Debra Walton and EuGene Barry-Hill
Armelia McQueen, Doug Eskew, Debra Walton, EuGene Barry-Hill and Roz Ryan
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