Ain't Misbehavin opened in the Manhattan Theatre Club's East 73rd Street cabaret on February 8, 1978. The cast included Irene Cara, Nell Carter, André DeShields, Armelia McQueen, and Ken Page and was staged by Maltby. The New York Times reviewer wrote: "The show moves with the zing and sparkle of a Waller recording-filled with bright melodies and asides." Its reception was such that it was decided to develop it into a full-scale production.
The musical opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on May 9, 1978, and transferred to the Plymouth Theatre and then to the Belasco Theatre and closed on February 21, 1982 after 1604 performances and fourteen previews. Maltby was the director, with musical staging and choreography by Arthur Faria. 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 at the Tricycle Theatre and then the Lyric Theatre, 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.
A Broadway revival with the same director, choreographer, and cast as the original 1978 production opened on August 15, 1988 at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 176 performances and eight previews. Frank Rich, in his review for The New York Times, wrote "In their scrupulous re-creation of the Fats Waller show that first electrified Broadway a decade ago, the original cast and creators have conjured the same between-the-wars dream world as before... Though almost bereft of dialogue, this musical anthology expands beyond its form to become a resurrection of a great black artist's soul. Perhaps the key to the musical's approach, as conceived by the director Richard Maltby Jr., is its willingness to let Waller speak simply and eloquently for himself, through his art but without show-biz embroidery."[4]
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 starred in the 30th anniversary national tour of the show. A new cast recording has been made and is available on the Rhino label.
Act I
• Ain't Misbehavin'
• Lookin' Good but Feelin' Bad
• 'T Ain't Nobody's Bizness
• Honeysuckle Rose
• Squeeze Me
• Handful of Keys
• 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 Letter
• Two Sleepy People
• I've Got my Fingers Crossed
• I Can't Give You Anything but Love
• It's a Sin to Tell a Lie
• Honeysuckle Band
Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Ain't Misbehavin'
Version 1
Ain't Misbehavin' (1978-02-Manhattan Theatre Club-Off Off Broadway)
Type de série: OriginalThéâtre: Manhattan Theatre Club (Broadway (Off-Off) - Etats-Unis) Durée : 3 semaines Nombre : Première Preview : mercredi 08 février 1978Première : mercredi 08 février 1978Dernière : dimanche 05 mars 1978Mise en scène : Richard Jr Maltby • Chorégraphie : Arthur Faria • Producteur : Avec : Irene Cara, Nell Carter, Andre De Shields, Armelia McQueen, Ken Page
Version 2
Ain't Misbehavin' (1978-05-Broadway Run)
Type de série: Broadway TransferThéâtre: Broadway Run (Broadway - Etats-Unis)
Durée : 3 ans 9 mois 2 semaines Nombre : 14 previews - 1604 représentationsPremière Preview : vendredi 28 avril 1978Première : mardi 09 mai 1978Dernière : dimanche 21 février 1982Mise en scène : Richard Jr Maltby • Chorégraphie : Arthur Faria • Producteur : Avec : Nell Carter, Andre De Shields, Armelia McQueen, Ken Page, Charlaine WoodardCommentaires : Longacre Theatre 9/5/1978 - 28/1/1979
Plymouth Theatre 29/1/1979 - 24/1/1981
Belasco Theatre 26/1/1981 - 21/2/1982
Version 3
Ain't Misbehavin' (1979-03-Her Majesty's Theatre-London)
Type de série: Original LondonThéâtre: Her Majesty's Theatre (Londres - Angleterre) Durée : Nombre : 196 représentationsPremière Preview : InconnuPremière : jeudi 22 mars 1979Dernière : InconnuMise en scène : Richard Jr Maltby • Chorégraphie : Arthur Faria • Producteur : Avec : Evan Bell, André de Shields, Annie Joe Edwards, Jozella Reed, Charlaine WoodardCommentaires : A musical revue and tribute to the black musicians of the 1920s and 1930s who
were part of the Harlem Renaissance, an era of growing creativity, cultural awareness, and ethnic pride. Manhattan nightclubs like the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom attracted the high society, while the Lennox Avenue low-down 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 vaguely tell the story and philosophy of Fats Waller.
Version 4
Ain't Misbehavin' (1995-01-London Run)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: London Run (Londres - Angleterre)Durée : 8 mois 3 semaines Nombre : 232 représentationsPremière Preview : lundi 09 janvier 1995Première : lundi 09 janvier 1995Dernière : samedi 30 septembre 1995Mise en scène : Gillian Gregory • Nicholas Kent • Chorégraphie : Gillian Gregory • Producteur : Avec : Ray Shell, Debby Bishop, Dawn Hope, Melanie Marshall, Sean PalmerCommentaires : This revival was in its original “chamber” style rather than the large-scale
production staged at Her Majesty’s in 1979. It received a number of rave notices for Sean Palmer, hailed as an exceptional bright new star.
London run: Tricycle Theatre, 9/1/1995 - 25/2/1995
Transferred to Lyric Theatre 13/3/1995-30/9/1995
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