Overview
Synopsis
The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s comes to life in the three-time Tony award-winning musical revue, Ain't Misbehavin’. Join five performers on a journey through the timeless music of Thomas “Fats” Waller. You’ll be jumpin’ and jivin’ with memorable songs such as “Honeysuckle Rose”, “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, “Black and Blue”, “This Joint is Jumpin’ ” and “I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling.” One of the most popular, well-crafted revues of all time, the sometimes sassy, sometimes sultry, has moments of devastating beauty that is simply unforgettable.
Show Information
- Music
- Thomas "Fats" Waller
- Conceived By
- Murray Horwitz , Richard Maltby, Jr.
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1978
- Genres
- Jukebox/Revue
- Settings
- Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- 1930s
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- Music Theatre International
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, High School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult Characters
Context
Ain't Misbehavin’ is considered one of the most well conceptualized revues of all-time. It opened in the Manhattan Theatre Club’s cabaret in February 8, 1978. It was so well received that it was developed into a full-scale production.
The musical opened on Broadway on May 9, 1978 and closed in February 1982 after 1,604 performances. Richard Maltby directed the production; Arthur Faria choreographed and the original cast featured: Nell Carter, Andre DeShields, Armelia McQueen, Ken Page and
to read the context for Ain’t Misbehavin’ and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
ACT ONE
The show opens on a recording of Thomas “Fats” Waller saying, "Hi there fellas! What you say? This is little Fats Waller, my mother's two hundred and eighty-five pounds of jam, jive and everything." The piano in the recording is joined by a live piano, a live band and finally by five performers: Armelia, Nell, Andre, Ken and Charlaine. (“Ain’t Misbehavin’ ”). They are dressed up to go to a Harlem jazz club of the 1930s and start lamenting that it can be difficult to wait for
to read the plot for Ain’t Misbehavin’ and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
Songs
ACT ONE
- “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” - Company
- “Lookin’ Good But Feelin’ Bad” - Company
- “T Ain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do” - Andre and Company
- “Honeysuckle Rose” - Ken and Nell
- “Squeeze Me” - Armelia
- “Handful of Keys” - Company
- “I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling” - Nell and Company
- “How Ya Baby” - Andre, Charlaine and Company
- “The Jitterbug Waltz” - Company
- “The Ladies Who Sing with the Band” - Andre and Ken
- “Yacht Club Swing” - Charlaine
- “When the Nylons Bloom Again” - Armelia, Charlaine and Nell
- “Cash for Your Trash” - Nell
- “Off-Time” - Company
- “The Joint is Jumpin’” - Company
ACT TWO
- “Spreadin’ Rhythm Around” - Company
- “Lounging at the Waldorf” - Armelia, Charlaine, Ken and Nell
- “The Viper’s Drag” - Andre and Company
- “Mean to Me” - Nell
- “Your Feet’s Too Big” - Ken
- “That Ain’t Right” - Andre, Armelia and Company
- “Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now” - Charlaine
- “Find Out What They Like” - Armelia and Nell
- “Fat and Greasy” - Andre and Ken
- “Black and Blue” - Company
- “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter” - Ken
- “Two Sleepy People” - Armelia and Ken
- “I’ve Got My Fingers Crossed” - Charlaine, Armelia and Ken
- “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love” - Andre and Charlaine
- “It’s a Sin To Tell a Lie” - Nell and Company
- “Honeysuckle Band” - Company
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
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