Ain’t Misbehavin’

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 love. ("Lookin' Good, But Feelin' Bad"). Nell and Ken, however, argue that if they decide to “jump into the ocean” or “go to church on Sunday then cabaret all day Monday,” it’s no ones business if they do, (“ ‘T Ain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do.”) In contrast, Nell and Ken sing of the sweetness of their love (“Honeysuckle Rose”), followed by Armelia’s affectionate coos to her ‘daddy’ (“Squeeze Me”).

The Company then sings a rousing number praising the glories of stride piano playing