| Ain't Misbehavin' | |
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Original Cast Recording |
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| Music | Fats Waller and others |
| Lyrics | Fats Waller and others |
| Book | Murray Horwitz Richard Maltby, Jr. |
| Productions | 1978 New York cabaret 1978 Broadway 1979 West End 1982 US television 1988 Broadway revival 1995 US National tour 1995 West End revival 2008 US National tour |
| Awards | Tony Award for Best Musical Drama Desk Outstanding Musical |
Ain't Misbehavin' is a musical revue with a book by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr., music by Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller, and lyrics by various writers. It is named after the song by Fats Waller, "Ain't Misbehavin'"
It serves as a tribute to the black musicians of the 1920s and '30s who were part of the Harlem Renaissance, an era of growing creativity, cultural awareness, and ethnic pride, and takes its title from the 1929 Waller song "Ain't Misbehavin'". It was a time when Manhattan nightclubs like the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom were the playgrounds of high society and Lenox Avenue 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 reflect Waller's view of life as a journey meant for pleasure and play.
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Ain't Misbehavin' opened in the Manhattan Theatre Club's East 73rd Street cabaret on February 8, 1978 with featured singer Irene Cara. Its reception was such that it was decided to develop it into a full-scale production. After fourteen previews, the Broadway production, directed by Maltby with musical staging and choreography by Arthur Faria, opened on May 9, 1978 at the Longacre Theatre, later moving to the Plymouth and then the Belasco before finally completing its 1604-performance run on February 21, 1982. 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 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.
After eight previews, a Broadway revival with the same director, choreographer, and cast as the original production a decade earlier opened on August 15, 1988 at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 176 performances.
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 will be starring in the 30th anniversary national tour of the show.[1] A new cast recording has been made and is available on the Rhino label.[2]
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| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Musical | Won | |
| Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Ken Page | Won | ||
| André DeShields | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Nell Carter | Won | ||
| Charlayne Woodard | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Choreography | Arthur Faria | Nominated | ||
| Theatre World Award | Nell Carter | Won | ||
| Armelia McQueen | Won | |||
| Tony Award | Best Musical | Won | ||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Nell Carter | Won | ||
| Charlayne Woodard | Nominated | |||
| Best Direction of a Musical | Richard Maltby, Jr. | Won | ||
| Best Choreography | Arthur Faria | Nominated | ||
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Laurence Olivier Award | Musical of the Year | Nominated | |
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program | Nell Carter | Won | ||
| André DeShields | Won | |||
| Outstanding Choreography | Arthur Faria | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Limited Series or a Special | Nominated | |||
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Tony Award | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated | |
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