|
The joint is jumpin’ in this Tony Award-winning musical revue based on the life of Thomas “Fats” Waller. Step back to the Golden Age of Jazz, when places like the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom were havens for snappy swing music and snazzy jazz, and the stride piano infused the soulful energy of a generation. Taking its title from the 1929 Waller song, Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a lively tribute to the black musicians of the Harlem Renaissance, featuring 30 finger-snapping, toe-tapping numbers including “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Squeeze Me,” “Handful of Keys,” “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie” and “The ...Read More
The joint is jumpin’ in this Tony Award-winning musical revue based on the life of Thomas “Fats” Waller. Step back to the Golden Age of Jazz, when places like the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom were havens for snappy swing music and snazzy jazz, and the stride piano infused the soulful energy of a generation. Taking its title from the 1929 Waller song, Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a lively tribute to the black musicians of the Harlem Renaissance, featuring 30 finger-snapping, toe-tapping numbers including “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Squeeze Me,” “Handful of Keys,” “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie” and “The Joint is Jumpin’.”
“I want the audience to not only finger-snap and toe-tap along—but to be transported back in time, before hip-hop, through the bebop era and into the Harlem Renaissance, which was one of the most astonishing explosions of theatrical creativity in modern American history,” says McClain. “I hope those who have seen other productions will be pleasantly surprised by our fresh approach and by the energy and passion of this version. I see Ain’t Misbehavin’ as a timeless classic, not a museum piece, and I want to make it not only entertaining, but innovative and relevant for today’s audience.”
Ain’t Misbehavin’ opens on Friday, October 12 and runs through November 4 with previews on October 9, 10, 11. Tickets are $29-$44. International City Theatre @ Long Beach Performing Arts Center is located at 300 East Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802. For reservations and information, call (562) 436-4610; www.InternationalCityTheatre.org
|