The iconic music of legendary jazz pianist Fats Waller is effectively and lovingly recreated in Westport Country Playhouse's sizzling, tangy, fanciful revival of "Ain't Misbehavin,' " the place where jive meets jazz, ragtime and swing pulsate and rhythm and blues get you all hot and bothered, steamy and very much lathered up.
As musical theatre, it's exactly what you wished for.
It's everything you hoped it would be.
Its jazz fueled.
Its got soul.
Its got sass.
Its got swing.
Its got the moves.
Its got game.
Its got the sound.
Its got the voice.
Savvy. Wicked. Tuneful. Bouncy. Pleasurable.
This revival of "Ain't Misbehavin' " not only delivers but celebrates a bygone era of time and place where black jazz rocked Tin Pan Alley and Harlem's 125th St., bootleg gin was the drink of choice, liberated spirits burst from the rafters, reefer drove everyone wild and songs about the blues, about love and about life itself, sizzled, jammed and smoldered.
It's a party of sorts - amped up with plenty of energy, jam and slam - where every performer gets his or her big moment to fly solo, flirt, dance, sing and wildly cut loose with the band. Or simply glide into ensemble form and be carried aloft by the vocal arrangements and musical syncopation of the maestro himself - Mr. Fats Waller.
Originally conceived and directed by Richard Maltby, Jr. for Broadway audiences back in 1978 - the same year it won the Tony Award for Best Musical - this musical revival pays homage to that remarkable work itself in terms of shine, sparkle, nostalgia, spirit, lyric conviction and heart-racing showmanship. It also gets things right on all accounts in terms of staging and remembrance by employing the same sort of silvery pulse, dazzle and illumination that made the original musical revue such a jive-hopping, harmonious treat.
But Jeffrey L. Page, the director and choreographer of the Westport Country Playhouse production, is no copycat. Nor is he one to rest on his own laurels or replicate a musical that was done on Broadway 45 years ago.
Celebrating the music of legendary jazz musician Fats Waller, his creative workprint includes new styles, new beats, new rhythms, new jams and new jokes, all of which seamlessly reflect his edgy, energetic, creative, page-turning conceit.
Yes, this is still "Ain't Misbehavin' " in all its Manhattan nightclub glory. It's also still a musical where the instrumental voices of a Harlem supper club are the show's high point and calling card. As are its love stories, catfights, lively jitterbugs and conversational, dance floor verbiage.
But with Page in the driver's seat, some it's been tweaked, inked and reimagined to breathe life into its already-proven formula.
For example, whereas the 1978 Broadway production included lots of hilariously orchestrated improvisation, which changed from performance to performance, here, there's only a smattering of shtick that's dangled in front of the audience whenever the mood strikes Page or his talented five-member cast.
That said, you also can't replicate the sweet and sassy improvisational purity that existed between the 1978 audience and the original Broadway cast, namely Nell Carter, Ken Page, Andre DeShields, Charlayne Woodard and Armelia McQueen. That, in itself, was a one-of-a-kind experience. And Page, as storyteller, knows exactly that.
Is it missed? No.
Does it lessen the impact? Absolutely not.
This production still packs the same emotional wallop as the original did when it first played Broadway. It's just a little bit different, older, wiser and ingeniously trumped up in glorious, moody Technicolor.
And that's o.k.
Here, some of the staging is much more intimate and cozier to reflect that one-on-one seriousness and playfulness that was the Harlem Renaissance. It also creates an immersive vibe between actor and audience that heightens the musical's appeal, its sexiness, its scripted flirtation, its atmospheric aura and its midnight twinkle.
Elsewhere, Page adds recurring, important themes of identity, blackness and freedom of choice to his telling, which, in turn, brings a truthful resonance to the piece. Musically, he reconfigures many of the musical numbers with additional choreography and heightened ensemble thrust. He also amps up a great deal of the show's musical numbers with lengthened orchestrations that snap into place with a thrill and spill that never once becomes tiring or out of sync with the ongoing Fats Waller musical celebration.
The musical songbook for "Ain't Misbehavin' " features more than 30 timeless musical numbers, most of them written by the extraordinary Fats Waller, Andy Razaf, Harry Brooks and other gifted lyricists of the time. In addition to the title song, they include "Honeysuckle Rose," "Squeeze Me," "Cash for Your Trash," "The Joint Is Jumpin.' " "Fat and Greasy," "Black and Blue," "Spreadin' Rhythm Around," "I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling," "Lookin' Good But Feelin' Bad," "At the Waldorf," "How Ya Baby," "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie," "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," "Mean to Me," "Ladies Who Sing with the Band," "Find Out What They Like" and "I Can't Give You Anything but Love."
Peppered with wit, tilt, street savvy, high comedy, spunk, jive, swing, rippling black culture zing and marvelous period authenticity, the music itself snaps, crackles and pops as it carries and celebrates the emotional weight of the 1920's and the 1930's.
Throughout the two-act musical, the invention, skill, mindset and extraordinary technique that was Fats Waller rings loud and clear as does his penchant for stride piano, beat-by-beat alternations, plucky ranges, complex pitch chords, melody clicks, complex syncopations and cascading musical notes.
Given the power, artistry and musical vocabulary of Fats Waller and its elicitation of strong, particularly fancied, lively song twists and emotions, musical director Terry Bogart is the perfect fit for "Ain't Misbehavin.' " He gets Fats Waller. He understands Fats Waller. He appreciates Fats Waller. He loves Fats Waller. He gets excited by Fats Waller. He gets the audience excited about Fats Waller.
A first-class musician who knows exactly how to make every single song associated with "Ain't Misbehavin' " flash, spin and resonate with that special Harlem supper club magic that pretty much leaves everyone breathless, Bogart gets everyone on stage and off in the partying mood for well over two hours leaving no stone unturned.
Here, Waller's music is the voice and distinct centerpiece of this rousing musical entertainment. It is also imbued with the acerbic wit, humanity and power of the late composer and his earthy embroidery of musical expressions, movements and invocations.
Bogart, a full force on the piano, totally in sync with Maltby's ingenious concept for musical storytelling, is backed on the Westport Country Playhouse stage with a tremendously talented orchestral team of six, all of whom share his thrill for Fats Waller and his contagious, often frenzied orchestral jamming.
As "Ain't Misbehavin' " evolves, all band members - Donavan Austin (trombone), Jason Clotter (bass), John William II (trombone), Bernell Jones II (reed 2 clarinet/tenor saxophone), Ryan Sands (drums), Kevin Oliver (reed 1 clarinet/saxophone) - fuel the award-winning musical score with just the right amount of tangy passion, wild abandon and feverish pitch the production calls for.
Nothing is rushed or hurried. Nothing is out of place. Nothing runs out of steam.
Instead, things ignite and thrill as the entire five-member cast raise their voice in song never once missing a single beat, intention, harmony, jibe or rhythm associated with the show's snappy musical songbook.
Headlining the Westport Country Playhouse production of "Ain't Misbehavin' " are Will Stone, Miya Bass, Judith Franklin, Paris Bennett and Jay Copeland.
True to form, the show remains a hypnotic ensemble piece where each performer embraces the music of Fats Waller, brings it magically to life, touches the heart and soul of its creator and illuminates the vocal brilliance of the musical score with ineffable beauty, compassion, warmth, humor and dignity.
There are star turns, yes. There are showstoppers, yes. There are heated moments. There are crazy bits and shenanigans. There's flirting. There's oozing sexuality. There are stings and anthems. There's humor and grandstanding. There's also plenty of moody and passionate vocal turns.
But through it all, the cast is in full and fine voice that smartly reflects the intentions of the composers, the songs themselves and their conjuring questions and answers. What's wonderful is the depth and versatility of each vocalist, their amazing range and control, their individual harmonizing, their showmanship, their continuity and finally, how they wrap their voice around a lyric they want you to understand. Just amazing.
The ideal musical to jumpstart the Westport Country Playhouse's new 2023 season, "Ain't Misbehavin' " is an energetic, big-hearted, savvy music celebration of jazz that lovingly pays homage to the Harlem Renaissance.
It jumps. It hops. It sparkles. It delights. It gets the pulses racing.
Jeffery L. Page's direction is both bubbly and creative. Every one of the songs shows Fats Waller at his very best. Raul Abrego's colorful Art Deco set design evokes fond memories of a time gone by. Oana Botez's costume designs are colorful, glamorous and jaw-dropping.
The ensemble cast has great fun communicating the show's kick, spin, humor and nostalgia. The bygone era of Harlem jazz clubs, speakeasies, whiskey, bourbon and bathtub gin, is very much alive. And oh yes, this joint is jumpin.'
PS: Copeland's solo turn - "The Viper's Drag/The Reefer Song" - is an amazing piece of song and dance stagecraft chock full of daredevil effervescence, standout playfulness, wicked inspiration and unexpected speed and detail that makes its the standout solo turn of the evening.
And not a moment of energy is wasted.
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