It was quite a journey for Great Lakes Theater to finally see its production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” come to fruition, with the pandemic responsible for delaying its 2022 opening.
To quote the title song, some things are “well worth waiting for, believe me.”
And from the energy of the cast members themselves during the opening-night performance, they were eager to unleash all of that music that has been pent up inside of them — songs waiting to be heard by lovers of jazz, swing and good old musical fun.
The show itself showcases the music of master pianist Thomas “Fats” Waller during a time when dank New York nightclubs suddenly became trendy New York hot spots.
Waller laid the framework for modern jazz piano with his innovative “stride piano” technique, contributing greatly to the Harlem Renaissance; a time in U.S. history marked by an explosion of creativity within the Black American community in the areas of art, music and literature.
While the Harlem neighborhoods were headed towards becoming a kind of “Black cultural mecca,” famous Black performers — such as Billie Holiday (who dared to sing the song “Strange Fruit,” originally written as a poem by Jewish school teacher Abel Meeropol in response to the US lynching in southern states), Louis Armstrong and Waller, one of the most influential jazz piano players of his time — were playing for white audiences, as Black people were not invited to patronize these newly chic clubs.
On stage at Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theatre, a similar nightclub is brought to life through popular Waller songs such as “Honeysuckle Rose,” Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now,” “Mean to Me,” “This Joint Is Jumpin;” and so many more songs from this golden age in Black American culture. These songs are classics that are vocally challenging and require singers who can tell a story through the lyrics, their body language and facial expressions, not to mention the fact that many of these songs take on a new life through the addition of clever choreography reflective of the time by director Gerry McIntyre.
Cast members Tyrick Wiltez Jones, Colleen Longshaw, Brittney Mack, Jessie Cope Miller and David Robbins, along with music director William Knowles as Fats Waller, are certainly up to the task of being the triple threats necessary to breathe life into these songs.
The first accolades go to Knowles, who — back to the audience, adding a certain level of mystique to his already cool vibe — tickles the heck out of those ivories from the first note until the last.
Wiltez Jones and Robbins really go that extra mile to bring the audience into their world in an interactive, playful way. And their songs are some of the most entertaining, including Robbins’ “Your Feet’s Too Big,” in which he counts on an audience member to be his “big-footed” companion, and Jones’ “The Viper’s Drag,” which shows off his sensual dance moves and sultry voice. Their duet, “Fat and Greasy,” begs some audience participation, and you can’t help but sing along.
The women harmonize with bell-like tones that are so complementary that you almost can’t tell who is singing each part, but they also stand out individually. Cope Miller has the most classically trained sound, along with the versatility to be able to sing a beautiful soprano line and belt out the “money notes” within the same song. Longshaw is a storyteller who sings the meaning behind each lyric, especially evident in her poignant rendition of “Mean to Me.” Mack is the comedian and has the audience in the palm of her hand with “Yacht Club Swing,” sung with Jones. Mack is also an impressive dancer, and she has the opportunity to show off her skilled moves alongside Robbins at several points in the show.
The cast works well together as a whole, although sometimes their chemistry doesn’t seem to come naturally, feeling a little forced in songs that should be showstoppers, such Act One closer “This Joint Is Jumpin.’” Part of the issue might be the sound design of David Gotwald, which does not really boost the singers’ voices as much as it should, making some of the bigger numbers a bit anticlimactic in terms of the vocal dynamics.
They are, however, completely in sync in every way in their absolutely stirring take on “Black and Blue,” sitting perfectly still and completely turning a frivolously fun-loving show on its head with lyrics that include, “I’m white inside, but that don’t help my case. I can’t hide what’s on my face.” That in-your-face reality unveiled by these hauntingly beautiful voices is a truly perfect moment.
Great Lakes has mounted a production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” that is an entertaining, toe-tapping, fun-filled celebration of Waller’s music that is a fitting tribute to the burgeoning music scene that he was drawn to as he continued to experiment with his musical style.
The finale itself, full of songs Waller made famous — including “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” and “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie” — is enough to have you up on your feet and dancing all the way up the aisles, with a rekindled love of the music from our past that has influenced so much of the music we listen to today.
‘Ain’t Misbehavin’’
A presentation of Great Lakes Theater, it continues through May 21 at Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theatre, 2067 E. 14th St., Cleveland. For tickets, $20 to $89, call 216-241-6000 or visit greatlakestheater.org.
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 4:14 p.m. May 5 to correct the actors who perform certain numbers.
