Ledisi, Natalie Wachen, Connie Jackson, Marty Austin Lamar, and Chester Gregory (Photo by Craig Schwartz)
Reviewed by Asa Fris
Through June 8
Ebony Rep at Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
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Ledisi, Chester Gregory, and Connie Jackson (Photo by Craig Schwartz)
Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a revue of the music written or popularized by pianist and singer Fats Waller. The musical, conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz, celebrates the theatrical brilliance of Waller’s catalogue. The show was first performed in 1978 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical that year. Under the direction of Wren T. Brown, this staging at Ebony Rep is nothing but pleasant, polished, joyful entertainment.
This isn’t the first time Brown and Ebony Rep have staged Aint’ Misbehavin’, and this production is akin to a remounting of the previous one in 2023. Many designers and actors have returned for this iteration, and their expertise with the show is apparent in every detail and nuanced performance.
Aint’ Misbehavin’ takes us back to the Harlem Renaissance, in a club sometime in the early 1930s. The club, designed by late John Iacovelli, is not only lovely to look at, with intricate detailing everywhere you look, but perfectly suited to the action. It is also both warm and elegant, qualities supported by Wendell Carmichael’s dazzling costume design, and Andrew Schmedke’s soft and moody lighting.
Though Waller was plenty entertaining on his own, the musical is as successful as it is because his catalogue and style of performing seem always meant for an ensemble. The one at Ebony Rep is stellar; it features Ledisi, Chester Gregory, Connie Jackson, Marty Austin Lamar, and Natalie Wachen. Jackson, Lamar, and Wachen are all returning players from the 2023 version, though their excitement and love of the material makes it feel fresh as ever.
There’s a sense that the actors aren’t just performing for the audience, but also for each other, and that camaraderie and charm fills the auditorium with joy.
Instead of using a plot to drive the energy and action of the night, the structure of the show contains various sequences of experiences. A solo will lead into a duet, and then into a number with a full ensemble. Or a slower song may lead into a comedic song, full of Waller’s witty interjections, now dialogue between characters.
One of the best sequences of the night begins with Gregory’s hilarious “The Viper’s Drag”, followed by Ledisi’s “Mean To Me”, and capped off with Lamar & Co’s uproarious “Your Feet’s Too Big”.
Director Wren T. Brown ensures that the production is polished and cohesive on all fronts. His staging is simple and effective. The choreography by Dominique Kelly is just as accomplished and executed by the ensemble with perfect synchronicity.
A final nod goes to band leader William Foster McDaniel and the band’s exceptional underscoring and accompaniment throughout the evening.
Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 West Washington Boulevard, LA. check website for schedule; thru June 8. https://ebonyrep.org/ Running time approximately two hours with a 15 minute intermission
