‘Ain’t Misbehavin’’ opens Jan. 3
The Black Rep will open its 30th mainstage season Wednesday, January 3 with the Tony Award-winning musical revue Ain’t Misbehavin’, which plays through February 4 at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square.
Based on idea by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby Jr., Ain’t Misbehavin’ chronicles the life and times of the inimitable Thomas “Fats” Waller, who rose to international fame during the Golden Age of the Cotton Club, honky tonk dives and the birth of swing. Ain’t Misbehavin’ evokes Waller’s delightful humor and infectious energy as the cast struts, strums and sings the songs he made famous in a career that ranged from uptown clubs to downtown Tin Pan Alley to Hollywood and concert stages in the U.S. and Europe.
The Black Rep’s production will feature several perennial favorites, including J. Samuel Davis, Drummond Crenshaw, Anita Jackson, Julia Nixon and Theresa Williams.
A native of St. Louis, Davis was last seen on The Black Rep stage as Curtis Taylor in Dreamgirls. Also a native St. Louisan, Crenshaw also appeared in Dreamgirls and as The Dryer/The Bus in the Midwest premiere of Caroline, Or Change. Most recently, he appeared at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival as Brother Bobby in Javon Johnson’s Sanctified.
Jackson appeared in Caroline, or Change. She was born in St. Louis and recently moved back after living in New York for 12 years. She recorded with Bette Midler on her Grammy Award-winning song, “From a Distance” and with Cissy Houston on her 1995 Grammy album, Face to Face. In St. Louis, she has appeared as the featured vocalist with The Jazz Edge Big Band.
A Broadway veteran, Nixon’s last performance with the Rep was Blues in the Night. She recently starred as Caroline in Caroline or Change in Washington D.C. with the Studio Theatre. She has toured with Richard Pryor, sung for three presidents and opened for Stevie Wonder.
Williams is making her debut at The Black Rep. She is a graduate of Lindenwood University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts.
The production’s creative team is led by Ron Himes as director and Charles Creath as musical director and includes three nationally-recognized female designers, scenic designer Regina Garcia, costume designer Myrna Colley-Lee and lighting designer Kathy Perkins.
Ain’t Misbehavin’ won the 1978 Tony Award for Best Musical. Nell Carter received the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, and St. Louis’ own Ken Page won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.
The Black Rep’s performance schedule is as follows: Wednesday and Thursday Previews at 7 p.m., Thursday performances at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday performances at 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinee performances at 3:00 p.m.
Join the director and designers for a discussion on Thursday, January 4 at noon, with lunch provided by Subway Delmar Loop. Cast Connection Night post-show discussions are Thursday, January 11 and 25. Student matinee performanceare s January 10, 17, 24 and 31 at 10 a.m.
This season, the Black Rep will launch its “Next Generation” program to help develop the next generation of actors, designers, theatre administrators and audience members. This season, young people ages 8 -18 will be admitted free with the purchase of an adult ticket at the first Thursday preview performance and at all Saturday matinee performances. Limit one child per adult.
Season subscriptions range from $100 to $180 and are on sale now. Single tickets range $27.50 – $40 and are on sale now. Call (314) 534-3810 or visit www.theblackrep.org
The Black Rep’s 30th Season is presented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
