Chicago’s Goodman Theatre Sings Lively New Tune With Fats Waller’s ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’’

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – If you were to visit Harlem in the 1920s, you might have found yourself in a nightclub exploding with hot keys, cold booze and swingin’ dances about as far from the stylings of “So You Think You Can Dance” as possible.

The likes of Duke Ellington and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong were striking up the band (or the trumpet) at The Cotton Club, Connie’s Inn and Small’s Paradise.

It was the Harlem Renaissance, which was a time of new cultural pride and creation for the African-American community that would go on to influence almost all areas of music, art and dance for years to come.

Left to right in “Ain’t Misbehavin’”: Alexis Rogers, Parrish Collier, E. Faye Butler, John Steven Crowley and Lina Kernan.
Photo credit: Liz Lauren

But now you don’t need a time machine (or an old record player) to relive those times. That toe-tappin’ music is kicking it up in a major way downtown at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” is a musical revue of the tunes of one of the most inspiring musicians of all time: Thomas Wright “Fats” Waller. Having influenced such musical immortals as George Gershwin, Louis Armstrong, Count Bassie and Thelonious Monk, Waller’s music was truly revolutionary. This show strives to do nothing but celebrate just that.

The Chicago production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” which is based on an idea by Murray Horowitz and Richard Maltby Jr. with music by Fats Waller, is directed by Chuck Smith. Image design credit: Kelly Rickert

With a book by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby Jr., “Ain’t Misbehavin’” originally opened on Broadway in 1978 and went on to win several Tony Awards that year (including best musical).

The original run saw its way through 1,604 wildly successful performances and positioned itself as the predecessor of the current plethora of jukebox musicals on the Great White Way.

But don’t go in expecting the “Jersey Boys”. Even with this new mounting, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” is still a musical revue and not a full-throated musical.

Director Chuck Smith knows it, too. Smith’s aspirations are small and simple yet fully realized. The eight-piece band proffers a sound of a big swing orchestra that will truly knock your socks off.

The set is nothing short of eye candy. Brilliantly and simplistically designed to evoke a nightclub ambiance, it transports you back to a 1920s Harlem swing club.

The only thing missing seems to be that the Albert proscenium theatre is made up of seat numbers instead of cocktail tables. But what truly drives this production – like must incarcerations of the show – is its stellar cast.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” employs only five cast members to carry almost 30 of Waller’s most famous tunes including “Honeysuckle Rose,” “This Joint is Jumpin’” and “The Jitterbug Waltz”. E. Faye Butler brilliantly leads the cast, which also includes Alexis Rogers, Parrish Collier, Lina Kernan and John Steven Crowley.

Lina Kernan in the Chicago production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’”.
Photo credit: Liz Lauren

Butler glides through Waller’s numbers effortlessly. She flawlessly transcends between head and chest voice and offers a gripping vibrato to her belt. Her starring number is the second act’s “Mean to Me” where she not only shows off the versatility of her vocal prowess but of her emotional intelligence and range as well.

Lina Kernan’s sensually smooth crooning and Alexis Rogers’ lively dance and comedic skills combine with Butler’s talents to make nothing short of a powerhouse female trio.

Unfortunately for the production, there is a discrepancy between the musical competency of the females and the males of the cast. John Steven Crowley’s vocals for the most part are appeasing to the ear drums, but with a throaty placement that sounds granulated and subdued, his musicianship is more suited for a piano bar than for a large auditorium.

Alexis Rogers (left) and Parrish Collier (right) in the Chicago production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’”.
Photo credit: Liz Lauren

He also tends to favor speak singing for many of Waller’s tunes, which would have benefited from more of a legato style.

Parrish Collier brings a terrific exuberance to each of his numbers. His rendition of “The Viper’s Drag” is absolutely entrancing. Though he clearly has more than ample dance training, Collier’s vocal chops leave a great deal to be desired. He fares well in the group harmonies yet he is unable to match the others in solo pieces.

Based on the Harlem stride piano movement, Fats Waller was known as the “King of Stride”. Stride was a style of piano in which the left hand plays a constant beat (or rhythm) while the right hand plays the melody. This balance of anchor and tune is just as much a requirement of jazz as it is a staged musical revue. In this sense, though, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” gravely misses the beat.

The book is filled with many frustrating ambiguities. It’s not clear who the characters are, what their placement is in the piece or if they are even characters to begin with. There is very little time between each number, which results in a lack of development and chronology. The only scenes we are given consist merely of silly jokes that range from the mildly vulgar to full-on slapstick.

RELATED READING More theater reviews from critic Alissa Norby. More theater reviews from our other critics. [4]

Revues often run into this problem. Whereas there is a sensible order to writing music to express a story, it is often difficult to come up with a story for preexisting music. In this vein, Smith’s directing serves up more problems than solutions.

He tends to treat each individual number with its own independence such that each song rings so autonomous that you wonder what’s holding everything together.

But despite these setbacks, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” is a true gem. With legendary music, terrific performers and tight choreography, it’s sure to be a summer favorite. Grab a date, sit back, relax and get ready for a sweet night on the town.

For a complete listing of all shows and reviews in Chicago, visit our partner TheatreInChicago.com [19]. For half-price Chicago theater tickets, visit our partner Goldstar [20].

[21]	By ALISSA NORBY [22] Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com alissa@hollywoodchicago.com [21]