Fats Waller, a jazz pianist who isn t as well known as his contemporaries such as Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, must ve been a suave fellow who enjoyed a good time.
At least that s the impression the cast of Workshop Theatre s Ain t Misbehavin left Friday night during the production s opening.
The musical revue celebrates Waller s rhythmic compositions by marrying swinging jazz with song and dance.
The six cast members were accompanied by a seven piece orchestra led by pianist Caroline Jones Wiedner. The musician nimbly swept through Waller s shifty jazz style.
Light on dialogue, the musical leaned on the swift transitions between songs, of which there were 32.
Jocelyn Brannon, Bobby Craft, Walter Graham, Terrance Henderson and Katrina Hills were solid, if not spectacular, in their interpretation of Waller s music.
Their voices were strong and bold, but what was most engaging about the performance was their play-acting.
A swat of the hand here, a frown there and the hush-your-mouth glares were essential to intimating the songs to the audience.
And, for the most part, the acting was uproariously humorous.
The choreography was well timed, and there were several electric flourishes of shimmy-shake dancing.
If there was a star of the show, it was Hall, whose personality flourished.
She was stern, funny and very demonstrative, creating an image of a singer in a Harlem club in the 30s under bright lights.
The musical, which was split into two acts, hit its greatest stride during the last seven numbers.
Henderson and Craft coaxed audience participation for Fat and Greasy, and Graham s brief verse on I m Gonna Sit Down and Write Myself a Letter was stellar, as were Brannon, Hills and Craft on I ve Got My Fingers Crossed.
The most emotionally bending moment of the production was the splendid harmony sequences on Black and Blue. (Henderson s high-flying solo act on The Viper s Drag was sensational, but not sorrowful). The sadness captured in Black and Blue was almost tangible, as the cast invoked such a somber tone.
Workshop last produced Ain t Misbehavin in 1998. And it is apparent why the production was revived.
Waller s music is jingly and spirited, and the cast matched the tempo and energy of the songs Waller created.
And they were well behaved, even though they were swinging as if they were living in a fantasy.
Waller would ve enjoyed himself, too.
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