Irving Street Repertory, David Shaw & Artbeat present:

The Fats Waller
Tony-Award Winning Broadway Musical

Ain’t Misbehavin’

Direct from New York
withVivian Jettfrom the Original Broadway Production !

Florence Events Center

Friday, March 16th ~ 4 pm matinee

Ain’t Misbehavin’ ~ the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that joyously celebrates the music of Fats Waller ~ is coming to the Florence Events Center on Friday, March 16th for a 4 pm matinee in addition to the 7:30 pm Florence Performing Arts engagement. This New York production from Irving Street Rep features three Broadway divas: Vivian Jett from the original Broadway production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ ; Martine Allard, Tony Award nominee for her role in The Tap Dance Kid and Sondra Bonitto who appeared in the world premiere cast of Ragtime, opened the show on Broadway and is on the original cast album

Ain’t Misbehavin’ -- the Tony award winning musical -- is a journey through the Fats Waller Songbook and Harlem in its heyday.  With snazzy period costumes, complete with bowlers, spats, ermine, and pearls, the dynamic five-member cast transforms the theater into a Harlem jazz hall.

When Ain’t Misbehavin’ opened on Broadway it won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. “The opening night audience almost knocked the roof off with cheers” reported William Glover in the Associated Press.  Time Magazine called it a “stompin’, struttin’, high hattin’ smash” and Clive Barnes predicted Ain’t Misbehavin’ would be “A joyous celebration that is going to cross the world.”  That time is now, with this exciting new production.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’ has a first act that will knock your ears off and a second that will come back for the rest of you.” said Walter Kerr of the New York Times.

Tickets are $27.50, and $24.50 for seniors over 65 and can be purchased by calling (541) 997.1994 (or toll free 888.968.4086) or by visiting the box office at 715 Quince Street. Box office hours are 9 to 4:30 weekdays; Order on line at www.artbeatshows.org or through Ticket Fusion’s 24-hour service at 888 849 4255. The Florence Event Center’s web site is www.eventcenter.org. 

Ain’t Misbehavin’ is produced by Irving Street Rep, Curtis Farrow and Ron Lucas, Founders; and presented by Artbeat, a not-for-profit company, David Shaw, President. Based in New York, Irving Street also tours productions of Sophisticated Ladies, Arms Too Short to Box with God and other musicals. For more information, contact David Shaw: 425.444.5052, email , or 300 dpi JPEG photos, reviews and other pertinent information is available here

Ain’t Misbehavin’

The Fats Waller Musical Show
starring Vivian Jett from the Broadway Cast

Conceived and originally directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.
Based on an idea by Murray Horwitz & Richard Maltby, Jr.
Originally produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club
Originally choreographed by Arthur Faria
Originally produced on Broadway by Emanuel Azenberg, Dasha Epstein, The Shubert Organization, Jane Gaynor & Ron Dante

This exciting new production features Vivian Jett from the original Broadway cast.  She joins Martine Allard, Tony Award nominee for her role in Tap Dance Kid and a distinctive New York cast as they sing and dance through thirty Waller show-stoppers. The production is by Irving Street Repertory, the only company in the United States with the rights to presentAin’t Misbehavin’. There are sensuous songs such as “Honeysuckle Rose,” poignant numbers such as “Mean to Me” and “Black and Blue” plus hilarious performances of “That Ain’t Right,” “Your Feets Too Big” the naughty “Find Out What They Like,” and the “Viper’s Drag.”  This fast-paced romp takes its audience where the high steppers partied, from honky tonk dives to the Cotton Club, Tin Pan Alley and the Waldorf.  A. Curtis Farrow directs and choreographs thirty songs Fats Waller wrote or made famous.

Ain't Misbehavin' takes you on a journey through the Fats Waller Songbook and Harlem in its heyday. With snazzy period costumes, complete with bowlers, spats, ermine, and pearls, the dynamic five member cast transforms the theater into a Harlem jazz hall. Time called it a "stompin', struttin', high hattin' smash' that is going to cross the world."

Thomas “Fats” Waller was born one hundred years ago in Harlem, on May 21, 1904, one of 12 children, and died at the early age of 39 years in 1943. An immensely talented stride pianist and composer, Waller had a dream of being a classical organist. A master showman, his endless “jive” and clowning was loved in the nightclubs. He was: “the harmful little armful.”  

Fats Waller's big break occurred at a party given by George Gershwin in 1934, where he delighted the crowd with his piano playing and singing. An executive of Victor Records who was at the party was so impressed that he arranged for Fats to record with the company. This arrangement would continue until Waller's death in 1943. Most of the records he made were released under the name of Fats Waller and his Rhythm. The group consisted of around half a dozen musicians who worked with him regularly, including Zutty Singleton. Throughout the 1930s and early 1940s Fats was a star of radio and nightclubs, and toured Europe. He unexpectedly died on board a train near Kansas City, Missouri of pneumonia in 1943.  
  
For more on Waller, see: www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_waller_fats.htm
For more information, contact David Shaw: 425.444.5052; e-mail: , 300dpi JPEG photos available here