Ain’t Misbehavin’, is a musical revue with a book by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr., and music by various composers and lyricists as arranged and orchestrated by Luther Henderson. It is named after the song by Fats Waller (with Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf), Ain’t Misbehavin’. The musical is a tribute to the black musicians of the 1920s and 1930s who were part of the Harlem Renaissance, an era of growing creativity, cultural awareness, and ethnic pride, and takes its title from the 1929 Waller song Ain’t Misbehavin’. It was a time when Manhattan nightclubs like the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom were the playgrounds of high society and Lenox Avenue dives were filled with piano players banging out the new beat known as swing. Five performers present an evening of rowdy, raunchy, and humorous songs that encapsulate the various moods of the era and reflect Waller’s view of life as a journey meant for pleasure and play.
TIME COMMITMENT
Performances: January 26 – February 11, 2024; Friday – Sunday. 11 performances.
Rehearsals: 2-3 times a week with the schedule to be set after the cast announcement and availability.
Pay: This is a community theatre production; no pay; Cast housing available
Audition dates/times:
Sunday, November 12 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Monday, November 13 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Callbacks: Week of November 27
Rehearsals and auditions will be at Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Rd, Waterbury, CT
AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ Production Team:
Foster Evans Reese – Director/Choreographer
Darius Frowner – Music Director
Actors/Performers (3 women, 2 men):
Seeking:
Andre: An unrepentant party hound. A flirt and a bit of a womanizer. Dance ability is a plus. Gender: Male. Vocal range top: E6. Vocal range bottom: G2.
Armelia: A voluptuous and sassy woman. Very strong-willed and not afraid to share her thoughts. Gender: Female. Vocal range top: C6. Vocal range bottom: G3.
Charlaine: A sweet, innocent, and kind. Has dance skills. Gender: Female. Vocal range top: G5. Vocal range bottom: G3.
Ken: Jovial, cheerful, and loud. Larger than life, with a great sense of humor and an ability to turn on the charm. Gender: Male. Vocal range top: C6. Vocal range bottom: D3.
Nell: Confident and charming. A knowledgeable woman of the world. Gender: Female. Vocal range top: F5. Vocal range bottom: F3.
Materials to prepare:
Auditions will consist of a vocal audition, and a movement portion.
-Prepare a 1-2 minute cut from your book in the style of the show.
-Please bring sheet music, clearly marked for your audition cut.
-You will be asked to learn a dance combination. Please wear clothes and shoes you are comfortable moving in.
-Headshot and resume are appreciated but are not required.
-This is an ethnic-specific production. All actors must be African American. Minimum age to audition is 18+
Please contact the director at fosterevansreese@gmail.com with questions or accommodation needs.