Review: AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' at Arizona Theatre Company

AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ is a glorious classic musical revue now playing at Arizona Theatre Company. Featuring gorgeous music by Fats Waller, this equally important and entertaining piece whisks audiences away to “Harlem at Midnight.” AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ brings a dream of Fats Waller to life through triumphant and toe-tapping musical lyricism. HEIST, the previous show at ATC, was very unique. AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ is equally unique and compelling. On the surface it appears to be a lively evening of entertainment. But the iceberg below contains callbacks to the Harlem Renaissance and essential moments in American history. The cast sings and dances with virtuosic ease, delivering incredible performances across the board.

Upon entering the theatre we were treated to a gaudy display featuring a staircase, statues, and several glowing orbs and half-orbs. A miniature revolve downstage center adds to the excitement. It is utilized excellently during several key moments. Abdul Hamid Royal moves downstage on a platform as he plays stride piano at various points in the show. A scrim baring Fats Waller’s visage lifts to allow him passage. The visual vision for AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ made my heart skip a beat. Edward E. Haynes Jr’s scenic design is like something out of a dream, in the best possible way.

The real stars of the show, of course, are the performers. This is a revue of Fats Wallers best music, featuring hits such as the title number, “Honeysuckle Rose”, “The Joint is Jumpin’”, and “It’s a Sin To Tell a Lie.” These pieces are pulled from the 20’s through the 40’s, and I felt like I had jumped into a time machine to experience them. I was no longer in 2026 Tucson but rather smack dab in the middle of the Harlem Renaissance in all its musical and artistic glory. If this was the vision for the show, then the production team absolutely succeeded.

My background is classical voice. I am not easily impressed when I go to see a musical, especially one that is almost entirely sung. AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ floored me from start to finish. It came as no surprise upon perusing the program that folks in this cast have backgrounds in legit singing, and it shows. Taylor Colleton, Keirsten Hodgens, Wilkie Ferguson III, Anthony Murphy, and Aerie Williams are all equally exceptional, with resonant solo voices and a beautiful blend when they sing together. In particular, the number “Black and Blue” towards the end, during which we hear the quintet sing a capella, was very strong.

Under the capable direction of Abdul Hamid Royal on keys, the live band provided fantastic accompaniment to the live performers. Land Richards on drums, Jervonny Collier on bass, Michael Weiss on reeds, Ross Daniels on trumpet, and Aiden Schofield on trombone absolutely stole the show. I have said this many times, but there is nothing like a show with a live band. Not only that, but it is essential to have a live band. Tracks do not compare to the experience of hearing musicians play LIVE. And the AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ band does not disappoint.