Porthouse offers transportive ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’’
By Bob Abelman
Porthouse Theatre has found the perfect formula for a delightful evening’s escapism: take 30 of the best 1920s and 1930s jazz and swing compositions by Harlem nightclub legend “Fats” Waller, divide them among five extraordinarily entertaining performers, add a tight three-piece band, and subtract any semblance of a storyline.
The Tony Award-winning “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” conceived by Richard Maltby Jr. and Murray Horwitz, is a foot-tapping revue that celebrates the music of a man who lived life large. The production, under Eric van Baars’ superb direction, features the immense talents of Tina Stump, Jim Weaver, Chantrell Lewis, Aveena Sawyer and Eugene Sumlin.
The song list is heavy with classic tunes like “The Joint is Jumpin’” and “Spreadin’ Rhythm Around” that involve the entire ensemble and are imbued with the bawdy, raucous frivolity that helped lift listeners from the doldrums of the Great Depression. They are uplifting still.
Some songs, like “Fat and Greasy” and “Lounging at the Waldorf,” show off the humor, ad-libs and playful mugging Waller was known for, while others serve as a showcase for individual performers.
The lithe Jim Weaver offers a remarkably provocative rendition of “The Viper Drag/The Reefer Song” while Eugene Sumlin seduces the audience with his rather naughty rendition of “Honeysuckle Rose.” Tina Stump and Aveena Sawyer demonstrate their incredible versatility as singers throughout the evening, but never more than in “Squeeze Me” and “I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling,” respectively. The gifted Chantrell Lewis does the same in the sweet “Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now.”
The production occasionally down-shifts into soulful tunes like “(What Did I Do To Be So) Black and Blue,” a beautifully arranged and solemn reflection on life during the Jim Crow era that takes full advantage of the tight harmonies this corps of performers is capable of achieving.
Scenic designer Patrick Ulrich transforms the Porthouse Theatre performance space into a swanky ballroom, complete with a two-tier parquet floor with piano key inlays around the edges, an enormous illuminated clamshell centerpiece, and art deco pillars at each end. On the top tier resides the band – Edward Ridley Jr. on piano, James Alexander II on drums, and Jeremey Poparad on upright bass – whose exuberant playing more than makes up for their lack of stage presence.
When the sun sets, the stage is flooded with Jakyung Seo’s gorgeous lighting design and the sound of stride piano playing fills the air, it is all too easy to give into “Fats” Waller’s tunes and let your troubles slip away. The only thing missing is a bootleg highball served tableside. cv
On Stage
WHERE: Porthouse Theatre, 3143 O’Neil Road, Cuyahoga Falls
WHEN: Through July 22
TICKETS & INFO: $27-$38, call 330-672-3884 or visit porthousetheatre.com
Bob Abelman covers theater and cultural arts for the Cleveland Jewish News. Follow Bob at Facebook.com/BobAbelman3. 2017 Ohio AP Media Editors best columnist.
Originally published in the Cleveland Jewish News on July 9, 2017.
Lead image: From left, Jim Weaver, Tina D. Stump, Aveena Sawyer, Channy Lewis, and Eugene Sumlin. Photo | Bob Christy
