Honeysuckle Rose Blooming Around the Country With Ain't Misbehavin'

Honeysuckle Rose seems to be springing up all over the country this summer – at least Fats Waller's 'Rose.' There are productions of Ain't Misbehavin' happening across the U.S.

Let me start with one that's just about to start performances here in New York. It's being produced by The Harlem Repertory Theatre, in residence at Aaron Davis Hall on the City College of New York. The production starts up on July 18 and continues through September 14.

In Chicago, the Goodman Theater has its own production of "Misbehavin'" and it's been extended. You can now catch it through August 3. Here are some links to reviews of this production.
* 'Ain't Misbehavin' ' revival fills Goodman (Daily Herald)
* 'Ain't Misbehavin'' kicks up its heels at the Goodman (Chicago Tribune)
* Goodman's 'Misbehavin' ' is big and bold spectacle (Chicago Sun-Times)

There's also a production of Ain't Misbehavin' that's playing right now in Houston. It's at that city's Ensemble Theatre and it continues through July 20. Here's a link to the Houston Chronicle review of this production: Ain't Misbehavin' sizzles in Ensemble's revival

Starting in September, there will be a production of the musical that features other songs like "Your Feets Too Big," "Fat and Greasy" and "Mean to Me" at CenterREPertory Company in Walnut Creek, California. This production will run September 4 through 11.

Finally come November there will be a National Tour of this show that will be directed by its creator, Richard Maltby Jr. The tour will star 2003 American Idol Ruben Stoddard and "Idol" and Broadway veteran Frenchie Davis. At this juncture, the tour's scheduled to run into May 2009. Among the cities where it's already scheduled to play: Atlanta (November 18-23), Birmingham, AL (February 3-8) and Salt Lake City (February 17-22).