Composer "Fats" Waller dealt with hardship through comedy.
American Idol winner Ruben Studdard will channel the prolific songwriter and pianist in
Ain't Misbehavin' tonight at 7:30 at the Lied Center in Lawrence (1600 Stewart Drive). The show is a musical journey of Waller's life and a tribute to the black musicians of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and '30s. Another
American Idol alum, Frenchie Davis, joins Studdard in the show, which features songs by Nat "King" Cole, Frank Loesser, Dorothy Fields and Porter Grainger. Kansas City, Kansas, native Arthur Marks, who sings a duet with Studdard, says the crooner embodies Waller's playfulness. "It's a great show for audiences to get into the life of 'Fats' Waller," Marks says. "It's fun for us, too. I'm playing more than I'm working." Tickets run $40-$49 for adults and $20-$25 for students and children, and are available through the Lied Center Ticket Office by calling 785-864-2787. Or buy tickets online at
lied.ku.edu.
Sat., April 4, 7:30 p.m., 2009
