Professional Quality Stage Production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ to Debut in March at South Bay School for the Creative and Performing Arts
by LEO E. LAURENCE
Copyright © 2009 by Leo E. Laurence • All rights reserved
A shining jewel of high-style stage productions is buried in the South Bay, ignored by many. The School for the Creative & Performing Arts (SCPA) will produce Ain’t Misbehavin’ in March with professional-quality, matched perhaps only by the Civic Theatre downtown.
With elaborate sets rented from commercial theatres, the SCPA high-school students recently performed The King & I, impressing the most critical theatre patrons.
The SCPA is an unusual, amazing school.
Students have to audition to get into it, demonstrating skills in one of the arts, from acting, multi-media, dance and singing.
Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a lively musical revue with many songs and piano solos composed or re-corded by the famous jazz giant of the 1930’s, Thomas “Fats” Waller.
Not quite a biography, this comedic show with a rollicking musical score depicts the life of the 1930’s Harlem streets in New York City. This upbeat musical contains many well-known jazz standards, as well as some finger-snapping songs which may not be as familiar to a contemporary audience.
The original New York production was written for a cast of five people. But the SCPA’s cast will expand to 20. This is to highlight more the exceptionally talented students in the Advanced Musical Theatre class.
The SCPA had a huge reputation in the world of theatre in San Diego County. The huge California Center for the Arts in Escondido will even host a performance of Ain’t Misbehavin’ by the SCPA students on May 19.
The wild show will also be performed at the school’s own location, 2425 Dusk Drive in South Bay, at 7 pm on March 13-14, 19-20; and at 2 pm on March 21. Tickets are $7 for adults and $6 for students, seniors and military. Tickets are available on-line at www.scpa.sandi.net or by calling the box office at (619) 475-8556.
Next up on the ambitious SCPA production schedule is a double-bill of two, hilarious comedies, Play On and The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. They will be performed March 26-April 4.
Contact Leo E. Laurence at (619) 757-4909 or at leopowerhere@msn.com
