"American Idol" Stars Studdard and Davis Will Likely Tour in Ain't Misbehavin'

By Andrew Gans
December 28, 2007

Big League Productions, the company that books Broadway musicals for touring throughout the world, is planning to launch a 30th anniversary tour of the Tony-winning revue Ain't Misbehavin'.

According to the official Big League website, Richard Maltby, Jr. — who wrote and staged the original 1978 production of the Fats Waller revue — will direct the tour as well. Heading the cast will be "American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard and former "American Idol" contestant and Rent star Frenchie Davis.

The national tour is scheduled for 2008-09, although specific dates have yet to be announced. As of press time, calls left for Big League Productions were not returned.

Conceived and originally directed by Richard Maltby, Jr., Ain't Misbehavin' was based on an idea by Maltby and Murray Horwitz. The original 1978 Broadway production made a star out of its leading lady, the late Nell Carter, and featured such Fats Waller tunes as "Mean to Me," "Honeysuckle Rose," "Black and Blue" and the title tune. The musical won Tonys for Best Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Carter) and Best Direction of a Musical (Maltby, Jr.).

Since winning the "American Idol" crown, Ruben Studdard has released three albums: "Soulful," "I Need an Angel" and "The Return."

Frenchie Davis, who was recently seen in Mahalia–A Gospel Musical, made her Broadway debut in Rent. She played Effie in a regional tour of Dreamgirls, and she has also performed in professional productions of Little Shop of Horrors and Jesus Christ Superstar in Germany.

For more information visit www.bigleague.org.