CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC: Thomasville Entertainment Foundation closes out its 2023-24 season Tuesday with a cabaret concert version of the hit Broadway musical, Ain’t Misbehavin’

Thomasville Entertainment Foundation’s 2022-23 concert series continues Thursday, November 10, with a performance of Ain’t Misbehavin’. 

This cabaret concert version of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical is a tribute to the musicians of the Harlem Renaissance and brings to life the Golden Age of jazz palaces like the Cotton Club and Savoy Ballroom in a swinging musical revue, recalling a time when Thomas “Fats” Waller reigned and swing was the newest and coolest beat.

In the touring production by Irving Street Rep, the enthusiastic cast struts, strums and sings songs made famous by Waller and others in a career that spanned Big Apple nightclubs and Tin Pan Alley,  to Hollywood films and performance stages around the world. In 1929, Waller released his incomparable Ain’t Misbehavin’ that would later drive the careers of Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong. 

A list of Waller’s achievements is long and  impressive. He was a crucial figure in American jazz and excelled as a pianist, singer, composer, and comedic entertainer. Following his death from pneumonia at age 39 in 1923, “Fats” Waller and his music received a multitude of awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement and numerous Hall of Fame inductions. He and his music have stood the test of time, and shows like Ain’t Misbehavin’ allow artists to continue to reach audiences nationwide. 

Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. at the Thomasville Center for the Arts. Single tickets are $38 for adults, $15 for students, but ticket availability for this performance is very limited, according to TEF’s Vice President for Box Office Ginny LeGette.

“Ticket sales have been very strong for our 85th concert season, so that left us just a handful of open seats for Ain’t Misbehavin’,” LeGette explained. “We currently have a short waiting list for tickets, but we are very often able to accommodate people on that list in chronological order, as season ticket holders sometimes release seats closer to a concert date. So, if you’re interested, we suggest calling the TEF office now about tickets.”

Additionally, for each of its performances, Thomasville Entertainment Foundation makes available a number of free Tickets for Teens for local students, funded in part by a grant from the Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation and an anonymous gift to TEF’s Education Fund.

TEF’s Concert Series is presented in cooperation with the Thomasville Center for the Arts. Interested concertgoers can contact the TEF office at (229) 226-7404 or visit www.TEFconcerts.com for more information.

Founded in 1937, TEF is a volunteer-powered, non-profit organization celebrating 85 years of entertaining the community. In addition to its annual season of performances by acclaimed artists, TEF offers a dedicated family series of presentations geared to families and younger children, provides educational outreach programs for students and awards performing arts scholarships and grants to promising young artists.