'More than Just Fluff' Essay

As I said earlier, I decided I wanted to start posting on here more, so one of the things I'll be doing is posting stuff I've written (for school or otherwise). It might have been from last year, but if I like it, I'll post it. I'm starting with the most recent essay we had to write for Ms. Guido's English class. Here's mine:

“More Than Just Fluff”

by Marc Hansen

I was in the car today, driving with my mom, and for reasons unbeknownst to me (though I have my theories), I was in a rather troubled mood. My mom, on the other hand, was in a more chipper mood than usual, and was being particularly nosy. She kept asking me questions, trying to find out how my day went, only being extremely nice and interested, but I was unresponsive. I hate to let my mom down, so I didn’t want to explain myself or tell her I wasn’t in the mood for talking, because that would invite more questions. So, instead I just mumbled and put in Kid A by Radiohead. In case you don’t know (and if that’s the case, change it), Kid A is a gloomy little melodic record, which expressed how I happened to be feeling and without having to say anything, my mom quickly picked up that I was in that mood. Music has a great way of representing ourselves. As it says in High Fidelity, by Nick Hornby, it’s not what you’re like that matters, but what you like. And I think that what you like affects what you’re like.

While forms of media have been credited for having a great social impact on society, George Orwell’s 1984 for example, these forms of media have often been reduced to the simple status of “mindless entertainment” by the masses. However, I do believe that these forms of entertainment (literature, films, music, television, and art) while certainly entertaining, indeed, do have a great impact on our lives. I’m not just saying this as someone who considers himself a part of these fields; a serious artist who not only takes himself seriously, but his work even more seriously. While I do fret over every word, sentence, comma, suffix, and punctuation mark, trying to make the prose and flow just perfect, as I imagine many other “artists” do (though I can only speak for myself), this isn’t some pretentious plan to try and make the world appreciate the work I make or admire. This essay is simply a reinforcement of something I’ve observed about myself, and many others, which has formed the basis of this belief: that these forms of “art” (as I’ll call it, though that could really be anything) are very powerful in not only shaping who we are as human beings, but, in effect, saying more about who we are as individuals, then what that work might say about the person who made it. I think our choices in music, films, and books represent who we truly are.

Like I said, media is very powerful, and not just in the sense that it can change things in the world. Of course, there are acclaimed, sophisticated allegories with social messages, such as Orwell’s Animal Farm, and even lots of satire is applauded for using humor to express a message about current issues, but I’m not just talking about the media that’s deemed important. I’m not even talking about the megahits that are simply a part of pop culture and representative of the era, like Gone with the Wind or Pulp Fiction. While these are all ways that media can make an effective difference in society, I’m talking about the forms of media that are personal to you, or me. I’m talking about the pieces of work that individually touch you or make a difference in your life, because there must be some reason it did, which is what makes these mediums so wonderful. The fact that art is subjective allows for everyone to like different things, and says a lot about who we are as individuals.

Media has the power to challenge our beliefs and make us think in different ways. Writers can make us question what we think we know and truly let our minds explore the abstract perimeters of the box we’ve been dying to break. For me, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s films (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Being John Malkovich) blew my mind. I had never seen anything like it, but once I had experienced them, I completely forgot what life was like before watching them. Those films moved me, but many people, like my sister, thought they were simply “weird.” My fondness of Charlie Kaufman shows that I’m more of an existentialist, while my sister, who likes love stories, is a hopeless romantic. Our tastes say more about us, than it does their creators.

Like Charlie Kaufman, films, music, and literature have the power to say something that people like me can’t put into words. They get at something true (at least what I feel is true) that I’ve always felt, but never knew how to express. Art is able to do that. They look at things in a different way. Have you ever listened to a lyric or read a passage and literally said out loud “Oh my god, they’re so right!” And yet, you had never thought of that before, and for all you know, you may have never shared that belief without them exposing it. So, media truly does shape our beliefs and who we are, though we often don’t realize it. Many of the other ‘This I Believe’ essays will take a common quote that they believe in, like let’s say ‘No Pain, No Gain,’ but someone had to think of that quote and write it down, and if it didn’t exist, you wouldn’t have been able to believe it. I’m not saying that we, as human beings, aren’t capable to form our own thoughts and decide things for ourselves, but we often don’t put into consideration how big of an impact these artists have had on the way we think. Even if they don’t directly tell us how to live, they challenge society and let us know that we have the power to come up with our independent thoughts and values.

As I stated earlier, media also lets us have the power to express ourselves in ways we otherwise couldn’t. When I’m sad, I’ll listen to a dark, depressing song, or a really loud, thrashing song when I’m feeling attacked. Other times it’s useful to listen to a soothing song to diffuse my anger. I can do this instead of giving into the male urge to punch something. And you don’t have to limit yourself by only expressing yourself through others’ art, you can make your own. Henry Miller said that the best way to get over a girl was to turn her into literature, a great quote that I feel shows the power of media to express our emotions. And if Henry Miller had never put that down into words, I’d never have had the chance to believe it. So, still think it’s just mindless entertainment?

The Beat of the Bee

[title of show] EXTENDED Review

Ahhh, lucky you, followers (that's what I'm calling ya'll from now on): The first review of [title of show] that I posted was the edited version that THE MAN made me cut down to 450 words. That's why it was so short. But I'm posting the original, uncut version now too! Although, I just posted that review a few seconds ago, so chances are by the time you're reading this, you didn't even know I had posted the first review (but I didn't want to have to make you wait, and more importantly, I didn't really feel like waiting, even though waiting a week would've built up more anticipation). So, if you haven't read the original first, read it first, cuz this one doesn't really add much. Here we go:

Review of ATC’s Production of “[title of show]”

by Marc Hansen

By far the best show of the season so far, ATC’s production of “[title of show]” is a wickedly ingenious musical comedy about the evolution of writers and artists; what it’s like to be them and how a piece progresses from the mind to stage to Broadway. It’s got everything a person could ever ask for and should rank up there with the best of theatre’s comedy classics.

Written by Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen, “[title of show]” is about Hunter and Jeff, two gay playwrights living in New York and trying to write a musical about trying to write a musical about trying to write a musical.... And that’s it. If you read that and thought the play sounded like the brainchild of incredibly witty, self-referential playwright geniuses, than “[title of show]” is the play for you.

I cannot say enough good things about this production. The writing is not only amazingly clever, but laugh-out-loud hilarious (and deliciously crude). The jokes are at their best when they’re breaking the fourth wall or talking about how they’re actually performing the play on stage (“What if this play won a Tony?”; “If you guys finished the script, should we still be talking?” - lights go black). However, if the play had been all self-referential jokes it would’ve quickly gotten old, which is why it’s the other jokes and the hilarious way these quirky characters interact with each other that makes “[title of show]” work. It’s also the way the cast brilliantly plays these characters, with perfect comedic timing. Kelly McCormick and Lauren Lebowitz, as the actresses who agree to star in the show, play particularly well off each other (the song “Secondary Characters,” for example), but credit also has to be given to the guys: Stanley Bahorek, as Hunter, delivers some of the best llines perfectly and Sal Sabella, as Jeff, has a hilarious bit on grammer. I also appreciated the subtleties in the wardrobes (each character wears their own distinct color, representing their different personalities).

There are a lot of references to other musicals, so if you’re a musical theatre junkie it’s a lot of fun to catch them, and as a writer, the show’s easy to relate to. It’s like having your thoughts played out on stage, especially the hilarious song “An Original Musical” where a blank piece of paper (who just happens to be black) starts talking to Jeff. Speaking of songs, they’re all incredibly catchy and witty (“Nine People’s Favorite Thing”; “What Kind of Girl is She?”).

Though the gags (such as the Dream Sequence) are indeed likely to make you fall out of your chair laughing, “[title of show]” does end up getting at something deeper - the struggle that artists, in general, go through trying to stay true to themselves and get their work out there. By the end of the show, you see that “[title of show]” is not just about the writing process, but how Hunter and Jeff’s musical progresses and changes, and the compromises they may not be willing to take. It’s well worth the ride and I’d highly recommend it. In fact, I’d say that not only is “[title of show]” the best show of the season, but all in all, a nearly perfect one.

Grade: A+

[title of show] Review

Alright, guys, speaking normally, this show was amazing. It was so good. Now, here's me speaking review (a.k.a. expanding on my thoughts - analyzing - the whole SHA-BAM, like on my Batman t-shirt):

Review of ATC’s Production of “[title of show]”

by Marc Hansen

By far the best show of the season so far, ATC’s production of “[title of show]” is a wickedly ingenious musical comedy about the evolution of writers and artists; what it’s like to be them and how a piece progresses from the mind to stage to Broadway. Written by Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen, “[title of show]” is about Hunter and Jeff, two gay playwrights living in New York and trying to write a musical about trying to write a musical about trying to write a musical.... It’s got everything a person could ever ask for and should rank up there with the best of theatre’s comedy classics.

I cannot say enough good things about this production. The writing is not only amazingly clever, but laugh-out-loud hilarious (and deliciously crude). The jokes are at their best when they’re breaking the fourth wall or talking about how they’re actually performing the play on stage (“What if this play won a Tony?”). However, if the play had been all self-referential jokes it would’ve quickly gotten old, which is why it’s the other jokes and the hilarious way these quirky characters interact with each other that makes “[title of show]” work. The brilliant cast also plays these characters, with perfect comedic timing. Kelly McCormick and Lauren Lebowitz, as the actresses who agree to star in the show, play particularly well off each other (the song “Secondary Characters,” for example), but credit also has to be given to the guys: Stanley Bahorek, as Hunter, delivers some of the best lines perfectly and Sal Sabella, as Jeff, has a hilarious bit on grammar.

There are a lot of references to other musicals, so if you’re a musical theatre junkie it’s a lot of fun to catch them, and as a writer, the show’s easy to relate to. It’s like having your thoughts played out on stage, especially the hilarious song “An Original Musical” where a blank piece of paper starts talking to Jeff. Speaking of songs, they’re all incredibly catchy and witty (“Nine People’s Favorite Thing”).

Though the gags (such as the Dream Sequence) are indeed likely to make you fall out of your chair laughing, “[title of show]” does end up getting at something deeper - the struggle that artists, in general, go through trying to stay true to themselves and get their work out there. By the end of the show, you see that “[title of show]” is not just about the writing process, but how Hunter and Jeff’s musical progresses and changes, and the compromises they may not be willing to take. Not only is “[title of show]” the best show of the season, but all in all, a nearly perfect one.

Grade: A+

Alright, followers, I'm out. Adios. Hasta Luega. Hasta la vista, baby. Chao. Au revoir. Just, see ya.

A Tribute to a Legend - J.D. Salinger

I remember finishing The Catcher in the Rye for the first time and afterwards going to J.D. Salinger's wikipedia page to learn more about him. I like to use wikipedia to read up on authors, bands, etc. so after I had loved The Catcher in the Rye so much, it was only natural that it sparked my interest in this extraordinary author. The first thing I remember when his page uploaded was seeing that extremely famous photo of him in the top right hand corner, the one that I keep seeing on all over the internet today. Perhaps the only photographic portrait of him, this is the photo that would come to represent him to me. That sharply dressed young man with his hair slicked back looking off into the distance. He had a nice face and the photo screamed '1950s' to me. There was always something about it that seemed to jump out at me. I can't put my nose on it, but something always stood out about it, from the first time I saw it. I guess, it did seem peculiar to me that this was the photo chosen for his profile, as most other profile pages on wikipedia had a more recent picture, but as I would soon learn, Salinger was rather famous for his seclusion, and that just might be the most recent picture of him. It may even be one of the only ones the public has of him. The next thing I so clearly remember is that under that representative photo were the facts:

Born Jerome David Salinger

January 1, 1919 (aged 88)

New York City, New York

United States

And I remember seeing that and thinking "He's still alive!" After all, I knew that The Catcher in the Rye had been written in the '50s, which seemed like a long time ago to me, and most of the authors of the books I read (mostly 20th century literature) were dead. So, the fact that he was still alive surprised me, especially considering how old I thought he was. I was amazed. I even talked to people about how old he was. I also thought it was pretty cool that his birthday was on New Years.

As I later learned, he was perhaps just as famous for how reclusive he was as he was for writing The Catcher in the Rye (the best book I had read at the time, and presently tied for my favorite of all time with The Great Gatsby). I later wondered if he died a while ago and no one knew yet. After all, he pretty much stopped being in the public's eye after Catcher, with the exception of the occasional lawsuit (God, love him), the last one having been a while ago. I happily assumed that I would never know and would probably find out, one day, 20 years from now, that he had obviously died a long time ago. Over the last 2 and a half years, I would occasionally check his page, again, when I was feeling bored. I remember coming on at the start of the new school year (this year, fall '09) and seeing that in May 2009, he was, in the process, of suing some Swedish writer for trying to write a sequel to Catcher. How pleased was I! He was still alive, after all. It made me pretty happy, to see he was still going at it, suing any of the idiots in his way trying to ruin Catcher for me.

And I guess that's why when I got on the computer today and brought up Safari, I was so shocked when I saw that famous photo of him I had first seen years earlier and a headline that said 'J.D. Salinger Dead at 91.' My mouth dropped open, my body froze and I literally said out loud, "What?!" I started to feel very hot, suddenly, and had trouble seeing things. It shocked most, considering we hadn't heard anything in so long and it's not like we knew he was ill, but for me it was even more shocking, considering the little wikipedia anecdote I had lived through. I had come to believe he would be immortal, and he was just making news a couple of months ago. But now he died. I couldn't believe it.

I had finished the marvelous book About a Boy by Nick Hornby, a couple days ago, and a large part of the book takes place the day Kurt Cobain dies. It kind of goes through how the world reacted and in particular, one teenager, who he had affected so much that she wanted to get drunk because she was so upset. I remember reading that, just a couple days before today, and thinking how I don't think the death of a pop star could affect me in the same way, for the rest of my life. After all, Elliott Smith had already died, and though I'm closely connected to my music, I felt like the most a sudden celebrity death could make me feel was a minor sadness. Sure, I would be sad that they died, but I wasn't willing to get drunk over it, or let it take over the next couple months, as a lot of famous pop star deaths have (John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson). Now, obviously, J.D. Salinger wasn't a pop star, but finding out that he's died now, seems like a bad joke. I knew that I would live to see his death one day, but I didn't think it would happen like this, and not today. Somehow, it has really affected me, to the point where I feel like I do just wanna stop everything and mourn his death.

Don't worry, I didn't drink anything (except an A&W), but I did take the rest of the night to sit in the hot tub and read my old, beaten down copy of Catcher. I know now that I will keep this forever. Reading it makes me miss Holden, and Salinger, and I can't believe that our world has lost the man who put these words to paper. This great talent, the greatest talent. This man has had such an affect on my life, more than most of the 'phonies' I meet in person, that I can't believe his time has passed. He is be the greatest artist that will die in my lifetime. He really understood the world, terrible as it is, but I can't help but feel like he's the only one who got it. I got pretty upset today with our Pep Rally at school, which made me realize how much I hate these people. It was the typical high school, cliquey bullshit and I was thinking, 'Were still doing this? I thought this was over in middle school and people would start to grow up now. This is just so the 'cool kids' and the jocks can feel better about themselves.' I thought the seniors and the juniors were supposed to be more sophisticated, but watching them today made me realize that the majority of them are the same amount of douches that most of the kids in my grade are. I don't know what brought it on, but it all came to me, and for some reason, it seems connected to Salinger's passing. That's how confused, isolated Holden saw the world, which I can relate to so much.

The Catcher in the Rye will stand down as one of the greatest books ever written, certainly the only one that so perfectly captures how we, humans, think, but it's also one of the most beautiful and I'm gravely sorry that J.D. Salinger is no longer with us. I'm sad that he hated the publicity so much to shield his work from us, but I understand why he felt that way. How could he not? And he had every right to keep it to himself and I respect that. It's a rotten world and I can't blame him for not letting us in on his masterpieces. There's talk about releasing all the unpublished material he wrote during his seclusion, which I'm against if those were not his wishes, however I'm sure I'd love them. He apparently broke his hip in May of last year, but had been doing fairly well, until a recent decline in health starting after the New Year. I'm sad that he's passed, but apparently his death was not painful and of natural causes, and he had been healthy all these years. I'm glad that if he had to go, that was the way, because that really is the best of ways, and he deserves it. After rereading Catcher tonight, I decided that the next best way to honor him, would to be to write about him on this blog, because that's what he would've done. Write. And Salinger, my promise to you, is that is what I will continue to do. Thank you, for everything.

Love,

Marc Hansen

R.I.P.

Top Tens of the Decade

Well, it's New Years Eve and this year it's not just the last day of the year, but the last day of the decade! :O And what a decade it's been. Not too good for the world, in general, but nonetheless, a very significant one for me (though ten years is a long time, I don't know if there won't be a decade in my life I wouldn't consider significant). This decade did take up two thirds of my life after all (:O), so a large portion of my experiences, memories, good and bad, took place during the 2000s. Too much to share the ups and downs or any personal favorite moments, so I don't really feel like celebrating in any way personal, but I thought to honor the occasion, I would post some of my top tens of the decade (movies, music, and books). Over the winter break, I've been seeing these things all over the place, so I'd thought I go through mine.

I also want to start writing more and posting on this blog, even though no one reads it. But I feel like I've been wasting time looking at stuff like top ten lists on the internet (The Internet: World's Worst Distraction), instead of doing something meaningful like writing or working. One more thing: I'm not gonna be explaining my choices or anything, because I don't feel any need to prove my tastes to anyone. I simply like what I like, which is constantly changing, but it's all subjective and these just happen to be the pieces of art that have affected me emotionally. Everyone's lists will be different.... sorry for pointing out the obvious. On all the other lists I've seen, they usually say that.... What is it with top ten lists, anyways? Why do I feel the urge to rank things....

I'll start with movies:

Top Ten Films of the Decade:

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (d. by Michel Gondry)

2. Wall-E (d. by Andrew Stanton)

3. Adaptation (d. by Spike Jonze)

4. Amelie (d. by Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

5. There Will Be Blood (d. by Paul Thomas Anderson)

6. The Dark Knight (d. by Chris Nolan)

7. The Departed (d. by Martin Scorsese)

8. (500) Days of Summer (d. by Marc Webb)

9. Almost Famous (d. by Cameron Crowe)

10. Brokeback Mountain (d. by Ang Lee)

Other films that I love, but didn't quite make the list (in no specific order, just the order I thought of them):

Memento (d. by Chris Nolan)

Sideways (d. by Alexander Payne)

Kill Bill (d. by Quentin Tarantino)

Punch-Drunk Love (d. by Paul Thomas Anderson)

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (d. by Shane Black)

Synecdoche, New York (d. by Charlie Kaufman)

Finding Nemo (d. by Andrew Stanton)

Inglourious Basterds (d. by Quentin Tarantino)

Little Miss Sunshine (d. by Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Faris)

Once (d. by John Carney)

Top Ten Albums of the Decade:

1. From a Basement on a Hill by Elliott Smith

2. In Rainbows by Radiohead

3. Funeral by Arcade Fire

4. Oh, Interverted World by the Shins

5. Once Soundtrack by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (The Swell Season)

6. Far by Regina Spektor

7. Set Yourself on Fire by Stars

8. Achilles’ Heel by Pedro the Lion

9. Kid A by Radiohead

10. Figure 8 by Elliott Smith

Now, other albums I love, but didn't quite make the list (in no specific order, just the order I thought of them):

Neon Bible by Arcade Fire

The Dresden Dolls by The Dresden Dolls

Fate by Dr. Dog

Elephant by The White Stripes

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix

Begin to Hope by Regina Spektor

Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie

Strict Joy by The Swell Season

I'm Wide Awake It's Morning by Bright Eyes

Now, books are a little trickier, because though they're probably the strongest of these three art forms, I can listen to a cd or watch a movie a lot quicker than I can read a book. So, there are lots of movies and cds that didn't make either of those lists that I still liked, but I don't even have an "other books I love, but didn't quite make the list" books because I've only read a little over ten books from this decade. So, i have no way to rank ten other books, unless I count like Andrew Clements or Leminy Snicket books. Also, I don't really care for Harry Potter, so he's not on this list. Sorry. :P Also, just to clarify, I have read way more than 20 books this decade, but only about 15 of them were released this decade (which is what I'm ranking). Most of what I read came out a long time ago (though usually in the 19th century). Sadly, looking at this rather weak list, none of these books compare to my favorites (FitzGerald, Salinger, Yates, Vonnegut), except for my number 1. My top five, I actually think is pretty strong, even though I'm always complaining about how there's no good literature anymore. Certainly better than anything I've read from the 80s. I also haven't read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, The Kite Runner, or The Story of Edgar Sawtelle yet, so I'm sure any of those three could have made it on here. Also, I'm only doing fiction, so two of my favorites (Marley and Me and Manhood for Amateurs) couldn't make it. Wow, that was long. Anyways, here was go:

Top Ten Fiction Novels of the Decade:

1. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

2. Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

3. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

4. Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey by Chuck Palahniuk

5. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

6. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

7. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

8. Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk

9. The Breif Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

10. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

And there we go. That's everything. I don't watch enough TV to do a top ten of that. Maybe a top five. (Arrested Development, The Office, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Daily Show). Damn, 1 short. Well, there's four anyways. I wish you a Happy New Years. (It was so weird yesterday, I was on the phone with Apple trying to figure out computer problems and at the end the lady, who was being really flirty, told me not to drink too much on New Years Eve, and I wasn't sure if I should say that I was 15 or just laugh and say I wouldn't.... so instead I said "You too." :I She also told me that she met her husband on AOL 16 years ago. Then, she said "Can you believe that? We've been together 16 years!" And, again, not really knowing what to say, I just said " Wow. That's impressive.") Anyways........... I've been stalling way too long. I have to get back to work. Adios and Farewell.

"Ain't Misbehavin'" Review

I forgot to post this a while ago.

Review of ATC’s Production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’”

by Marc Hansen

ATC’s revival of the classic Fats Waller musical “Ain’t Misbehavin,’” which won 7 Tony awards back in its heyday, is fantastic. The play does a magnificent job of bringing you back to the swinging, jazz filled 1920s. By the end, you really feel like you’ve just spent the night in a different era. Featuring 30 of Fats Waller and others hits, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” hits all the right notes.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” isn’t a typical plot-driven play and as someone who loves stories, a great one would’ve only made it better, but a bad one could have also brought it down. The production is, instead, a collection of songs detailing the rise of Fats Waller and a tribute to the black musicians of the 1920s and ‘30s who were part of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City. There’s not much to dislike about “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (named after the Fats Waller song that opens the show) and it remains perfectly enjoyable, even without a plot. Besides, having a story only would’ve taken away from the production’s greatest accomplishment - the wonderful atmosphere it creates. Through the use of music, light, set design, and costumes, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” takes you to a new world, and makes you forget your own.

The stage has been transformed to look like a ‘40s nightclub with a disco ball and a piano that impressively moves around the stage. The ladies’ elaborate gowns only add to the illusion that we actually are in a ‘40s club and the way the light is used to create mood is incredible. The lights are perfectly dimmed in slow ballads, where you feel like just closing you eyes, curling up with a loved one, and letting the music take you in, but during the bright, jumpy swing numbers, the lights are bright and dramatic, more representative of the music’s poppy exuberance. Credit also has to go to the jazz musicians that give the production its playful energy. After all, what would a Fats Waller musical be without musicians that do its composer justice? Luckily from Darryl G. Ivey on keyboards to Thomas A. Fries on drums the band members are all top notch.

The cast is similarly excellent, from Angela Grovey’s spunky wit to Christopher L. Morgan as the charming goofball. And though they all have boisterous voices, Ken Robinson’s ability to hold a note stands out, as he proved in “Honeysuckle Rose.” Rebecca Covington and Aurelia Williams round out the cast, and while Covington has an undescribable, but immediate likeability (she even does a piece where she sings bad, in character), Williams, or the character she played, is a little too over the top. Either way, her loudness was mildly annoying.

But really, the star of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” is Fats Waller, himself. It’s his playful energy and sense of ethnic pride that seeps through the performances. It’s everywhere, in the hilarious “Your Feet’s Too Big,” about dumping a woman because of her overly large feet, in the literally jumping Act 1 Finale “The Joint is Jumpin’” and in the ode to pianos “Handful of Keys,” in which the quintet cleverly sing like a piano (Robinson’s low bass note boops to the others’ high note bops). The production’s wit and energy is infectious, and it’s impossible to leave without a smile on your face. There’s always a certain joy in the meaningful plays that really get at something deep, but sometimes, as “Ain’t Misbehavin’” proves, it’s just nice to sit back and be entertained.

The only misstep in the songs is Morgan’s drawn out “The Viper’s Drag,” in which Morgan flaunts off his muscular physique as he seduces the crowd. Morgan just didn’t work for me as the bad-boy sexy type, especially after he had already been established as a lovable goofball, a la Clark Gable in It Happened One Night. That slight misstep was quickly forgiven though with the beautiful harmonies between the cast in the moving “Black and Blue,” by far the best performance in the production. Though you might think this would be likely to put the audience to sleep, because it’s so calming, the opposite is actually true. It’s so startingly good that we’re more awake than ever, and ready for the finale.

The production truly takes you back to a different time, a place you may not have even known about, but believe me, you’ll be glad to have taken the journey. Buying the soundtrack just wouldn’t be the same, because you’d miss out on all the crazy hijinks, the humorous facial expressions, and the pure, raw electricity from the actors playing off the audience. “Ain’t Misbehavin’” may not have a plot, but that’s only because its job is to transport you back to the era, and let you create the story for yourself.

Overall Grade: A-