It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues is a musical revue written by Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor, and Dan Wheetman. It was originally produced at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and later presented by the Crossroads Theatre Company, in association with San Diego Repertory Theatre and Alabama Shakespeare Festival in New York. The revue traces the history of "blues" music with more than three dozen songs. Ron Taylor acted as singing narrator. It was directed by Randal Myler with movement by Donald McKayle. It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues started as a Denver Center Theater Company school touring show in circa 1994. [1] The Denver Center production played at the Arena Stage (Washington, D.C.), in November 1996. It subsequently opened in New York at the New Victory Theater in March 1999 for a limited run, and then transferred to Broadway. It opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on April 26, 1999, transferred to the Ambassador Theatre on 9/7/1999, and ran until January 9, 2000, with 284 performances.

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Cast

• Mississippi" Charles Bevel
• Gretha Boston
• Carter Calvert
• Eloise Laws
• Gregory Porter
• Ron Taylor
• Dan Wheetman

On-stage 6-member band, musical director Dan Wheetman, with Debra Laws

Songs (partial)

Sources: The Washington Post, Lloyd Rose, D01, November 22, 1996 and Curtain Up review, April 1999

• "Come On in My Kitchen"
• "Black Woman"
• "Crawlin' King Snake"
• "Walkin' Blues"
• "Crossroad Blues"
• "I Can't Stop Loving You"
• "Dangerous Blues"
• "His Eye Is on the Sparrow"
• "Fever"
• "Someone Else is Stepping In"
• "Walking After Midnight"
• "Good-Night Irene"

Awards and nominations

;Tony Award

• Best Musical (nominee)
• Best Book of a Musical (Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor, and Dan Wheetman) (nominee)
• Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Ron Taylor) (nominee)
• Best Featured Actress in a Musical Gretha Boston (nominee)

;Drama Desk Award

• Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Ron Taylor) (nominee)
• Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

:Gretha Boston (nominee)

• Outstanding Musical Revue (nominee)

References

1. ''The Denver Post'', Sandra C. Dillard, p. I-01, November 7, 1999