‘Idol’ vet Studdard leads brand new show at Strand

Ruben Studdard performs in a scene from “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” the revival of the Tony Award-winning 1978 musical that debuts at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester on Friday. The Grammy-nominated crooner, who rose to fame by winning the second season of Fox’s “American Idol,” performs the lead role in the production. (Photo: Jeffrey Richards)

Ruben Studdard glances at his iPhone as it pings softly. He has new mail. At his side, a Blackberry lies idle.

The Grammy-nominated crooner juggles a schedule that includes preparing for a CD release in May and headlining a national tour of the Broadway musical revue, “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” which debuts at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester on Friday, the start of a weekend-long run.

To stay on top of things, Studdard always carries around two mobile devices.

He puts a hand on his Blackberry, explaining, “This is for work. And this,” gesturing at the iPhone, “play.”

“I’m kind of addicted to Facebook now because all of my high school friends are on here,” he says, referring to the social networking site’s iPhone interface. “I get the chance to talk to people I haven’t talked to in years and it’s just amazing.”

Studdard, who rocketed to fame in 2003 when he won the second season of Fox’s “American Idol” contest, takes his ties to friends and family in his hometown of Birmingham, Ala., seriously. He says he owes his success to their contributions.

“It takes a lot more than your mom buying you an instrument and sending you to school for you to become a great pianist or a great singer,” Studdard says. “Everybody has to pitch in their part.”

In Studdard’s case, that meant contributions — and encouragement — from his church choir director, middle school band teacher and a number of mentors in high school and college.

“I had a lot of people that could stake claim in the fact that I am where I am today,” he adds.

Not every aspiring musician is as fortunate as he was, says Studdard, which is why he has made a point of providing support and inspiration for young people who want to pursue music professionally.

Last Wednesday, Studdard visited the Boston Arts Academy to talk about his life as a performer. Always forthcoming with an easy, affable laugh, Studdard gave older-brotherly advice to the students. He told them that it isn’t easy to become a professional musician, and offered suggestions on how to handle the challenges of succeeding as an artist.

This outreach is especially important for students in public schools and students who may not be able to afford expensive private music lessons, he adds.

“A lot of young people have a desire to be musicians, but … whereas a student who goes to an affluent school in the summertime can afford to pay for private, direct instruction, some kids that want to do that can’t afford to do it,” he says.

Studdard grew up singing in church choirs and joined voice ensembles in high school. He majored in music at Alabama AandM University and says he sees himself as an example for others to follow.

“When I was in high school, I wish there would have been more people like me that would have come to school and talked,” he says. “It’s important that we — especially people who are part of public education — that we take the time out to go to these schools and be a positive influence so that kids can see that [and say to themselves], ‘Hey, just because I’m in a public school doesn’t mean I can’t succeed past everybody’s expectations of what a student in a public school system should be able to do.’”

His nonprofit organization, the Ruben Studdard Foundation, offers a summer arts education camp for students in the Birmingham area that encourages young musicians to pursue their talents in college.

“It’s a really rewarding experience when a young person that goes to my camp tells me that they plan on majoring in music in college,” Studdard says. “I had a group of young men come to see ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’.’ They live in a rural county in Alabama, but they come to the camp every year in Birmingham. Two of the young men plan on becoming music majors in college just because of what they got from being at the camp with me.”

Before the camp auditions take place back home, however, Studdard still has 17 more stops along the “Ain’t Misbehavin’ tour,” from Erie, Pa., to the Bronx, N.Y.

The schedule is grueling, but Studdard ain’t complainin’.

Named after Fats Waller’s 1929 jazz hit, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” brings to life the music and scene of 1930s Harlem, featuring 30 songs and piano solos. It debuted on Broadway in 1978 with Nell Carter as one of the original performers, winning four Tony awards, including Best Musical. The revered revue is now being commemorated in a cross-country 30th anniversary tour.

 “It’s a big responsibility to take Fats Waller’s work and make sure we don’t take that lightly,” he says. “I would hate to see my song on television and somebody singing it wrong or butchering it or not giving it its just due, so we have to be careful that we make sure that he’s represented in the right way.”

Studdard and fellow “American Idol” alums Frenchie Stewart and Trenyce Cobbins are on stage eight times a week, dancing and singing for the entire duration of each show.

“‘Ain’t Misbehavin’’ is the five people that make up Fats Waller’s personality on each song,” he says. “We’re in the play the whole time — there are no props, there are no set changes. It’s just the five of us. It’s a very energetic and lively production, and it’s non-stop.”

While this makes for good entertainment — the tour’s performances thus far have generated significant positive buzz — racking up long days can take a toll. While describing his days of waking up at 6:30 a.m. and rehearsing late into the night, Studdard pauses to take off his glasses and rub his eyes.

“I’m not going to sit here and tell you it’s the most easy thing I’ve ever done in my life, because it’s not,” he says.

But, he adds, tempering his fatigue with good-natured humility and his easy, friendly smile, “As long as I can continue to do this job that I love — singing — I’m happy.”

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” debuts Friday, April 10, 2009, at the Strand Theatre, 543 Columbia Road, Dorchester. For tickets and more information, visit http://www.citicenter.org.