Ex-‘Idol’ to ‘Misbehave’

It’s a few minutes before lunch, and Ruben Studdard is sitting on a bar stool at JCT Kitchen, drinking a cream ale. The “American Idol” got up at 5 a.m. to make the trip from his hometown of Birmingham. He and his posse have been crisscrossing Atlanta in two black SUVs to promote the 30th anniversary tour of “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” —- opening Tuesday at the Fox Theatre.

The first thing Studdard says is that he hopes critics will be kind to him as he makes his professional stage debut. Joined by former “Idol” contestants Frenchie Davis and Trenyce Cobbins for this Fats Waller revue, the so-called Velvet Teddybear is crossing over from gospel and R&B to jazz. “Honeysuckle Rose” and “The Jitterbug Waltz” will be added to his song list, alongside hit singles “Flying Without Wings” and “Change Me.”

It’s been five years since the 30-year-old with the commanding physique and voluptuous voice narrowly defeated Clay Aiken to win “American Idol.” He’s since recorded three CDs. As his career evolves, he seems driven by a mixture of opposite traits. He’s ambitious yet full of self-doubt, easygoing but competitive. But this theater thing —- in particular, the music of piano legend Waller —- is new to him, and he confesses he’s a tad anxious about the eight-show-a-week regimen.

Studdard and other cast members have just put down the “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” cast recording in New York.

“I haven’t had to work that hard since I was in college,” he says of the three-day recording session. “It was a challenge.”

Though Studdard today comes across as a gentle giant with a humble heart, the former college football player says that wasn’t always the case.

In seventh grade, he was such a troublemaker that his father had to get a teaching job so he could monitor his son’s behavior.

“I had straight A’s in my grades and F’s in conduct … until he came to the school.” As a high school freshman, his cocky attitude almost cost him his place in the choir.

Sipping sweet tea and enjoying an appetizer of fried oysters and a plate of shrimp and grits, Studdard sat down recently to tell us about:

How he met his wife

Then an Atlanta-based flight attendant, Surata Zuri McCants came to one of Studdard’s Atlanta CD signings to get an autograph for a friend. They’d met before, but he didn’t remember her. “She was like, ‘I told everybody you had an attitude.’ ” This time, he was on his best behavior. He asked a buddy to get her number. After being “just friends” for a few months, they got serious and tied the knot in June. They live in Birmingham, but she still misses her hometown.

His early performing

Started singing at 3. “My preschool teacher convinced me to sing a solo —- this is what I’ve been told —- and I’ve been singing ever since. … In sixth grade, I did a talent show, and the girls just went crazy, and from then on, I have wanted to do nothing else with my life.”

How he cured his stage fright

“I got into drama actually in middle school. My teacher introduced me to oratorical competitions. I think in the eighth grade I sort of lost my fear of the stage.” He made a big splash with MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

How college football paid off

“I’m very competitive. I hate to lose at Tic-Tac-Toe to this day. So football was my outlet.” (He attended Alabama A&M University on a football scholarship.) “I could still be superaggressive all the time. … I was pretty rough on folks.” He eventually quit ball to focus on music.

Adjusting to the stage

“It’s one of the hardest things to do, man. I think a lot of people in the pop world don’t know how difficult it is to be at the top of your game in musical theater. The most shows I have ever done in one week is five [on the concert circuit]. So to have to do eight shows is like, wow.”

His weight

“I never started getting scrutinized about my size until I got on ‘American Idol.’ And the media started.” When he was younger, he says he used to watch TV shows about overweight people and wonder, “Why is this so bad? Why do they beat people up? … Now I see how difficult it is when everybody talks about you.”

His drink of choice.

“I’m a beer fan. I just started liking the dark stronger beers. If you are watching football, you can drink like 12 light beers, or you can drink one or two good beers.” Where he buys his brews: “Whole Foods is the best.”

ONSTAGE

“Ain’t Misbehavin’ “

Tuesday-Sunday. $14-$43. Broadway Across America-Atlanta, Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Midtown. 404-817-8700, ticketmaster.com