(New York, NY – Monday, January 6, 2025) – The company of the Broadway musical A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical will lead a special ongoing effort to support those affected by the horrific incident that took place in New Orleans, LA in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
A Wonderful World, which celebrates the life of Louis Armstrong, begins in New Orleans, where the jazz legend was born in 1901.
The company of A Wonderful World has honored the victims and their families with a heartfelt moment of silence, followed by a call to action for the Greater New Orleans Foundation, which provides crucial support to communities in need. Donations can be made directly at www.gnof.org.
In addition, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will stand united with the company of A Wonderful World and has pledged to add an additional $10,000 as a special grant to whatever funds are raised during this effort.
The fundraising effort was initiated by A Wonderful World cast member Darlesia Cearcy, who plays Armstrong’ wife, Lucille Wilson. Cearcy states, “A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical sets up one foundational question: why and how did Louis Armstrong invite us into a song so full of hope, love and light about life? We as a company traverse through his life starting with his birthplace, New Orleans, and his humble, exciting and yet troubled beginnings. This birthplace was and is the place where he initially discovered his love for jazz and, thus, created an empire and status as the King of Jazz.
We honor that status each day at the top of our show inside the French quarter with a song titled ‘Bourbon Street Parade.’ Here we dance and sing to reignite the days of celebration of New Orleans and his contributions to it as an art form. We transport our audiences from there to his first home base called ‘ Jane Alley’ and sometimes ‘James Alley’ before we head to Storyville and onward.
It is our hope, joy and responsibility to help, honor and support our fellow citizens that remind us of our surrogate home base and national neighbor through our leader Louis Armstrong. As one of the women who plays his wife (Lucille) I understand the importance of giving ourselves over to something greater than ourselves as Lucille would have done. We as a company know this truth. In order for us to share our story of A Wonderful World and sing that honestly, we must do our part. Louis found it for us and established the way forward. Our ‘compass’ including the moral one is being made clear.
No one needs to suffer the way those innocent victims and their families have suffered, so we stand together in solidarity and love to support them. It’s what Louis Armstrong or ‘Pops’ (as they call him in New Orleans) would have wanted. We aim to serve the greater good. A musical can be fruitful inside of communities. I hope we have and will continue to demonstrate healthy, positive efforts for communities such as New Orleans.”
“We are so proud to be a part of this compassionate Broadway community, coming together to help those in need,” said Danny Whitman, Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. “This is a moment to show solidarity and provide real support to the people of New Orleans.”
In addition to this special grant, among the 450+ direct service organizations funded by Broadway Cares across the country, Washington DC and Puerto Rico, there are seven throughout Louisiana, including the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation and Project Lazarus in New Orleans.
About Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. It has raised millions of dollars to provide essential services for people with HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and other critical illnesses.
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical is playing at Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street). Tickets are available at www.louisarmstrongmusical.com.
Website & Social Media
Website: louisarmstrongmusical.com
Instagram: instagram.com/awonderfulworldbway
Facebook: facebook.com/awonderfulworldbway
X: x.com/AWonderfulWBway
TikTok: tiktok.com/@wonderfulworldbway
YouTube: youtube.com/@AWonderfulWorldBway
Photo by ©Jeremy Daniel: James Monroe Iglehart as Louis Armstrong and Company in, “A Wonderful World, The Louis Armstrong Musical.” Production assets distributed by The Press Room. Displayed with permission.
