A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical Photo Share

A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical is now in rehearsal! The production opens on Monday, November 11, 2024 at Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street). Previews begin on October 16, 2024. Tickets are on sale at louisarmstrongmusical.com. 

A Wonderful World is produced by Thomas E. Rodgers, Jr., Renee Delaplaine Rodgers, Martian Entertainment (Carl D. White and Gregory Rae) and Vanessa Williams and Liz Curtis, and Remmel T. Dickinson. 

Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart (Broadway: Aladdin, Hamilton) will recreate his critically acclaimed performance as Louis Armstrong. Last fall, Iglehart starred in the pre-Broadway production of A Wonderful World in New Orleans and Chicago, where he won rave reviews. The Chicago Tribune called him “just fabulous! – a knockout Louis Armstrong.” The Chicago Sun-Times cheered, “James Monroe Iglehart gives a phenomenal, dynamic and vivacious lead performance as the wondrous Louis Armstrong.”

Playing the roles of Armstrong’s four wives, who each had a unique impact upon his life, will be Darlesia Cearcy (Broadway: How to Dance in Ohio, Once on This Island) as Lucille Wilson, Dionne Figgins (Broadway: Memphis, Motown the Musical) as Daisy Parker, Kim Exum (Broadway: The Book of Mormon) as Alpha Smith, and Jennie Harney-Fleming (Broadway: The Color Purple, Hamilton) as Lil Hardin. 
 
The 26-member cast also features Trista Dollison (Broadway: Oklahoma!, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as standby for the roles of Daisy Parker, Lil Hardin, Alpha Smith and Lucille Wilson; DeWitt Fleming, Jr. (TV: “Boardwalk Empire,” Encores!: The Tap Dance Kid) as Lincoln Perry; Jason Forbach (Broadway: Into the Woods, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) as Crooner & Others; Gavin Gregory (Broadway: The Color Purple, The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess) as King Joe Oliver; and Jimmy Smagula (Broadway: Spamalot (revival); TV: “Blue Bloods,” “Black Monday”) as Joe Glaser. Award-winning Broadway actor James T. Lane (Broadway: Chicago, Kiss Me Kate, A Chorus Line) will play Armstrong at certain performances.

The ensemble features Brandon L. Armstrong (National Tour: Hamilton), Wesley Barnes (National Tour: Mean Girls, Jesus Christ Superstar), Willie Clyde Beaton II (Regional: 42nd Street, Beautiful), Ronnie S. Bowman, Jr. (Broadway: The Music Man, The Who’s Tommy), Eean S. Cochran (Public Theater: The Harder They Come), Kate Louissaint (Regional: Beautiful), Matt Magnusson (Off-Broadway: Hound Dog), Jodeci Milhouse (Encores!: Pal Joey), Alysha Morgan (Public Theater: The Harder They Come), Khadijah Rolle (Regional: Sister Act, Memphis the Musical),Tally Sessions (Broadway: Company, School of Rock), Brett Sturgis (Broadway: On Your Feet!, Aida), Renell Taylor (Regional: Newsies, Chicago), Meridien Terrell (National Tour: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), and Dori Waymer (Regional: The Color Purple). RL Campbell (Bring It On) will serve as Production Stage Manager, Jen Ash as Stage Manager and Alex Luong as Assistant Stage Manager. Casting is by Arc Casting, Duncan Stewart, CSA, Patrick Maravilla, CSA.

Louis Armstrong’s innovative musicianship and incredible charisma as trumpeter and vocalist would lead him from the early days of jazz in his native New Orleans to five decades of international stardom. A Wonderful World tells the story of Armstrong’s blazing musical career. The musical features beloved songs he recorded and made popular, including “What a Wonderful World” and “When You’re Smiling,” among many other favorites.
 
With a book by Aurin Squire (“This Is Us,” “The Good Fight”) and featuring songs made famous by Louis Armstrong, A Wonderful World is co-conceived by Andrew Delaplaine and Drama Desk Award winner and Tony Award nominee Christopher Renshaw (The King and I, Taboo), who also directs the production.

A Wonderful World is being presented in association with Roundabout Theatre Company and will be included in Roundabout’s subscription packages.

Miami New Drama (Artistic Director Michel Hausmann; Managing Director Nicholas Richberg) presented the World Premiere production of A Wonderful World on December 11, 2021 at the Colony Theatre in Miami Beach, FL.