A Wonderful World Broadway Box Office Opening to Feature New Orleans-Style Parade, Special Ticket Pricing, More

The upcoming Louis Armstrong biomusical A Wonderful World has announced a variety of festivities for its Broadway box office opening, set for September 5. The show begins performances October 16 at Studio 54, prior to an official opening November 11.

Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart, who is starring as the late jazz legend while co-directing the production, will kick off the box office celebration at 10:00 AM by introducing the musical's cast and creative team in Duffy Square. Iglehart will then lead the cast in a traditional New Orleans-style Second Line parade complete with a brass band (featuring cast member and tap choreographer DeWitt Fleming, Jr. on drums). The procession will make its way to Studio 54 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Show-branded handkerchiefs will be handed out, and specially priced tickets for preview performances will be available for purchase. Ticket options will include $67 orchestra seats, to commemorate the 1967 release of the song What a Wonderful World; and $31 mezzanine seats, in honor of Armstrong's 1931 film debut. Customers must be at the box office by noon to purchase these tickets.

As previously reported, the musical's former associate director, Christina Sajous, will co-direct the Broadway run alongside Iglehart. The pair join previously announced director Christopher Renshaw, who helmed the piece's earlier stagings in New Orleans and Chicago, and is overseeing the entire production.

The cast also includes James T. Lane (Chicago, A Chorus Line) playing Armstrong at certain performances; along with Darlesia Cearcy (How to Dance in Ohio) as Lucille Wilson, Dionne Figgins (Memphis) as Daisy Parker, Kim Exum (The Book of Mormon) as Alpha Smith, Jennie Harney-Fleming (The Color Purple) as Lil Hardin, DeWitt Fleming, Jr. as Lincoln Perry, Jason Forbach as Crooner, Gavin Gregory as King Joe Oliver, and Jimmy Smagula as Joe Glaser. The ensemble will feature Brandon L. Armstrong, Wesley Barnes, Willie Clyde Beaton II, Ronnie S. Bowman, Jr., Eean S. Cochran, Kate Louissaint, Matt Magnusson, Jodeci Milhouse, Alysha Morgan, Khadijah Rolle, Tally Sessions, Brett Sturgis, Renell Taylor, Meridien Terrell, and Dori Waymer. Trista Dollison will be a standby.

Conceived by Renshaw (The King and I, Taboo) and novelist Andrew Delaplaine, A Wonderful World has an original book by author Aurin Squire (This Is Us) and features songs made popular by Armstrong. The new musical tells the story of jazz legend Louis Armstrong, from his early days in New Orleans through five decades of international stardom, through the eyes of the women in his life.

READ: King Arthur, Louis Armstrong—James Monroe Iglehart Is in His Leading Man Phase

Rickey Tripp will make his Broadway choreography and musical staging debut working on the production, with DeWitt Fleming Jr. making his Broadway debut as tap choreographer. Adam Koch and Steven Royal will make their Broadway debuts providing scenic design, with costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Cory Pattak, sound design by Kai Harada, wig and hair design by Matthew Armentrout, makeup design by Kali Taylor, and prop design by Lilian Sun.

Grammy winner Branford Marsalis will provide orchestrations and arrangements, joining a music department that also includes music supervisor, vocal and incidental arranger, and additional orchestrator Daryl Waters; dance arranger Zane Mark; music director Darryl G. Ivey; and music contractor David Lai.

Lee Soroko will serve as fight director, with Jerome Butler as dialect coach and Faye Price as dramaturg.

RL Campbell will serve as production stage manager, Jen Ash as stage manager, and Alex Luong as assistant stage manager. Casting is by Arc Casting's Duncan Stewart and Patrick Maravilla. 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 are producing. Irene Gandy is a consulting producer.