A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical aims to tell 71 years of the legendary jazz performer's life. It's not been an easy task since co-director Christopher Renshaw realized Armstrong would be a great subject for a musical: "It was an idea I had, and it just grew over the seven years. And then the idea [came] of having his four wives participate to break up his life into four sections," Renshaw tells Playbill, before adding, "I'm glad he had four wives." See the show's creators, including producer Vanessa Williams and leading man James Monroe Iglehart, discuss the show in the video above.

The musical retelling of Louis Armstrong's life, featuring his most well-known songs is currently running on Broadway at Studio 54. This is Iglehart's third time playing the role of Armstrong, after the show's pre-Broadway try-outs last fall in Chicago and New Orleans. "Third time's the charm!" he exclaims, before enthusing about how exciting it's been to step into the role of co-director in the show, alongside Christina Sajous. "What we have is going to be very satisfying, very entertaining, very educational, and at the same time, let people know when they sit in their seat, they're going to enjoy what they see and walk out with a new perspective on this legendary performer."

close gallery

0 of

Photos: James Monroe Iglehart and Company of A Wonderful World Open The Box Office

Next Slide  

You may also like

• 
  Take a Look at New Broadway and Off-Broadway Playbill Covers for Fall 2024
• 
  Photos: New Cast Joins Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in the West End
• 
  Photos: Hold On To Me Darling Starring Adam Driver

A Wonderful World features some of Armstrong's hit songs, with a book by Aurin Squire.

The cast also includes Dionne Figgins as Daisy Parker, Jennie Harney-Fleming as Lil Hardin, Kim Exum as Alpha Smith, and Darlesia Cearcy as Lucille Wilson, along with Gavin Gregory, Dewitt Fleming Jr., Jimmy Smagula, Brandon Louis Armstrong, Wesley J. Barnes, Ronnie S. Bowman Jr., Brett Sturgis, Renell Taylor, Jason Forbach, and Tally Sessions.

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

Trista Dollison is the standby for Daisy Parker, Lil Hardin, Lucille Wilson, and Alpha Smith; and James T. Lane is the Louis Armstrong alternate. Understudies Kate Louissaint, Jodeci Milhouse, Alysha Morgan, Khadijah Rolle, and Dori Waymer; and swings Willie Clyde Beaton II, Eean S. Cochran, Matt Magnusson, and Meridien Terrell round out the company. Casting is by ARC's Duncan Stewart and Patrick Maravilla.

The production also features choreography and musical staging by Rickey Tripp, scenic and video design by Adam Koch and Steven Royal, 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, prop design by Lilian Sun, tap choreography by Dewitt Fleming Jr., fight direction by Lee Soroko, and dramaturgy by Faye Price. RL Campbell is production stage manager.

READ: 'The Man Behind the Trumpet': A Wonderful World Aims to Tell Louis Armstrong's Story

Daryl Waters leads the music team as music supervisor, along with providing vocal and incidental music arrangements and additional orchestrations. Branford Marsalis has penned orchestrations and arrangements, with Darryl G. Ivey serving as music director and Zane Mark as dance music arranger.

Thomas E. Rodgers, Jr., Renee Delaplaine Rodgers, Martian Entertainment (Carl D. White and Gregory Rae), Vanessa Williams, Liz Curtis, John Gore Organization, Remmel T. Dickinson, and Wei-Hwa Huang are producing A Wonderful World, in association with Roundabout Theatre Company.

Visit LouisArmstrongMusical.com.