**** Recommended My bad! When I read the pre-show press release for A Wonderful World, A New Musical about the Life and Loves of Louis Armstrong, I overlooked this key phrase – as told by the women in his life. Although I didn’t expect a jukebox musical, I did think the musical would actually be about Satchmo! Instead, I saw a musical divided into four chapters paralleling his career but defined by his four wives. I was disappointed because I wanted to know more about him, not them. A Wonderful World is a good musical but it just didn’t pop for me. 4 Spotlights
The pre-Broadway production of A Wonderful World premiered in New Orleans earlier in October before moving on to Chicago. It was written by Aurin Squire, directed by Christopher Renshaw, with choreography and musical staging by Rickey Tripp. In addition to Armstrong’s signature songs, it has original music, arrangements, orchestrations and music direction by husband-and-wife team, Annastasia Victory and Michael O. Mitchell.
The amazing James Monroe Iglehart plays Louis Armstrong perfectly. I can’t even imagine what he has to do to get that scratchy voice down so exactly, but it can’t be good for his normal voice – which is gorgeous, as we hear early in the musical.
A Wonderful Life begins in New Orleans, where Armstrong was born and raised primarily by his grandmother. He worked for a family of Lithuanian Jews helping them collect ‘rags and bones’ to sell. According to the script, Mr. Karnofsky (Matt Wolfe) acquired a cornet somewhere, which he gave to Louis who learned to play well enough that King Joe Oliver (Gavin Gregory) became his mentor. Hanging out in a bar called the Brick House, he met a hooker, Daisy Parker (Khalifa White) who became his first wife.
When Armstrong followed King Oliver to Chicago, he left Daisy behind. He played in Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band in Lincoln Perry’s (DeWitt Fleming, Jr.) club on the south side. His second wife Lil Hardin (Jennie Harney-Fleming) was the piano player in Oliver’s band. Lil encouraged him, suggesting he dress better, develop his own style of playing and ask for better billing. She often billed him as The World’s Best Trumpet Player.
Not in the show: After forming his own band, Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five, Armstrong developed his easy style. The band recorded 24 records – and I would have loved to hear a couple of those songs. He also spent some time in New York playing with various bands and at the Cotton Club. He was very influential during the Harlem Renaissance, becoming close friends with Langston Hughes.
During the Depression, he moved to Los Angeles where he played at the New Cotton Club. He also appeared in a couple of movies which his new wife, Alpha Smith (Brennyn Lark) loved. She also loved shopping and a lavish lifestyle. Armstrong wasn’t particularly happy in California and eventually returned to Chicago.
Somewhere along the line, Joe Glaser (Matt Wolfe) became his manager. Although he was highly successful playing with several large and/or small bands across the country, the script ignored that. Instead, it concentrated on him meeting and marrying his fourth wife, Lucille Wilson (Ta’Rea Campbell), and her efforts to make a home for him. After a successful international tour as an ambassador for America (one of many highly successful world-wide tours), he returned home. After seeing images of racial segregation on television, he insulted the Eisenhower administration.
A Wonderful World referenced a few of Louis Armstrong’s signature songs, like his 1964 hit, Hello Dolly, which actually knocked the Beatles off the charts, but played very few of them. The show did close with the title song, What A Wonderful World.
Also appearing: Matthew Greenwood as Johnny Collins and Lindsey Corey (Cherry). The ensemble includes Ronnie S. Bowman, Jr., Jamal Christopher Douglas, Afra Hines, Ashley McManus, Alysha Morgan, Jarran Muse, Khadijah Rolle, Dave Schoonover, Brett Sturgis, Renell Taylor and Dori Waymer.
A Wonderful World runs through October 29th at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph, Chicago. Running time is 2 hours, 45 minutes, with an intermission. Performances are Tuesdays at 7:30 pm, Wednesdays at 2:00 & 7:30 pm, Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2:00 & 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00. Tickets range from $35 - $105. FYI (800) 775-2000, www.BroadwayInChicago.com or www.ticketmaster.com.