A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical on Broadway tickets

By: Aurin Squire, co-conceived by Christopher Renshaw and Andrew Delaplaine
Songs by: Louis Armstrong
Director: Christopher Renshaw with James Monroe Iglehart and Christina Sajous
Choreography: Rickey Tripp; tap choreography by DeWitt Fleming Jr.
Cast list: James Monroe Iglehart (as Louis Armstrong), Darlesia Cearcy (as Lucille Wilson), Dionne Figgins (as Daisy Parker), Kim Exum (as Alpha Smith), Jennie Harney-Fleming (as Lil Hardin), DeWitt Fleming, Jr. (as Lincoln Perry), Jason Forbach (as Crooner and others), Gavin Gregory (as King Joe Oliver), Jimmy Smagula (as Joe Glaser), James T. Lane (as Louis Armstrong alternate), Trista Dollison (as standby for Daisy Parker/Lil Hardin/Alpha Smith/Lucille Wilson)
Sets: Adam Koch and Stephen Royal
Costumes: Toni-Leslie James
Lighting: Cory Pattak
Sound: Kai Harada
Other info: Video design by Adam Koch and Stephen Royal; wig and hair design by Matthew Armentrout; makeup design by Kali Taylor; prop design by Lilian Sun; arrangements and orchestrations by Branford Marsalis; music supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements, and additional orchestrations by Daryl Waters; dance music arrangements by Zane Mark; music direction by Darryl G. Ivey; music contracting by David Lai; fight direction by Lee Soroko; dialect coaching by Jerome Butler; dramaturgy by Faye Price

Louis Armstrong's work spans various musical genres, and he frequently collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald, blazed a trail for Black artists in the music industry, and took home multiple Grammy Awards during his decades-spanning career.

A Wonderful World offers a singular portrait of Armstrong and also focuses on his romantic life: the superstar was married four times, starting at age 18, and this musical gives a window into his personal life from the wives’ point of view. Born in New Orleans, Armstrong had an indelible impact on the Big Easy and continues to shape not only what music can sound like, but how genres can blend to create a sound that’s totally unique — just as he was.

What to watch for

• James Monroe Iglehart is known for his larger-than-life characters, including the Genie in Aladdin and King Arthur in Spamalot.
• A Wonderful World is not the first time Iglehart played a real-life figure: He also starred in Hamilton as Thomas Jefferson.
• Renshaw returns to familiar territory with this show; he has reimagined classics (via his Tony-winning production of The King and I) and also created musicals using real singers’ work (as he did with Boy George for Taboo).
• Louis Armstrong was celebrated for his instantly recognizable, rich, textured, gravelly voice. He would sing ballads, scat, and easily charm audiences with his musical talents and bravado.
• Armstrong rose to fame in the 20th century during a period when Black men were not allowed fame in a white-dominated music scene. He also took a well-publicized stand for desegregation in schools.