Review: A WONDERFUL WORLD Presented by Broadway In Chicago

World premiere musical A WONDERFUL WORLD has a wonderful lead in James Monrie Iglehart as Louis Armstrong. Iglehart embodies the acclaimed vocalist and trumpeter completely; he nails Armstrong’s signature raspy voice and vocals and larger-than-life presence, but he’s also a master at embodying the role’s emotions. He’s a joy to watch in every moment he’s onstage, even as Aurin Squire’s book charts both Armstrong’s successes and his more human mistakes. In terms of framework, A WONDERFUL WORLD surprisingly reminded me of Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’s SIX. The musical starts and ends with Armstrong’s four wives: Daisy Parker (Khalifa White), Lil Hardin (Jennie Harney Fleming), Alpha Smith (Brennyn Lark), and Lucille Wilson (Ta’rea Campbell). Each of the musical’s four parts is centered around one of Armstrong’s wives. While the musical piqued my interest in Armstrong’s biography as a whole, I think this framework meant the timeline on his route to fame was incredibly condensed. And the musical certainly conveys that Armstrong was quite the philanderer; Squire’s book and Christopher Renshaw’s direction and conception don’t shy away at all from the fact that Armstrong cheated on each of his past wives with the next one. 

Although Armstrong’s wives form the narrative backbone of the musical, A WONDERFUL WORLD still showcases Armstrong’s immense career and musical background. The focus on his romantic relationships, however, means that the musical’s portrayal of his route to success is rather muddied. It’s difficult to piece together some of the biographical details of Armstrong’s career; the origins of his career seem skipped over, while later career moments — such as Armstrong’s foray into Hollywood — seem spoonfed to audiences with detailed voiceovers from his wives. The result is entertaining but sometimes erratic. While the first half of the show is relatively tight, the second half drags on too long — then races to an emotional conclusion at the end of Armstrong’s life. The uneven pacing means that Renshaw and Squire’s decision to focus on the romantic relationships doesn’t necessarily result in theater that feels really personal. I admire the creators’ attempt to do this kind of jukebox musical differently, but I think some of the book needs further work to tighten and to add more stakes to these real relationships. 

That said, A WONDERFUL WORLD does provide an excellent platform for some strong performances, beautiful execution of Rickey Tripp’s choreography, and superb musical arrangements from Michael O. Mitchell and Annastasia Victory. Iglehart easily earns his star title and reminds audiences why he’s a Tony Award winner. He has a masterful take on Armstrong, and I was mesmerized every time he opened his mouth to sing. And particularly when Iglehart portrays Armstrong at the end of his life, he shows real vulnerability and raw emotion. He’s in excellent company with the four women playing his wives. White has dry line deliveries and wry timing as Daisy; she beautifully conveys the character’s “take-no-prisoners” attitude when it comes to her husband. Harney-Fleming is likewise wisecracking and crisp as Lil Hardin, who wants to be Armstrong’s partner in business as well as life. Lark has such a sweet and pure vocal tone as Alpha Smith; her sweet singing voice nicely fits the sweet character. I was floored hearing Lark’s crystalline vocals. As Lucille Wilson, Campbell is magnificent. Armstrong’s final marriage lasted 28 years until his death, and Campbell and Iglehart together play the full arc of the relationship. Campbell easily transforms from the rather optimistic chorus girl who becomes Armstrong’s wife into a woman deeply frustrated by her unfaithful husband several years into their marriage. Campbell also shows that Lucille is not a woman to be messed with, particularly in her interactions with Armstrong’s business manager Joe Glaser (Matt Wolpe), who doesn’t have Armstrong’s best interests at heart. White, Harney-Fleming, Lark, and Campbell also harmonize beautifully together. 

The ensemble’s vocals are impeccable across the board. Obviously the reason to see a show like A WONDERFUL WORLD is to hear Louis Armstrong’s biggest hits performed well. From “It Don’t Mean A Thing It Ain’t Got That Swing” to “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby” and, of course, the title song, is rife with jazz hits. And when Iglehart breaks out into “A Wonderful World” itself at the show’s end, I was emotional; Iglehart really found the right blend between crisp, expert vocals and deep emotion for that song. 

While A WONDERFUL WORLD isn’t breaking new ground with the jukebox musical genre and it could use some tightening, it’s an entertaining musical highlighting the life and loves of Louis Armstrong, and Iglehart in the lead role seals the deal. 

The Broadway In Chicago engagement of the world premiere of A WONDERFUL WORLD runs through October 29 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel

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