Khalifa White

A Wonderful World, A New Musical about the Life and Loves of Louis Armstrong, is now playing in Chicago, through October 29, following a run in New Orleans. The musical is aiming to transfer to Broadway, but no information on that run has been announced.

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.

A Wonderful World, A New Musical about the Life and Loves of Louis Armstrong recently played at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans. See photos from opening night below!

Get a first look at James Monroe Iglehart in A Wonderful World!

Casting announced for Disney's The Lion King at Popejoy. Get all the details on the upcoming production.

Get the latest news on Disney's The Lion King North American Tour as Mukelisiwe Goba makes a triumphant return as 'Rafiki'. Find out all the details and dates for this highly anticipated production.

The 26-member cast of A Wonderful World, A New Musical about the Life and Loves of Louis Armstrong began rehearsals last week in New York City. Check out photos from rehearsal here!

Casting has been announced for the Schenectady engagement of Disney's The Lion King. Schenectady's most eagerly awaited stage production ever will leap onto the MainStage at Proctors from Wednesday, August 2 to Sunday, August 13. The press opening night is Thursday, August 3 at 8 p.m.

Full casting has been announced for A Wonderful World, A New Musical about the Life and Loves of Louis Armstrong, which was previously announced to star James Monroe Iglehart.  The production also welcomes multiple Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nominee Vanessa Williams to the lead producing team.  Find out more about the show, and the cast, here!

What did our critic think of THE LION KING AT THE KENNEDY CENTER at Opera House At The Kennedy Center?

Disney Theatrical Productions, along with the Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Shubert Organization, is celebrating the eagerly-awaited return engagement of Disney's The Lion King for a 4-week summer engagement at the Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus.

Disney's The Lion King returns to Madison for the first time since May 2016 with a three-week return engagement at Overture Center for the Arts beginning Thursday, May 11 and playing through Sunday, May 28.

September 14, 2021, is a day I will never forget.  After an 18-month break due to Covid, Broadway reopened.  Something special happened that morning.  On Good Morning America, there was a special performance from 'The Lion King' that had the cast in places around New York City, awakening the city and Broadway, leading to the cast gathering in Time Square, all during a performance of the opening song 'Circle of Life.' After an eight-year break in Des Moines, you can finally experience the breathtaking opening of 'The Lion King' again during its multi-week run at Des Moines Performing Arts.  Iowa is happy to have the show back again if the audience is any indication.

The American Theatre Guild is thrilled to present the Toledo engagement of Disney’s The Lion King as a part of the 22–23 BROADWAY IN TOLEDO SERIES. Toledo’s most eagerly awaited stage production ever will leap onto the Stranahan Theater stage from Wednesday, April 19 to Sunday, May 7. The press opening night is Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. 

From the moment Rafiki (Gugwana Dlamini) Shaman of the Pride Lands, heralded her recognizably famous opening note, the audience was uproarious.  Even as long as it’s been around, THE LION KING is still a wonder to behold. 

All new production photos have been released for Disney’s The Lion King North American tour, featuring Darian Sanders (Simba) and new cast members Peter Hargrave (Scar), Nick LaMedica (Zazu) and Khalifa White (Nala).

Watch Heather Headley (Broadway’s original Nala and star of Netflix’s Sweet Magnolias) surprise longtime fan Khalifa White (Nala in The Lion King tour) following a performance backstage.

After thirty days, we conclude the Broadway World Cabaret look at artists for whom our team feels thanks. Here they all are, together, with some thanks of our own.

The North American tour of Disney’s THE LION KING, celebrating an epic anniversary, hits the Saenger Theatre starting this week.

Broadway World Cabaret is looking at the work of ten artists we refer to, simply, as THE FUTURE.