A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical - 2024 Broadway History , Info & More
Studio 54 (Broadway)
254 West 54th St. New York, NY
Broadway is seeing trees of green and red roses too. The story of American icon Louis Armstrong is being told onstage in A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical. The production is led by Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart.
Louis Armstrong’s innovative musicianship and incredible charisma as trumpeter and vocalist would lead him from the early days of jazz in his native New Orleans to five decades of international stardom. A Wonderful World tells the story of Armstrong’s blazing musical career from the perspective of his four wives, who each had a unique impact on his life. It features beloved songs he recorded and made popular, including “What a Wonderful World” and “When You’re Smiling,” among many other favorites.
Louis Armstrong (1901–1971), widely known by his nicknames "Satchmo," "Satch," and "Pops," was a legendary American trumpeter and singer. A towering figure in the world of jazz, Armstrong's career stretched over five decades, encompassing multiple pivotal periods in jazz history. He earned numerous honors, including a Grammy Award in 1965 for Hello, Dolly! and a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972. Armstrong’s influence extended beyond jazz, impacting various musical genres and earning him inductions into prestigious institutions such as the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
The musical's premiere was presented by Miami New Drama in 2021 at the Colony Theatre in Miami Beach, Florida. It later played in New Orleans at the Saenger Theatre and in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in 2023.
If you love bio musicals, American history, and jazz music, this is the musical for you.
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical - 2024 - Broadway Cast
PREVIEW A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical - 2024 - Broadway
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FEATURED REVIEWS FOR A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
A Wonderful World Is Also a Familiar One
4 / 10
A lack of clear intention is, itself, perhaps a common bio-musical trope too. Even when shaded with a firmer angle, the overriding message behind most of these productions tends to be, simply, that a great musician was great. Squire, to his credit (it’s easy to blame a book writer for everything in a musical; the flaw here seems deeper), does push toward commentary, but what he comes out with are really four books for four different shows. I’d much rather have this thing cut down to size and watch a show just about Louis’s early days in Chicago and the financial predation of the jazz scene, or one just about him in Hollywood dealing with racist producers. Film biopics often fare better when they narrow their focus: Think of Pablo Larraín carving depths from slivers of a life in Jackie or Spencer. Or, take the model of something like Jelly’s Last Jam and go whole-hog with a concept like putting your lead on trial in the afterlife — that recent Encores! production does, unfortunately for A Wonderful World, hang in comparison to this jazz-icon musical. If we all know the melody these shows always follow, it’s long past time for some variations. But in this case, for an open run on Broadway, we get the whole shebang played as straight as possible. Don’t drop your sheet music. Improvisation is not so welcome here.
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical review
6 / 10
But oddly, the wattage of his wives dims the light on Armstrong himself. James Monroe Iglehart has delightful presence and nails Armstrong’s vocal quality, but he’s too often relegated to narrator, stepping out of the action to tell the audience how he felt, instead of showing us in the scene. Iglehart, Christina Sajous and Christopher Renshaw are all credited as directors of the project and, despite so many perspectives, the musical’s focus seems to be anywhere but on its central character.
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by Bruce Glikas - February 17, 2025
Kamala Harris took in the magic of Broadway over the weekend as she attended A Wonderful World: the Louis Armstrong Musical. See photos from her backstage visit with the cast, including shots with James Monroe Iglehart, Darlesia Cearcy, and more.
by Stephi Wild - February 11, 2025
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical will host talkbacks following two upcoming performances in celebration of Black History Month, in collaboration with Audience Rewards.
by Joey Mervis - February 8, 2025
Worried your lack of tap dancing skills is keeping you from living your best triple-threat life? Get back to the basics and tap your troubles away with DeWitt Fleming, Jr., who not only plays 'Lincoln Perry' in Broadway's A Wonderful World, but is also the show's tap choreographer. Follow DeWitt's five simple steps to better tapping in this video!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - February 4, 2025
See a photo of icon Debbie Allen visiting A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical on Broadway! Learn more about the production and see how to purchase tickets.
by Josh Sharpe - January 29, 2025
James Monroe Iglehart, star and co-director of A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, visited Sherri on Wednesday to perform the iconic Armstrong staple What a Wonderful World. Watch the performance now!
by Joshua Wright - January 25, 2025
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical will play its final performance on Broadway on Sunday, February 23, 2025. At the time of closing, the production will have played 151 performances, including 31 previews.
by A.A. Cristi - January 21, 2025
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical made history yesterday when cast member James T. Lane performed “What a Wonderful World” at halftime at the New York Knicks home game on Monday, January 20 at Madison Square Garden. Check out photos from the event!
by Bruce Glikas - January 15, 2025
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical recently celebrated the life of producer Vanessa Williams' late mother, Helen Williams, with a traditional New Orleans-style Second Line parade. Check out photos here!
by Stephi Wild - January 10, 2025
A Louis Armstrong pop-up exhibit is running in tandem with the Broadway production of A Wonderful World. The exhibit, titled The Wonderful World of Jazz, is now on at Wild Geese Gallery on Manhattan's Upper West Side.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - January 6, 2025
The company of the Broadway musical A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical will lead a special ongoing effort to support those affected by the horrific incident that took place in New Orleans, LA. Learn more.
by Bruce Glikas - December 24, 2024
Mathew Knowles and Carly Rae Jepsen both recently paid a visit to A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical. They both posed with the cast after the show, and BroadwayWorld was there. Check out photos here!
by Stephi Wild - January 7, 2025
Renell Taylor is appearing in A Wonderful World on Broadway. He recently took us backstage to share some of his favorite backstage routines, moments, must-haves and more.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - December 24, 2024
Read BroadwayWorld's interview with Deric Rosenblatt, the vocal coach who has helped James Monroe Iglehart find his voice as Louis Armstrong in A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical on Broadway.
by Stephi Wild - December 6, 2024
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical has added producers Tonya Lewis Lee, Mathew and Gena Avery Knowles, and Les Coney to the producing team.
by Blair Ingenthron - December 1, 2024
Cynthia Erivo, star of the blockbuster film adaptation of Wicked, visited A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical on Broadway at Studio 54 and posed for photos with the company. Check out the photos here!
by Joey Mervis - November 14, 2024
A Wonderful World, the new musical that tells his story, just celebrated its opening night earlier this week and BroadwayWorld was there! Watch in this video as the cast and creative team come out to celebrate the big night.
by Josh Sharpe - November 13, 2024
James Monroe Iglehart, star of A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, visited The View on Wednesday in honor of Whoopi Goldberg's birthday. On the show, he talked about playing the role of the legendary musician before serenading Goldberg. Watch the video now!
by Josh Sharpe - November 12, 2024
Tony-award winner James Monroe Iglehart and current star of A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical will appear on The View on Wednesday, November 13. While on the show, the performer will take part in celebrations for The View host Whoopi Goldberg's birthday.
by Bruce Glikas - November 12, 2024
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical is officially open on Broadway at Studio 54. A Wonderful World stars Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart as Louis Armstrong. See photos of the cast on the red carpet at opening night here!
by Bruce Glikas - November 12, 2024
Check out photos of the cast of A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical taking their opening night bows on Broadway! Learn more about James Monroe Iglehart and the cast and learn how to purchase tickets.
by A.A. Cristi - November 11, 2024
Tony Award-winning actor James Monroe Iglehart steps into the shoes of the one and only Louis Armstrong in the new Broadway musical, A Wonderful World, now playing on Broadway! See what critics thought Broadway's newest biomusical!
by Blair Ingenthron - November 11, 2024
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical has released production video and additional photos of Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart and company. The production opens Monday, November 11 at Studio 54. Check out the photos and video here!
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical History
Other Productions of A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
| 2020 | Regional (US) |
Colony Theatre World Premiere Regional (US) |
| 2024 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical - 2024 Broadway Awards and Nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | James Monroe Iglehart |
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