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A Wonderful World

  • Playing at: Cadillac Palace Theatre
  • Dates: October 12 - October 29, 2023
  • Runtime: 2 hours and 40 minutes including intermission

 
A Broadway bound new musical about jazz legend and singular American icon Louis Armstrong, starring Tony Award® winner James Monroe Iglehart. Told from the perspective of the women in Armstrong’s life, A WONDERFUL WORLD charts Armstrong’s journey from the birth of jazz in his native New Orleans through his international stardom, featuring beloved songs recorded and made popular by him, including “When the Saints Go Marching In,” “When You’re Smiling,” “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” and more.

Conceived by Drama Desk Award winner and Tony Award nominee, Christopher Renshaw (Broadway’s The King and I, Taboo), and novelist Andrew Delaplaine and directed by Renshaw, A WONDERFUL WORLD has an original book by Aurin Squire (“This is Us,” “The Good Fight,” “Evil”) and features songs recorded and made popular by Armstrong. Wife and husband team Annastasia Victory (Caroline, or Change, Once on This Island) and Michael O. Mitchell (MJ the Musical, Motown the Musical) provide original compositions, arrangements, orchestrations, music supervision and direction. Choreography is by Rickey Tripp (Associate Choreographer for Broadway’s Once on This Island and Choir Boy). DeWitt Fleming, Jr. (TV: “Boardwalk Empire,” NY City Center Encores!: The Tap Dance Kid) provides Specialty Tap Choreography. Christina Sajous serves as Associate Director, Aurelia Michael as Associate Choreographer and Alysha Morgan as Associate Specialty Tap Choreographer. Scenic and Projection design is by Adam Koch and Steven Royal. Costume design is by four-time Tony Award nominee Toni-Leslie James. Lighting design is by Cory Pattak. Sound design is by Tony Award winner Kai Harada. Hair and Wig design is by Cookie Jordan.

Vanessa Williams, multiple Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nominee, also serves as Producer.

Recommended for ages 13+. Parental discretion advised. The show contains strong language and mature content.
Visit our Accessibility Page for Sign Interpreted, Audio Described, Open Caption, and Sensory Friendly performance dates.
 
TONY AWARD® WINNER JAMES MONROE IGLEHART IS “JUST FABULOUS – A KNOCKOUT LOUIS ARMSTRONG!”
-Chicago Tribune
 
TONY AWARD® WINNER JAMES MONROE IGLEHART GIVES A “PHENOMENAL, DYNAMIC, AND VIVACIOUS LEAD PERFORMANCE AS THE WONDROUS LOUIS ARMSTRONG!”
-Steven Oxman, Chicago Sun-Times
 
“ABSOLUTELY CAPTIVATING!”
-Brian Hieggelke, Newcity
 
“ALL OF THE SONGS YOU WANT TO HEAR ARE HERE! THE DANCE AND TAP CHOREOGRAPHY OF RICKEY TRIPP AND DEWITT FLEMING, JR. WILL HAVE YOU TAPPIN’ IN YOUR SEAT.”
-Paul Lisnek, WGNRadio.com
 
“A WONDERFUL WORLD HAS THE SAINTS MARCHING IN!”
-Ed Tracy, PicksInSix
 
“THIS SPECTACULAR MUSICAL PRODUCTION IS NOTHING SHORT OF A MASTERWORK!”
-Julia W. Rath, Around the Town Chicago

  “THE SHOW IS TRULY A WORK OF ART! A SUMPTUOUSLY PRODUCED AND HIGHLY ENTERTAINING TRIBUTE TO LOUIS ARMSTRONG, THE ICONIC AMERICAN GENIUS OF JAZZ.”
-Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review

 
“PLAYING ARMSTRONG’S FOUR WIVES, KHALIFA WHITE, JENNIE HARNEY-FLEMING, TA’REA CAMPBELL, AND BRENNYN LARK ARE TERRIFIC!”
-Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
 
“ARMSTRONG’S FOUR WIVES ARE BOLDLY PORTRAYED WITH SCORES OF SPIRIT AND SPUNK BY A QUARTET OF THE MOST TALENTED BROADWAY ACTRESSES IMAGINABLE. TOGETHER THEIR VOICES RAISE THE RAFTERS!”
-Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review
 
“IT’S A VISUAL FEAST! DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER RENSHAW AND CHOREOGRAPHER RICKY TRIPP HAVE AMASSED A STELLAR ENSEMBLE WHO MOVE IN AND OUT OF THE BEST OF ARMSTRONG’S MUSICAL LEGACY ON A STUNNING, SCENIC LANDSCAPE WITH EYE-POPPING PERIOD COSTUMES.”
-Ed Tracy, PicksInSix Current Shows
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