'A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical' sets full Broadway cast, creative team

Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart leads the New York-premiere show about and featuring songs by the music legend, opening at Studio 54 this fall.

What a wonderful cast! Complete casting has been set for A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical on Broadway, beginning performances October 16 at Studio 54. Opening night is November 11.

Joining the previously announced James Monroe Iglehart as Louis Armstrong are 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, and Jimmy Smagula as Joe Glaser.

James T. Lane will play Armstrong at certain performances, and Trista Dollison is the standby for the roles of Daisy Parker, Lil Hardin, Alpha Smith, and Lucille Wilson.

The ensemble includes Brandon L. Armstrong, Wesley Barnes, Willie Clyde Beaton II, Ronnie S. Bowman, Jr., Eean S. Cochran, Kate Louissaint, Matt Magnusson, Jodeci Milhouse, Alysha Morgan, Khadijah Rolle, Tally Sessions, Brett Sturgis, Renell Taylor, Meridien Terrell, and Dori Waymer.

A Wonderful World tells the story of Armstrong's life and career as a New Orleans-born jazz trumpeter who would go on to defy genre and racial barriers. The show is set to songs made popular by Armstrong, like “What a Wonderful World” and “When You’re Smiling.”

The show has a book by Aurin Squire and is co-conceived by Andrew Delaplaine and Christopher Renshaw, who also directs. Iglehart and Christina Sajous are co-directors.

A Wonderful World also features choreography by Rickey Tripp; tap choreography by DeWitt Fleming Jr.; scenic and video design by Adam Koch and Stephen Royal; costume design by Toni-Leslie James; lighting design by Cory Pattak; sound design by Kai Harada; 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; and dramaturgy by Faye Price.

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Photo credit: James Monroe Iglehart in A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical. (Photo by Jeremy Daniel)