The Legacy of Louis Armstrong: A Broadway Journey

Growing up in England during the vibrant 1950s and ’60s, Christopher Renshaw couldn’t escape the influence of Louis Armstrong. “He was an icon for me as a child,” Renshaw reflected. “He was just there — always smiling, always funny.” However, when Renshaw, known for directing acclaimed productions like the 1996 Broadway rendition of The King and I and the groundbreaking musical Taboo, was approached to create a musical about Armstrong, he quickly realized that the legend was far more complex than the jovial entertainer he had admired on television.

Armstrong’s extraordinary journey spans five decades, marked by significant musical innovations and profound social changes. From his revolutionary recordings in the 1920s with his Hot Five band to his rise as a global superstar with iconic hits like “Hello, Dolly!” and “What a Wonderful World” in the 1960s, Armstrong’s life encapsulates the essence of an era. The musical, titled A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, currently in previews at Studio 54, seeks to illuminate this multifaceted narrative. After premiering in 2021 in Miami, the show has also graced stages in New Orleans and Chicago.

The creative team behind the musical is dedicated to portraying not only Armstrong’s groundbreaking contributions as a trumpeter and vocalist but also the personal struggles and societal challenges he faced. “Louis Armstrong was a real Black man,” emphasized James Monroe Iglehart, who portrays Armstrong and serves as one of the directors. He noted the significant ways in which Armstrong’s image was sanitized and stripped of its cultural roots for Hollywood and television audiences. “We worked really hard to show that side of him, the good and the bad,” Iglehart added, underscoring the importance of authenticity in their artistic representation.