Like any other industry, there are titans in music. These unique artists are helping to change the musical landscape across the world. Revered trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong defined jazz for generations. However, many causal listeners are unaware of the aspects of his personal life that shaped the notes and melodies ingrained in American culture. Based on a script by Aurin Squire for a show designed by Christopher Renshaw and Andrew Delaplaine and co-directed by Renshaw, James Monroe-Iglehart and Christina Sajous, “A Wonderful World: The Musical by Louis Armstrong” is a majestic spectacle, paying homage to a towering figure and his distinctive legacy.

“A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical” opens with Armstrong standing center stage, blowing his trumpet. In the lead role of Louis, Tony Award winner Iglehart is mesmerizing, becoming the physical embodiment of the trumpeter, from his deep voice to his sparkling charisma. Acting as narrator of his own story, Armstrong returns to his hometown of New Orleans, where he fell in love with music and women.

Spanning six decades, “A Wonderful World” is an absolute frenzy of dazzling musical numbers, including “Black and Blue” and “Hello Dolly!” Musical director Darryl G. Ivey and choreographer Rickey Tripp use sound and movement and some of Armstrong’s most enduring songs to transport audiences from riverboats along the Mississippi River at the turn of the century to a New York City in rapid transition after World War II and in the civil rights movement. The depth of the production, including Cory Pattak’s lighting and Kai Harada’s sound, along with the exceptionally talented ensemble, create a rich and in-depth experience for viewers.

Although the play is biographical – the audience learns about the Dixieland musician’s introduction to the trumpet and his pension for smoking marijuana – the show also acts as a love story or series of love stories, since Armstrong was married four times. Early in the musical, the audience meets Daisy Parker (an exceptional Dionne Figgins), a sex worker who delights Armstrong with her vicious character and quick wit. Later in Chicago, he meets Lil Hardin (a captivating Jennie Harney-Fleming), an extremely talented performer in her own right who convinces her husband to strike out on his own, away from his jealous, thieving mentor, King Joe Oliver (Gavin Gregory). . ).

As things begin to deteriorate in Chicago, Armstrong leaves Lil behind and heads to Hollywood accompanied by his third wife, Alpha Smith (a thrilling Kim Exum), who gives him a glorious but fleeting sense of freedom. Yet it was Satchmo’s definitive and lasting marriage to Cotton Club legend Lucille Wilson (a sublime Darlesia Cearcy) that helped cement his legacy.

Each musical number is charming, but there are a few that stand out. In Act I, Armstrong and his Riverboat crew add swing and style to “Avalon.” Later, the jazz legend and his band put their spin on “Heebie Jeebies,” and in Act II, Alpha and Armstrong revel in “Big Butter and Egg Man.” Finally, an ensemble performance of “What a Wonderful World” is the perfect endnote to this two hour and thirty minute extravaganza.

While Armstong’s marriages undoubtedly shaped his career, what is less known is the pressure he faced as one of the first black “crossover” artists of the 20th century. Although he made a name for himself in films like “Cabin in the Sky” and “A Man Called Adam,” years of remaining publicly silent amid racial hatred and segregation took a toll on him mentally. and personally. When he finally spoke out about the horrific treatment of the Little Rock Nine in 1957, he was blacklisted from Hollywood for several years. Although these pressure points are highlighted in the play, notably during his meeting with Lincoln “Stepin Fetchit” Perry (Dewitt Fleming Jr.) and following his public statement on the Little Rock crisis, the heaviness of his choices and the grating effects of constant racism. and the microaggressions could have been more centralized here.

Yet the timeliness of “A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical” cannot be underestimated. As much as Armstrong and his music are ingrained in the fabric of American culture, so is the rot of racism and injustice. Pops was accomplished and celebrated during his lifetime, but amid the glorious brass of his instrument, it is disingenuous not to reflect on how far he could have climbed without the perils of hatred and anti-blackness.