JAMES MONROE IGLEHART (center) as Louis Armstrong and cast of “A Wonderful World” at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.
The new musical A WONDERFUL WORLD is playing at Broadway at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre. It is about the life and loves of Louis Armstrong. Right off the bat, I have to commend the casting of this show. I don’t know what I expected from James Monroe Iglehart in his portrayal of Louis Armstrong, but he did not disappoint, he took it to a new level. How he went from a smooth speaking and singing voice to the gravel voice we knew Armstrong for and didn’t destroy his voice is amazing.
Women in this show are bar none, hands down fantastic. Khalifa White (Daisy Parker), Jennie Harney-Fleming (Lil Hardin), Brennyn Lark (Alpha Smith), and Ta’Rea Campbell (Lucille Wilson) rocked the house with not only their vocals but their acting skills.
The showstopper is at the end of Act One, when wife No. 1, Daisy Parker, and wife No. 2, Lil Hardin, bring the house down.
I do feel there is a disconnect, not with the performances but with the script. There are too many holes.
During intermission I was speaking with my good friend WVON radio host Rufus Williams about it, and he asked me, “Did you learn anything you didn’t know before?” The answer is yes. I didn’t know that Armstrong was married four times. I didn’t know that his voice was smooth until he worked on a river boat and caught a virus that changed his voice. I didn’t realize that he spent so much time becoming famous in Chicago.
Yet still there was something missing. The story didn’t flow smoothly. Example – One of his most famous songs was “Hello Dolly.” I was looking for an in-depth story of how that came about and what it was like for him being in the film, etc., as well as some of his other songs that we know.
The choreography and cast were great, the set worked well. However, I didn’t leave the theater feeling as if I really knew Louis Armstrong. Was it an entertaining time at the theater? Yes, it was. Is it worth spending the money and seeing it, definitely.
A WONDERFUL WORLD will be at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through October 29. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
I give it 4 out of 5 winks of the EYE!
Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!
