Make one of your New Year's resolutions running to Studio 54 in New York City to see A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Story on Broadway!
Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin) stars as Louis Armstrong after previously leading the pre-Broadway production of A Wonderful World in New Orleans and Chicago. The Broadway production arrives as a full-scale musical showcasing Armstrong's humble beginnings, and his relationship with the women who helped shape his career, and serves as a touching tribute to the rich culture of New Orleans to Armstrong's journey to finding worldwide fame.
Additional cast members in the show include Darlesia Cearcy as Lucille Wilson, Kim Exum as Alpha Smith, Dionne Figgins as Daisy Parker, Jennie Harney-Fleming as Lil Hardin, Gavin Gregory as King Joe Oliver, Jimmy Smagula as Joe Glaser, and Dewitt Fleming Jr. as Lincoln Perry and the production's tap choreographer.
A Wonderful World is directed by a trio consisting of Christopher Renshaw, James Monroe Iglehart, and Christina Sajous. The show's book is written by Aurin Squire with choreography & musical staging by Rickey Tripp and music direction by Darryl Ivey.
Culturess got the chance to speak with recent additions to the producing team: Tonya Lewis Lee, Dr. Mathew Knowles, and Les Coney. Each comes from a background in working in, supporting, and helming creative endeavors in the film, theatre, and music industries. Read on as we delve into the crucial role of helping grow the audience base of A Wonderful World. From supporting the creative vision to connecting within the community. These behind-the-scenes powerhouses share their insights, challenges, and passion for bringing Louis Armstrong’s story to the stage. We explore their unique perspectives and the legacy they hope the production leaves for one of the greatest musical legends in the world.
Tonya Lewis Lee: We really came on on the tail end of the creative. Vanessa Williams and her producing partner, Liz Curtis, brought us in. I have to give a lot of credit to Vanessa because she's the one who brought on Branford Marsalis to make sure that the music and the orchestrations were really right when it came to the jazz [elements] of the show. It was a really great move on her part. Chris Renshaw, who was the original director of the project, also then brought on James Iglehart, who is our lead, as well as Christina Sajous. The three of them are co-directors of that show. By the time I joined, the show was already in great shape creatively. For me—and Les and Matthew can speak for themselves—it's about elevating the show and letting people know it exists. My role is to ensure that this amazing, beautiful show reaches as many people as possible. I'm incredibly proud of it and it really delivers a lot about our culture.
Dr. Mathew Knowles: My wife and I, Gena, were the very last [to come onto the producing team]. Ironically, Les and I invested in Chicago Sky. Gena and Tonya were besties back in the day in New York City, and Gina worked with Vanessa [Williams] for almost 12 years. There's a deep connection between the three of us. We're here now to look at the business side. That's where most of our focus will be: 'How do we get more people in the theater?' 'How do we spread the word?'.
When I came to the show last week, I didn't know what to expect, but I walked out like most teary-eyed, and I said, 'We have to let everyone know. This is amazing.' I feel very proud. That's the word we all use, proud.
Les Coney: We're not trying to run this show. We're just trying to go from our past experiences in being involved in different things, trying to bring some of that expertise where we can to this production. It's been a wonderful ride so far.
That should be the tagline, 'A Wonderful Ride' because that's how it felt when watching! Being young, going to Broadway, and seeing people who look like me in the audience is honestly rare in some cases. Louis Armstrong feels like a unifier in a way. He's such an iconic figure who has music that transcends generations. How do you all feel you will ensure that this story resonates with a younger, more modern audience? How do you hope the show resonates with people who are familiar with Louis Armstrong, and maybe you're probably discovering him for the first time?
Les Coney: Two of the ways that come to my mind right away is, one, we are ambassadors for the show first. If we do nothing else, we're ambassadors. That means spreading the word. All of us have young adult kids. I'm calling them kids, but they're young adults. Even promoting the production through them is a start. The second way is social media. Obviously, we're living in a time now where social media can make or break something. We're trying to do what we can by working with different influencers and even just personal friends who go to the production, trying to get them to post more about the show so we can hit the younger artists. The last thing I would say is working with different organizations in our community. We're trying to partner with as many, not just organizations that the three of us are aware of, but also organizations that others are familiar with.
Tonya Lewis-Lee: You're right—it’s definitely a challenge these days. There’s so much noise on Broadway, and getting the word out can be frustrating. Being an amazing show isn’t enough anymore; we really have to work hard to get people to come out. I do think Gen Z isn’t necessarily familiar with Louis Armstrong in the way previous generations were. You’re right that he’s a unifier, but it’s especially important to the three of us that Black people, particularly young Black people, have the opportunity to experience this show. We want them to understand that Louis Armstrong’s music comes from a truly African-American experience. It’s foundational—I’d argue it’s the root of almost all modern music in some way.
The dance in the show is phenomenal, spanning styles from African to modern to tap. The performances, the artists on stage—they’re incredible. It’s really about making sure people recognize what this show offers. We’re approaching this from every angle because traditional Broadway audiences aren’t always where we need to focus. We’re learning how to better reach our people, and we take that responsibility seriously. Les has laid out a plan for how we’re doing it, and we’re optimistic about connecting with the right audience. I’m so glad you were able to see the show and be touched by it. I brought my children, who are in their late 20s and early 30s, and they absolutely loved it. We had such a great time, and I’m hopeful that more people will come out and experience it, too.
Dr. Mathew Knowles: I come from academia with 20 years in a classroom. There's a course I teach "African American Aesthetic Culture From Spirituals to Hip Hop". A lot of our young black people don't know the history of music. What happened when the slaves got off of the slave ship? We had sorrow songs that then became gospel, and then blues singer, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and then jazz in New Orleans...Congo Square. This is able to share this amazing history of jazz. When we think of Louis, he's more than that. Most people don't know that he won a Grammy for R&B vocals. Most people don't know that he knocked The Beatles off of the charts with 'Hello Dolly'. It's about education and knowledge and letting our young generation explore and understand really who Louis Armstrong was. I also have to add that there are $25 tickets for students. If you're a student, whether you're in high school, college, or even grad school, as long as you have a student ID, you can get a $25 ticket. We hope people know that!
I was observing the audience as well to see who was coming out. It was great to see people enjoying a show with humor in it, but it's also sad. There's a tragic aspect to it. I left the theater wanting people to see it. I have to ask: What are each of your favorite Louis Armstrong songs? What is a song that will forever be a mainstay on your playlist?
Les Coney: When I attended opening night, my daughter attended with me, and we had a debate about [the songs] "A Wonderful World" and "Hello Dolly". I always thought "Hello Dolly" was the biggest hit that he made, but my daughter thought it was "A Wonderful World", and obviously she's much younger than I am. It turned out that his biggest hit was "A Wonderful World." I like that more so because so many other people have covered that song over the years. I would say that's the one song that stands out to me.
Tonya Lewis Lee: For me, that's a hard one. It's like choosing babies. Who's your favorite baby? In the show, '"A Wonderful World'. Then, I think of "It Don't Mean a Thing" and other Louis Armstrong songs. Once you go down that route, you just want to open it up to everything. I love the album, Porgy and Bess, all of it. The catalog is wide and deep, and it's hard for me to choose.
Dr. Mathew Knowles: Because I am in the music industry, how I listen to a song might be different. The first way I look at it is audience response because, at the end of the day, it's about what the audience enjoys in that experience. To me, the most moving song of the evening I would say, is "A Wonderful World". When we talked about the music part, I immediately thought, 'Wow, wouldn't it be great if we could do a remix of that song?' It was similar to "We Are The World" because we live in a time today when we need to bring people together. Music does that, and that song does that. For me, it's "A Wonderful World" for those for such reasons.
Dr. Matthew Knowles: When I look at the lighting and I look at the staging, the production value, the choreography, which we talked about, but also the wardrobe. The styling that's been done. Simply every aspect of this show deserves a 'hats off' to all the teams. We have a three-time Grammy winner [Branford Marsalis]. We have IMI Award winners. This is an all-star team.
It really did touch me in that way that makes it stand out amongst what we're seeing on Broadway currently.
Tonya Lewis Lee: We are part of the zeitgeist because Louis Armstrong was a radical in his own way. He brought people together, but he also stood up for what he believed in during politically challenging times. It’s important for people to understand that, first, he had to excel at his craft. Then, he had to navigate the business side of things. Finally, when he reached a point where he felt compelled to speak out, he did so—even though he suffered the consequences. As we approach 2025, that’s why I deeply appreciate Matthew highlighting the idea of A Wonderful World. We need that message now more than ever. The play speaks not only to history but also to the world we’re living in today. It’s more than a reflection of the past—it’s a dialogue with the present.
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical is currently running at Studio 54 in New York City. You can buy your tickets now! As mentioned in the article, in-person rush tickets for students are $25 tickets. Digital Rush tickets are available as well!