Broadway was seeing trees of green and red roses, too, as the Studio 54 box office officially opened for upcoming Louis Armstrong jukebox biomusical A Wonderful World September 5. Performances begin October 16.

To celebrate the event, leading man and co-director James Monroe Iglehart led a New Orleans-style parade from Duffy Square all the way up to the theatre, with a brass band (including cast member and tap choreographer DeWitt Fleming, Jr. on drums) and a legion of theatre fans in tow. Attendees received show-branded handkerchiefs and had the opportunity to buy specially priced tickets to the show, including $67 orchestra seats commemorating the 1967 release of "What a Wonderful World" and $31 mezzanine seats in honor of Armstrong's 1931 film debut.

See the festivities in the video above.

As previously reported, the musical's former associate director, Christina Sajous, is co-directing the Broadway run alongside Iglehart. The pair join previously announced director Christopher Renshaw, who helmed the piece's earlier stagings in New Orleans and Chicago, and is overseeing the entire production.

The cast also includes James T. Lane (Chicago, A Chorus Line) playing Armstrong at certain performances; along with Darlesia Cearcy (How to Dance in Ohio) as Lucille Wilson, Dionne Figgins (Memphis) as Daisy Parker, Kim Exum (The Book of Mormon) as Alpha Smith, Jennie Harney-Fleming (The Color Purple) as Lil Hardin, DeWitt Fleming, Jr. as Lincoln Perry, Jason Forbach as Crooner, Gavin Gregory as King Joe Oliver, and Jimmy Smagula as Joe Glaser. The ensemble will feature 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. Trista Dollison will be a standby.

Conceived by Renshaw (The King and I, Taboo) and novelist Andrew Delaplaine, A Wonderful World has an original book by author Aurin Squire (This Is Us) and features songs made popular by Armstrong. The new musical tells the story of jazz legend Louis Armstrong, from his early days in New Orleans through five decades of international stardom, through the eyes of the women in his life.

READ: King Arthur, Louis Armstrong—James Monroe Iglehart Is in His Leading Man Phase

Rickey Tripp will make his Broadway choreography and musical staging debut working on the production, with DeWitt Fleming Jr. making his Broadway debut as tap choreographer. Adam Koch and Steven Royal will make their Broadway debuts providing scenic design, with 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, and prop design by Lilian Sun.

Grammy winner Branford Marsalis will provide orchestrations and arrangements, joining a music department that also includes music supervisor, vocal and incidental arranger, and additional orchestrator Daryl Waters; dance arranger Zane Mark; music director Darryl G. Ivey; and music contractor David Lai.

Lee Soroko will serve as fight director, with Jerome Butler as dialect coach and Faye Price as dramaturg.

RL Campbell will serve as production stage manager, Jen Ash as stage manager, and Alex Luong as assistant stage manager. Casting is by Arc Casting's Duncan Stewart and Patrick Maravilla. Thomas E. Rodgers, Jr., Renee Delaplaine Rodgers, Martian Entertainment (Carl D. White and Gregory Rae) and Vanessa Williams and Liz Curtis, and Remmel T. Dickinson are producing. Irene Gandy is a consulting producer.

A Wonderful World is being presented in association with Roundabout Theatre Company and is included in Roundabout’s subscription packages.

READ: 'The Man Behind the Trumpet': A Wonderful World Aims to Tell Louis Armstrong's Story

Miami New Drama presented the world premiere of A Wonderful World in December 2021 at the Colony Theatre.

Tickets are available at LouisArmstrongMusical.com.

close gallery

0 of

Photos: James Monroe Iglehart and Company of A Wonderful World Open The Box Office

Next Slide  

You may also like

• 
  Photos: Drew Gehling in & Juliet
• 
  Photos: Dear Evan Hansen UK Tour
• 
  20 Creative PLAYBILLDER Covers