For those who missed the news, the West Coast premiere of Satchmo at the Waldorf, my first play, takes place on Tuesday at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. (Tuesday’s performance is a preview—Wednesday is the official opening night.)
LA Weekly included Satchmo in its latest list of “19 Best Things to Do in L.A. This Week”:
Actor John Douglas Thompson stars in Satchmo at the Waldorf, a multiple-character solo performance from Long Wharf Theatre and Shakespeare & Company about the legendary Louis Armstrong. Along with playing the trumpet and cornet, Armstrong crooned standards such as “Hello, Dolly!” and “What a Wonderful World,” making him one of America’s most beloved jazz greats. Nicknamed Satchmo (a possible derivative of “satchel mouth”), Armstrong was a character with many stories, as heard in writer Terry Teachout’s play. Directed by Gordon Edelstein, the show focuses on Armstrong’s reflections following one of his final performances in 1971 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
I’ll be doing a post-show talkback at the Wallis on Tuesday night. Performances run through June 7. To order tickets or for more information, go here.
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The trailer for the Wallis’ production of Satchmo at the Waldorf:
The Wall Street Journal interviewed me about Satchmo at the Waldorf in 2012. To watch the video, which also includes footage from the show, go here.