Broadway's Louis Armstrong jukebox biomusical A Wonderful World will launch a special fundraiser to support the victims of the January 1 vehicular attack in New Orleans, Louisiana. Broadway Cares will join the effort, and has pledged an additional $10,000 that will be added to whatever the musical raises itself.

The effort is being made due to the show's connection to New Orleans, where Armstrong was born. Company member Darlesia Cearcy, starring as Armstrong's wife Lucille Wilson, spearheaded the initiative. "A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical sets up one foundational question: why and how did Louis Armstrong invite us into a song so full of hope, love and light about life?," says Cearcy in a statement. "We as a company traverse through his life starting with his birthplace, New Orleans, and his humble, exciting and yet troubled beginnings. This birthplace was and is the place where he initially discovered his love for jazz and, thus, created an empire and status as the King of Jazz.

"We honor that status each day at the top of our show inside the French quarter with a song titled ‘Bourbon Street Parade.’ Here we dance and sing to reignite the days of celebration of New Orleans and his contributions to it as an art form. We transport our audiences from there to his first home base called ‘Jane Alley’ and sometimes ‘James Alley’ before we head to Storyville and onward.

"It is our hope, joy, and responsibility to help, honor, and support our fellow citizens that remind us of our surrogate home base and national neighbor through our leader Louis Armstrong. As one of the women who plays his wife (Lucille) I understand the importance of giving ourselves over to something greater than ourselves as Lucille would have done. We as a company know this truth. In order for us to share our story of A Wonderful World and sing that honestly, we must do our part. Louis found it for us and established the way forward. Our ‘compass’ including the moral one is being made clear.

"No one needs to suffer the way those innocent victims and their families have suffered, so we stand together in solidarity and love to support them. It’s what Louis Armstrong or ‘Pops’ (as they call him in New Orleans) would have wanted. We aim to serve the greater good. A musical can be fruitful inside of communities. I hope we have and will continue to demonstrate healthy, positive efforts for communities such as New Orleans.”

The production is calling for those who can to make donations to the Greater New Orleans Foundation, which provides critical support to communities in need. Donations can be made at GNOF.org.

The musical opened its Broadway premiere at Studio 54 November 11, 2024, after beginning previews October 16. Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart is co-directing (along with Christina Sajous) and starring in the title role, with Christopher Renshaw at the helm. The cast also includes Dionne Figgins as Daisy Parker, Jennie Harney-Fleming as Lil Hardin, Kim Exum as Alpha Smith, and Cearcy as Lucille Wilson.

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

Visit LouisArmstrongMusical.com.