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[0:00] James Monroe Iglehart: This is James Monroe Iglehart, and you're listening to Behind The Awards.

[0:04] Eila Mell: Being welcomed into this community has been an absolute dream come true for me. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be on Broadway, and here I am. Unbelievable. Thank you so much.

[0:20] Eila Mell: Hello, and welcome to Behind The Awards. I'm Eila. As always, I'm here with Bruce.

[0:31] Bruce Gotlieb: Hey, Bruce. How are we doing today?

[0:37] Bruce Gotlieb: Good. So, we were just listening to Scarlett Johansson.

[0:41] Eila Mell: Yes, 2010 Tony win, when she did A View From The Bridge.

[0:45] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah. So, who was the lead in that show? Do we know?

[0:50] Eila Mell: Liev Schreiber.

[0:51] Bruce Gotlieb: That's what I thought. So many people have done that role. I saw Tony Danza do a reading of it.

[0:57] Eila Mell: I saw Tony Danza do it.

[0:59] Bruce Gotlieb: Oh, you did?

[1:00] Eila Mell: Yes.

[1:01] Bruce Gotlieb: So, when was that?

[1:02] Eila Mell: Oh, gosh. You know, I don't remember the date, but it was quite a ways back.

[1:07] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. Okay. And Anthony LaPaglia did it?

[1:10] Eila Mell: That's right. And I forget, but many people have done this show.

[1:16] Bruce Gotlieb: And she just was so thankful to be welcomed into the Broadway community, you know, as a film actress.

[1:22] Eila Mell: Yeah. So many people feel that way.

[1:26] Bruce Gotlieb: I know. Light has felt that way. And just so gracious in, you know, like, this is a community that she always looked upon as wanting to be part of and getting the opportunity to be welcomed and received in that manner.

[1:41] Eila Mell: Yeah. Well, she's in New York.

[1:43] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. She's a New York kid. So, of course. I mean, that was her first exposure to, you know, acting, the theater.

[1:50] Eila Mell: I'm sure. You know, besides kids TV.

[1:53] Bruce Gotlieb: Of course. Of course. But when you're there and you're, you know, you remember how it was sitting down in the theater as a kid and watching this being like, oh, my God, these people, they're just, you know, larger than life and different than TV and movie because you could physically, like they're tangible. They're not in your screen.

[2:10] Eila Mell: Right. And it's such a different energy when you're there in the room with it happening.

[2:14] Bruce Gotlieb: Absolutely. I remember as a kid watching the Mr. Magoo Christmas special and what I loved about it so much is that it was sort of like a play.

[2:23] Eila Mell: Right. So that was amazing to me.

[2:26] Bruce Gotlieb: It was the best of both worlds for you.

[2:28] Eila Mell: Absolutely. So we took a little field trip yesterday, in fact.

[2:32] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes, we went to see Left on Tenth.

[2:35] Eila Mell: Yes, starring Peter Gallagher and Julianna Margulies.

[2:38] Bruce Gotlieb: The supporting cast is two actors, Peter Francis James and Kate McCluggage.

[2:44] Eila Mell: They have a lot to do.

[2:45] Bruce Gotlieb: A lot. They have a lot to do. So many wigs.

[2:48] Eila Mell: Her wigs are phenomenal.

[2:50] Bruce Gotlieb: I know. I know. I feel like that must have been the top of the budget was the wigs.

[2:54] Eila Mell: I know. Not even for Julianna Margulies, the star of the show.

[2:58] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. Because she looks pretty much the same throughout.

[3:01] Eila Mell: But Kate McCluggage, my God, she has to have so many different looks. And some of these changes are so fast. You're thinking, how on earth did they do that so quickly?

[3:11] Bruce Gotlieb: She's got to have a whole team backstage working with her.

[3:14] Eila Mell: Got to. Yeah. Because it's just really the snap of a finger and she's back on stage as somebody else.

[3:21] Bruce Gotlieb: I know. So I didn't know much about the show going in. Did you?

[3:24] Eila Mell: No, not really. I did know it was a bit autobiographical, but I didn't know very much about Delia Efron to know what any of that meant, other than we were going to be seeing a little bit of her story.

[3:36] Bruce Gotlieb: Now, so I knew that, too, but I didn't realize that Julianna Margulies was actually playing Delia Efron called Delia.

[3:43] Eila Mell: True. True. I didn't know that either.

[3:46] Bruce Gotlieb: I did. The only thing I knew was Delia wrote it about her life.

[3:50] Eila Mell: Right. Yes. And I didn't even really know. I just knew she wrote it. That's all I knew. I didn't really pay too much attention. And I knew who was in it.

[3:58] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. And so I think most people are familiar with Nora Efron, her sister, but not so much Delia Efron.

[4:04] Eila Mell: Right. Although she's, you know, an award winning writer in her own vein. I mean, in some she did with her sister, but, you know, her career does have a life of its own.

[4:17] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes. Right. Has a pretty honored and storied career as a playwright.

[4:22] Eila Mell: Not a playwright. Well, now a playwright. But a screenwriter.

[4:25] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes. Pretty amazing.

[4:27] Eila Mell: Absolutely. And directed by Susan Stroman and produced by Daryl Roth. So, you know, from top to bottom, you got, you know, a layering of talent and names behind this project.

[4:39] Bruce Gotlieb: So did you like the show?

[4:41] Eila Mell: I did. I enjoyed it.

[4:44] Bruce Gotlieb: It's about a hundred minute. What was it? A hundred and change.

[4:48] Eila Mell: Hundred and ten minutes. Yeah. Intermission, which it seems to be the trend.

[4:53] Bruce Gotlieb: I enjoy it. Getting in. Getting out.

[4:56] Eila Mell: Yeah. Well, it depends.

[4:58] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes. But if it's getting long, I do want to get up and, you know, sometimes you want to mingle at intermission.

[5:04] Eila Mell: I don't mind an intermission. I like both things, to be honest. I thought it was good. I thought that, you know, obviously not knowing what her life was about, you don't know what where it's going, which is good.

[5:14] Bruce Gotlieb: You know, you don't always want to know where where the story is going to go. You want to go on a journey with it.

[5:22] Eila Mell: Yeah. I feel like for this one, if I knew what the story where it was going to take us, I wouldn't have liked it as much. I thought, you know, you go in and it starts and it's one thing and then it takes some turns and it turns out to be something other than what it was set up to be. So I like that very much about it.

[5:41] Bruce Gotlieb: I will say that, you know, all four actors on stage were wonderful. Kate to me was a standout just because she was she had so much to do, but she really every character was different. There was you weren't like, oh, it's the same one. She had such nuance to her work that I loved.

[5:58] Eila Mell: I thought Peter Gallagher was so charming. I mean, and Julianna Margulies had wonderful chemistry together.

[6:04] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, you know that Peter Gallagher has been my go to idol maker. So when I was very little and I happened to see the idol maker. So, you know, I I'm like lifelong team Gallagher.

[6:18] Eila Mell: That's right. That's right. When I like someone, I stick with them.

[6:22] Bruce Gotlieb: That's it. I mean, they appreciate it. I'm sure.

[6:25] Eila Mell: Yeah. This is a one sided relationship.

[6:28] Bruce Gotlieb: Even though we have emailed a couple of times for, you know, for business type thing.

[6:33] Eila Mell: Right. But yeah. But I keep that part to myself.

[6:36] Bruce Gotlieb: It's just for you.

[6:37] Eila Mell: Right. But no, he's wonderful in this. He's really so good. I hadn't seen him in a show for years. So, you know, it was nice to see him in a show and Julianna Margulies I've never seen on stage.

[6:50] Bruce Gotlieb: And she's great.

[6:51] Eila Mell: Yeah. And I'll say, you know, you do get no spoilers, but you get a little bit of Peter Gallagher singing a little, a little tune, just a little, a small, little bit. And there's some dancing on the show, too, you know, it is directed by Susan Stroman, a little soft shoe.

[7:01] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah. So not so bad. Projections are great. The set by Beowulf Bart is wonderful.

[7:15] Eila Mell: The only thing that I didn't love was the pre-show.

[7:18] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes. So you go in and most shows do have a pre-show music or some type of audio to get the audience kind of in the mood for the play.

[7:29] Eila Mell: Yeah. And this one, again, we're not giving anything away because you walk into the theater, you're going to hear it.

[7:35] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes. Verizon holds it. You're waiting for your next caller. You know, you'll be answered in the order you've been received and all of that.

[7:42] Eila Mell: Right. And this goes on for, you know, if you get there early, you're hearing this for 20, 30 minutes.

[7:48] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. Which I understand why once the play starts. But I still it it made me stressed and a little irritated to have to listen to that.

[7:56] Eila Mell: But I guess it did its job then, right?

[7:58] Bruce Gotlieb: It did. But I would have understood where we were going had I not had to endure it.

[8:04] Eila Mell: Understood. But once the play started, I completely forgot about that. It really makes no difference. But, you know, I would have liked to not have to listen to that.

[8:12] Eila Mell: We should also give credit to two other performers on stage. Honey and Charlie are the two dogs that are in the show.

[8:20] Bruce Gotlieb: There are dogs on this show.

[8:22] Eila Mell: I loved it. It was so great. They're so adorable.

[8:26] Bruce Gotlieb: Adorable. And they get curtain calls and they're off.

[8:29] Eila Mell: They do. It was funny because the people behind us, as the bows are going on, I hear somebody go, where are the dogs? And I guess maybe it was audible across the audience because Julianna Margulies held her hand up and went like one minute and then Peter Gallagher ran off, grabbed the dogs and brought them out. I think they didn't want people to leave without the dogs getting their applause.

[8:48] Bruce Gotlieb: I mean, as well, they should.

[8:51] Eila Mell: That's right. So who are we talking to today, Bruce?

[8:55] Bruce Gotlieb: We have James Monroe Iglehart.

[8:57] Eila Mell: How fun is he?

[8:59] Bruce Gotlieb: We had such a blast talking to him.

[9:01] Eila Mell: He's super charismatic and fun.

[9:03] Bruce Gotlieb: He is. Just his voice. My gosh, what a voice.

[9:06] Eila Mell: Very commanding.

[9:07] Bruce Gotlieb: He's done. And as our listeners will hear, he's done a lot of voice work.

[9:11] Eila Mell: So much.

[9:12] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah. But there's a clear reason because he's just got that voice. He could have just had a career as an announcer and he would have been amazing.

[9:19] Eila Mell: Probably. He could have been like one of those, you know, people that people ask, you know, could you do my outgoing on my voicemail or my answering machine?

[9:24] Bruce Gotlieb: He could have been the voice in movie trailers, you know, he's one of those guys.

[9:32] Eila Mell: Absolutely. He could have been the voice of, like, movie phone when that was a thing.

[9:36] Bruce Gotlieb: Oh, do you remember that?

[9:37] Eila Mell: Yeah. Imagine you had to, like, make a phone call to find out the movie.

[9:41] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes. We did, though.

[9:43] Eila Mell: I know. Did you ever call for the time to find out what time it was? Make a phone call?

[9:48] Bruce Gotlieb: No, but I know you could.

[9:51] Eila Mell: Yeah. So if I did, it was just to see if it actually worked.

[9:56] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. I remember doing it if I had like to kill time or something and I just had nothing to do or like if there was a weirdo next to me, I didn't want to talk to me on the subway or something. I would, you know, do that.

[10:10] Eila Mell: But how different times are.

[10:12] Bruce Gotlieb: That's right. That's right. Because I almost never wore a watch in my entire life.

[10:15] Eila Mell: Well, now you don't need to know because your phone has everything you need.

[10:19] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. Watches are obsolete.

[10:21] Eila Mell: All right. Well, let's get James out.

[10:22] Bruce Gotlieb: I think so.

[10:24] Eila Mell: We're going to talk about A Wonderful World. We're going to talk about the Genie. We're going to it's going to be magical. We'll be right back.

[10:30] Bruce Gotlieb: We have to listen to some commercials.

[10:36] Eila Mell: We are so excited to welcome James Monroe Iglehart, Tony winner to Behind The Awards.

[10:42] James Monroe Iglehart: Thank you very much. Glad to be here.

[10:44] Eila Mell: Thank you so much for joining us.

[10:45] James Monroe Iglehart: Oh, yeah, this is awesome.

[10:46] Eila Mell: James, you are a Tony winner for Aladdin.

[10:49] James Monroe Iglehart: Yes.

[10:52] Eila Mell: Yes. We're just talking about that. What a career making occurrence, right? To win a Tony Award.

[10:57] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah. I mean, I will say there's moments where I walk past it. And it's not that I forgot. It's not that I forget I win. But whenever I, you know, every actor comes on, let's just say every person, every person comes home from the job that they love and they go, wow, you know, I wish I was doing this. I wish I was doing that. Oh, my God. You have that moment of FOMO for a little bit.

[11:17] Eila Mell: Right.

[11:18] James Monroe Iglehart: Then I walk past my Tony and I go, OK, shut up. Yeah, right. You know, it's really be quiet. It can't get better. It's like if they're like, what's the top thing you could do on Broadway? Oh, yeah. I wouldn't want to do it. I do that. I really shouldn't complain about anything, you know, ever.

[11:31] Eila Mell: And I remember when we spoke for the book, just how much joy you had. And just, you know, your story was great. And even if anyone goes back and watches your speech, you're just so joyous. And it's lovely.

[11:44] James Monroe Iglehart: Well, I really enjoy I really enjoy having a good time. It's one of those things where I try to see the silver lining or try to see the rainbow of every situation, even the darkest situation. There's some there's some light. It's not always dark. So I, you know, I try my best to live my life by that kind of creed or just, you know, find the happy place, you know, find that joy that you made. I should say you may not always be happy, but there's always should be a little kernel of joy inside you that keeps you going. If not, why do this?

[12:10] James Monroe Iglehart: There's so many people telling you no all the time. Yeah, so if you can't find some joy in why you're doing this business, right?

[12:16] Eila Mell: Yeah, no, I totally agree. And so, I mean, speaking of joy, you're playing, you know, the role that we were talking about, the Genie. I mean, is there much, is there any more joy than playing the Genie?

[12:28] James Monroe Iglehart: With the exception, I always tell people, you know, when I won the Tony and when I got cast as the Genie, oh, I didn't think there was a, you know, there were only two things that were more important and that was like the kids in my life and my wife. Everything else, I was like, wow, this is cool. And I think what made the Genie so much fun is that I've been a Disney kid since I was, you know, a child, which is redundant. I was a Disney person since I was a child. And the Genie has always been one of my favorite characters of all time. You know, I've told the story many times of how I got the part or, you know, when I was 17, my mama took me to see the movie and to get to do the Genie in a Disney Broadway show and then to be acknowledged, you know, by the American Theater Wing and also by the Tony Awards was just, because there's one thing to be like when you're in rehearsal, somebody goes, oh, you're going to the Tony for this and you're like, yeah, right, right. It doesn't seem real at that point.

[13:22] Eila Mell: No, and also at that point, at that time, you know, the big Disney show was Lion King. And, you know, they were like, well, you know, I did get some other shows which did well, but nothing that had reached that height of the show. And to look back and, you know, 10 years ago, we opened. Ten years, ten years ago we opened. So amazing for any show to run longer than three is a blessing, even a year is a great.

[13:45] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah, I mean, but to be running for a decade. And, you know, I went back to see it, you know, and the jokes that I wrote are still there and still making people laugh. Oh, wow. I am funny.

[13:56] Eila Mell: I hope you're getting that royalty.

[13:59] James Monroe Iglehart: That's right. Not at all. This is, unfortunately, when you write something on Broadway, you're kind of like, unless you're the writer, you're like, well, it's in there.

[14:07] Eila Mell: Yeah, right.

[14:07] James Monroe Iglehart: But what impressed me so much is that the reaction of, you said, kids of all different sizes and colors and they felt seen.

[14:15] James Monroe Iglehart: To this day, what's really funny, here's the funny part. Michael James Scott is the Genie right now. Yes. But there are two young men, Caleb and Marcus. Marcus saw my Tony Award winning speech when he was in high school and he said that from then on he knew what he wanted to do and he made this year, he made this guy's scheduled plan like five year, you know, five-year plan and like what he was gonna do after college and it was to play the Genie. His teachers had kept telling him, at least this theory he's told me, but like, well, you know, you're a musical theater, but you're probably gonna have to lose a little weight. You're gonna have to be a tenor. There's not really, you know, you have to kind of change yourself.

And then I came along and the Genie came along, I should say, and he and his teacher was like, oh, maybe we don't, maybe you can play that, you know. So to know, and Caleb said the same thing. Caleb said, I saw you on the Tonys and I was like, wow, this is really cool, sort of following your career. The two guys who are the standbys for Michael James Scott are people who saw the Tony Awards and are now the Genies.

[15:15] Eila Mell: Wow.

[15:15] James Monroe Iglehart: Marcus Martin was the Genie on this last tour, like he was the main guy for the whole, you know, two years and now he's on Broadway. Wow. So to look back and see this legacy and for them to, you know, acknowledge me, I always tell them that, you know, I didn't do anything and they're like, no, thank you for what I said. Look, guys, all I did was do my job and if I inspired you, I'm so happy, but you guys are doing it because they're so good and they're so different from me, but they're so good. They're funny. I mean, I look at them and I go, wow, did I ever do that? Was I ever? So to watch them do it and to know that they keep telling, they call me the OG, like when I come into the building, like OG is there, you know, original Genie, which is really cool.

[15:59] Eila Mell: So the fact that, you know, just to hear it and to see kids that are in the new show I'm in and they come back and go, oh my gosh, our first show was Eliza and I'm like, some of my colleagues, they go, oh my God, they remind me of my first show and I'm like, nah, I think that's pretty cool. I think it's really cool that, you know, because I remember when I saw the shows. I remember when I first saw Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime and I flipped out. Yeah, when I saw Chuck Cooper on the Tonys for the life, I flipped out or when I first met Norm Lewis. To be in the, to know those guys, to be colleagues with those guys and then to have other young guys do that to me, I go, okay, this is exactly how I'm supposed to be. Be nice, bring them up, to give them the confident word and say, this is your land now. Go ahead, make it work for yourself. I think it's really, really fun. So this has been one of the best experiences ever because of that.

[16:46] Eila Mell: I mean, that's so special. I know it's not lost on you that it's just such a privilege to even have the job in the first place.

[16:52] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah, to be able to do that is just amazing. So many people want to be on Broadway, you know, and I remember being in the Bay Area, you know, and some of my friends who are very talented people, very talented people flying out to New York, you know, because they could sing and they could dance and come to New York and realizing this place is hard.

[17:10] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[17:10] James Monroe Iglehart: You know, I think one of the fun parts is, you know, every New Year's Eve they play Frank Sinatra and they play New York, New York and the famous line, if I can make it there, I can make it anywhere. It has nothing to do with your talent, right? It all has to do with your spirit and your tenacity and can you stand, and like your new addition says, can you stand the rain, right? Because this place is hard. You know, it's expensive, it's big, it's loud. You know, unless you have a family base here, you ain't got nobody but your friends, right? They're also broke like you, right? So you're really like, it's not about the performing, the performing you, right? It's about the other side and can you do it now?

[17:46] Eila Mell: So the fact that I get to, I came out here and I got to do it and I've been successful and that also, you know, not without hard work, trust me, but that I've been successful and the fact that I was able to be a part of a show that was so, there was so, it's been iconic honestly. And the fact that I was able to win a Tony, that's just icing on an amazing cake. So I feel blessed every day to be honest.

[18:08] Eila Mell: So you go from playing an iconic character to now, you know, being, stepping in the shoes of an iconic, I guess also character, but an iconic person.

[18:21] James Monroe Iglehart: Person, yeah, you know, so how does that, is it a different mindset of?

[18:24] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah, and a little bit, a little bit. It's a different mindset. I think what's really funny is it also goes back to, you know, studying. It was just crazy because I was a terrible student, but you're like studying the comic timing of like my favorite comedians helped me with, you know, Genie. But then also, you know, watching the Disney movie, so many and knowing the beats of what it is and then watching and having to create our own beats, but just knowing where all the tent poles lie. I knew where I could go and what I could and could not do. But then with this one, to step into the shoes of someone who actually existed, you know, is something different. And when I say study, I mean I read all the books, I've seen so many interviews, I've listened to all of the interviews that I possibly can get my hands on, try to talk to people that, you know, know about the man or whatever.

I mean, I had this fantastic 45-minute conversation with Wynton Marsalis one time. He was talking about jazz and the history of jazz and the history of Pops, and all that. Pops is another nickname for Louis Armstrong, by the way. And so all these different things and so learning about this man, then going through it, it's been crazy. But also like trying to get the voice right, trying to get the inflections right, where he holds his trumpet, where he holds his handkerchief, when we know what time is he like when he's on and what does he sound like and what does he sound like when he's off? You know, it's all these little nuances, but I will say it's been so much fun doing this. It is the most tiring character I've ever played and I thought I would never say that after playing Genie. Boy, I could sleep for days. But with this one, it's a whole different day, you know?

[19:56] Eila Mell: Well, there's so many expectations because people know him.

[19:58] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah, that's another thing, you know. I will say it seems interesting that three of the parts I've played were either created by people, two of the parts were created by people who are so iconic and then one is the actual person. So to step into the shoes of Genie, knowing that people were going to be like, what's he gonna do? Are there, you know, opposed to Robin Williams, right? They're going to Hamilton and know my homeboy, you know, my dear friend Daveed Diggs, Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs already played this role, you know, Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, me to step into that and now I'm doing this. I just, what is wrong with me? I keep stepping in roles with you.

[20:31] Eila Mell: Like I really need to find something easy I can just make up but no one's done yet.

[20:34] James Monroe Iglehart: One of these days I'll do that. You apparently like a challenge.

[20:37] Eila Mell: So obviously, I am like, oh, I need something to keep me up at night, you know?

[20:41] Eila Mell: All right, but I have questions because what is going on there, James? First you were, I'm gonna say just a cast member, but I don't mean just a cast member, but now you're one of the directors. So you and Christina...

[20:53] James Monroe Iglehart: ...Saju helped me with the last name said you.

[20:59] Eila Mell: Okay, so how did that come about?

[21:05] James Monroe Iglehart: Actually, when we were out of town, Christina Saju was the associate and was helping Chris Renshaw out. And, you know, I have a lot of opinions and we were discussing the show and like when we were doing, I did a lot of research on the show and like, so when certain things would happen, I would talk to Chris about it off stage. And I even told them like, you know, like at lunch and dinner or stuff, I was like, you know, I'm really interested in directing. It's really fun and we would talk about it. And then once we got out of town, we were really working on some scenes. There were moments where we were having some issues and like I would throw like some opinions in and the producer saw that and they were like, hey, you know, you ever considered, you know, directing?

And I was like, every day. That's what I got my degree in, so I would love to. And then we were looking at, you know, the Broadway thing and how it was going to happen and through a conversation, they were saying, hey, you know, we love your ideas. You seem to have some really good ones. How would you feel about, you know, being on the creative team? And I was like, yeah, that'd be great. And let's talk to Christina as well because she's been there from the whole time. You know, Christina was there when they were in Miami when she, they did it first and then COVID hit and when they did it again, Christina took over in the role of Daisy. And so then when they did it again, you know, when they were bringing it back, she had a lot of opinions as well as an actress and so they made her the associate.

And so when we got together, I said like, let's just be co-directors with Chris. Chris will be, you know, the buck will stop with him, but the two of us will be co-directors and help him create the show and that's how it came about.

[22:28] Eila Mell: That's so great.

[22:29] James Monroe Iglehart: It's a unique experience, but it's great that, you know, you have that one person because he gets to see the show. You don't get to see it.

[22:36] James Monroe Iglehart: No, yeah, the fun part is, I, we did find an interesting way to see the show. So I have an alternate. I won't be doing all eight shows. I'll be doing six shows a week. That's just because, James, only because usually I would do eight shows a week just because I know that that's the gig. That's what I trained for, right? But vocally with this voice, I found that out of town, I was like, ah, I won't be able to speak at all.

[23:00] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[23:00] James Monroe Iglehart: On my days off if I do that, so I asked for two where they were gracious to grant me it and so James Chile will take over so I can rest and then he can rest for the week and then we come against, we go back and forth. But when he's on, at least in rehearsals, I get to watch and I never give notes to the actors just because, you know, actors don't give each other notes. But there's what we do is we work as a team. And so I'm writing notes down and doing things and like, you know, giving them ideas to do this and then they get up and do it, you know, things like that. So we kind of work as this also really awesome cohesive unit of like one hive mind putting the show together. And so I get to see it when James is on like, oh, I see now, I see why that doesn't work or that does work.

Oh, and then he'll do something, oh, I should go over there because that picture worked better than what I was doing. And so we'll put it together. So it's been a really, really fun. I mean, we just had a massive rewrite. This is a massive rewrite just 24 hours ago that we got today. So yeah, we were watching the show. We were like, huh? This whole section does not work. And because it's a brand new show, that's a crazy. I remember being with mentors when we were doing the show. We're like, yeah, the show is great. Our director was like, yeah, that whole section has to go. We're like, what?

[24:02] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah, it has to go. Right, and then when he showed us the new version, we were like, oh, that made sense. Well, you don't know until you see it, you can't tell. Yeah, and we just, we literally just put the new stuff in today and we were like, yep, that's what it needed. That's exactly what it needed to kickstart everything. We're like, okay. All right, we mourn.

[24:20] James Monroe Iglehart: We mourned our scene that we thought was so great and so wonderful and so wordy and clever. And then we went to the other one, we were like, yeah, this is better. Oh, that's great. I'm so excited to see it. I love that you have four strong females in the cast. Oh my gosh, yes. These ladies are incredible, incredible ladies, you know. I mean, you know, between Dionne and Kim and Darleesia and of course, Jenny, they are powerhouses in their own right. And the funny thing is, each of them have been in shows that we all love and know. And the fact that they actually, you know, get this turn for them to shine, you know, not behind someone or around someone like they get to originate this. That's what makes it so cool.

And these ladies are they're giving it you are not ready for what these four ladies are doing. They are so good in each of these roles, and they sing their face off. And it's so much fun. It's also funny because, you know, anytime a conversation comes up in the new season starts, it's always lead actor, lead actress. And Isla and I were talking the other day, and I was like, the thing is that you look at the supporting category and James's show has four people that easily could be nominated for an award and, you know, fight each other for it. Like when you see it, it's yeah. What about the rest of them? Yeah, it's kind of things we don't think about, you know, let's not talk about it. Well, yeah, you can't you can't go in thinking about awards, but it's nice.

We don't, but I will say they, the ladies are the ladies are giving it. And they are they're also just as studious as I am. Each one of them has like, like a little Jenny has little heart is the book about little heart and then trying to stuff. And the funny part is trying to stuff trying to find information about these ladies. Right? Quite interesting. There's so much information on Lucille. And you can if you really dig, you can find stuff about, you know, little heart and, but to find things about alpha or daisy is really hard. So we had to really do some digging. And then the ladies had to do some serious soul searching as performers to find these characters. And they have found something incredible and amazing and so much fun. They're also different, but they're also solid and real people that I can't wait for the audience to see them.

[26:28] Eila Mell: So I just want to point out for listeners who might not realize that these ladies are playing his ex-wives.

[26:34] James Monroe Iglehart: Yes, Louis Armstrong was married four times. He got married when he was 18. He got married, I think when he was there in the early 20s. And then he got married in his 30s. And then he got married in his 40s. And then he got married, you know, in the late 40s and stuff like that. It's fun to keep getting married. Why not? He figured out on the fourth one on the fourth one, he figured it out. He got it right. So Bruce and I went to see how to dance in Ohio. And all we could talk about was Darlesia how amazing she was in that. We wish that she had more to do. And now here she is. So she is doing it all. I don't want to give it away. But she's a triple threat in this show. And I met Darlesia back in 2009. We did the whiz together at the Encores. All right, I knew how I knew how amazing her voice was then. But when people see her as Lucille Armstrong, they're going to be so blown away. And I saw Jenny play Eliza in Hamilton.

[27:30] Eila Mell: Yes. And you know, I've known Jenny since we started. I met her when I was doing Hamilton. That's when I met her. And I met her husband before and didn't realize it. I met DeWitt Fleming Jr. who's playing in our show as well. He plays Lincoln Perry, aka step and fetch it. And he's also the tap choreographer of our show. So we have we have a lot of, you know, a lot of folks who are doing pull the double. Let's take a minute to hear a word from our sponsors.

[27:54] Eila Mell: So I know what everyone knows about Louis Armstrong. So what can you tell me that I don't know that we're going to see in the show?

[28:06] James Monroe Iglehart: You know, what you're going to see is you're going to see a little more real more realism from him. I think at the time, you know, Hollywood in the 20s and 30s and, you know, between the 20s and 50s was very just on the surface is very glossy. Everything was happy. They had the happiest lives and they must be perfect. Everybody in America wanted to be like those people in Hollywood because their lives were perfect. Their lives was so not perfect. Oh my God. Their lives may be a bit more raggedy than some of the people we have now. And it's terrible now. So, you know, so I think what you're going to see is you're going to see a guy who is you're going to see a man who's extremely talented, extremely talented, but also, you know, he's a man of his time and he's he's got he's got flaws, big flaws, and he has to learn through them.

And, you know, and the funny thing is, we get to show it within a certain amount of time. But, you know, it's hard when times change. I mean, we are our people. Now we flip out when a new phone style comes out, a new computer comes out or when, you know, when we went from those of us who are a certain age went from AOL to the Internet to now we have A.I. and we're looking at A.I. like, oh my God. Just imagine back then when that man was born, Jim Crow was still around. Wow. And women had no rights. So he had to go from that all the way to, you know, here we are, you know, in the 70s where, you know, there are women are burning bras and voting and black people voted. He lived through that. He lived to four amazing, crazy decades.

So I think what you're going to see is you're going to see the evolution of a man who went through a time where when times change, they really changed and how he how he had to, you know, navigate through that. So you're going to see a lot more. You're going to see behind the smile is the best way to say it.

[30:00] Eila Mell: Oh, I love that. That's a great description. Does this show span his entire lifetime or is it a period?

[30:06] James Monroe Iglehart: No, it's it's it's it's from, you know, we kind of we don't go from birth, but we definitely go from like his his his teens to to when he passes.

[30:15] Eila Mell: So do you play him as a teen or is there another actor who's doing?

[30:17] James Monroe Iglehart: Oh, well, we did this. That was a big argument. But this is me. We kind of we kind of find this this amazing fanciful way to, you know, allow us to be younger without us being younger. We found a cool, you know, way of what, you know, people know how old we all are. But in the story, we're telling you're going to see the youthfulness of him and then you're going to watch him grow.

[30:40] Eila Mell: Well, that's exciting. Don't tell us any more because we need some surprise.

[30:44] James Monroe Iglehart: Yes. So trust me, you know, so you'll get some great surprise. We have some of his iconic music, some music you don't know. Yeah. And Ricky Tripp, who is a wonderful friend of mine, I've known since the Bay Area is our choreographer, and he has got some incredible numbers that you get to see that even I get to sit back and just go. I the first time I saw this one number that last week, I started crying because I was like, that's my friend. That's my friend who I we did ragtime together at a not even a regional. It was a regional theater, but it was like a community theater with money. Oh, well, we didn't call it a regional theater. It was a community theater with a lot of money. And we did ragtime there. And we were like, look, we're on Broadway now, dude. We're on Broadway. We're co-directing and starring in your choreography. What how did we get here? It's pretty amazing when you have those moments where, you know, you can take it in.

[31:30] Eila Mell: I'll tell you, you guys are definitely building excitement. I mean, the whole viral video when you guys opened up the box office of marching down the street, the band behind you and everything, if that doesn't get people excited for the show, I mean, we just want to bring, you know, there's a certain vibe that Louis Louis Louis, or he goes by both, by the way, that Louis has and his music has. And there's also this New Orleans vibe that just brought wherever he was. You know, it's almost like the thing is, you can't take you could take the brother out the hood, but you can't get the hood out the brother. So you could take him out of New Orleans, but you couldn't take that New Orleans. You couldn't take that out of him. And he brought that wherever he went. And we wanted to bring that same vibe to New York. We were like, look, also, he was, you know, he lived in New York. He lived in Corona, Queens for many, many years with his wife. I had no idea.

[32:17] James Monroe Iglehart: Oh, yeah. Their house is still there. And it's a museum.

[32:21] Eila Mell: Oh, wow. Louis Armstrong Museum.

[32:24] James Monroe Iglehart: And it's fantastic. And if you want to, you know, learn about the man, it's just he is so his history so vast. And so there's so much New York in him as well. We wanted to bring all that to and we were like, how can we do that? We said, well, let's do a New Orleans second line down the street all the way down to the box office. And people actually followed us. I mean, the video was amazing. If I if you just see like this trail of people, you know, and it doesn't want to join.

[32:44] Eila Mell: Yeah, well, that's that's the whole thing. You know, with with the second line, people can join in. They can walk in and we always wanted we were a little fearful. Like when we did what we did in New Orleans, we were like, well, people know what this is. So they'll join. But in New York, will they join? We saw people on their cell phones just just start following us. We were like, yes, it worked. I think we should start a line to the first preview and just I'm pretty sure I'm pretty sure that they would do that. When do you preview start? When can people preview October 16th? Okay, so we got a little bit of time, not much.

[33:14] James Monroe Iglehart: No. And then we open officially November 11th.

[33:17] Eila Mell: Oh my gosh, it's so exciting.

[33:20] James Monroe Iglehart: Yes. What's been the most fun part so far?

[33:22] James Monroe Iglehart: Actually, you building building it, you know, I have always loved musicals since I was a little kid, since I, you know, saw my first one. And I when I think about it, I'm pretty sure my first two like real musicals were The Wiz. And then my parents taking me to see Jungle Book at the drive in Disney's Jungle Book. And I have been obsessed with, you know, that style of, you know, entertainment, you know, that musical theater aspect of it. I used to my pops told me that he my father told me he was in Guys and Dolls in high school. And so I saw the movie and I just watching Frank Sinatra sing, you know, Adelaide or watching Stebby K sing sit on your rock and the boat. I just I loved it. I love the music, man.

I love Phantom. I love musical theater. And so I was fascinated with how to put it together. And so every show I'm in, I'm always like, you know, next to director bugging them about how do you do that? Now that we get to actually build the show, I am in I love being in it. But there's something about building and like seeing the one when you're at the meetings and talking with the writers and talking with the choreographers and talking with the music team, and then you talk about it. And then all of a sudden, even the next day, it's there. And you see it. And you're like, Oh, that's so cool. That is so cool. That's, that's been the most fun part about this whole thing. But I will say, there is something emotional for me to step into these shoes every day.

And know that I get to stand on the shoulder of this great man, like he went through things and broke down barriers, so that I could be in a show like this, and not have any fear of what I'm doing. No fear like on your yeah, seriously. So I mean, it's one of those things was like, that's not lost on me. Yeah, of whatever, what an amazing gift he's given a lot of us. And so to be able to do this, I wanted to honor him in the best way I possibly could.

[35:09] Eila Mell: Was he someone that you admired growing up?

[35:11] James Monroe Iglehart: No, no, no, no, no. The funny thing is, you know, I was, I was the 80s kid. So what I knew of Louis Armstrong was, you know, I knew he did What a Wonderful World, right? As I got older, I thought he did Hello, Dolly, you know, I got the high school, and finally he did Hello, Dolly. Yeah, and I knew, I knew the voice, because we all knew the voice. You know, oh, you hear the voice. Oh, that's that's Louis Armstrong. He played the trumpet, whatever, you know, but then it was during the pandemic. It was like what everybody else was doing, trying to find something to watch something to binge. And I had always wanted to see Ken Burns jazz, right? And but you know, who has time to sit down and watch PBS for seven days?

Yeah, I just I just don't. I mean, I can watch it like a baby day or two and three days. I'm not making right. So my wife and I, we binged it and the first three episodes were about Louis Armstrong. And I was like, why isn't that a musical about this man? And so I started trying to find every lick of things about Louis. And I remember, this is how bad it was. The first after the first episode we watched, then my wife and I went to bed. I got up the next morning. And she was she was still sleeping. I went to the bathroom and I started trying to do the voice. Maybe I could talk like I was sort of rewinding. It was like, you know, and you're like, just trying to see if I could. And what are you doing? Nothing. She was like, you think about Louis Armstrong was like, kind of.

[36:29] James Monroe Iglehart: You know, I think the biggest thing for me is just the joy of being able to tell stories through music and through performance. I mean, that's what drew me to theater in the first place. When I was a kid, I would watch these incredible performances and just dream of being on stage myself.

[36:59] James Monroe Iglehart: And now, being able to step into the shoes of someone like Louis Armstrong, who was such a monumental figure in music and culture, it’s an honor. I mean, the man changed the game, you know? His music transcended boundaries and brought people together, and I hope to do that with my performance as well.

[37:29] James Monroe Iglehart: Co-directing "A Wonderful World" has been a fantastic experience too. It’s a different perspective, but it allows me to contribute to the storytelling in a way that I haven’t before. I get to shape the vision alongside my fellow creatives, and that’s incredibly fulfilling.

[37:59] James Monroe Iglehart: I remember when I first originated the role of the Genie in "Aladdin." It was such a transformative experience for me. The energy of the audience, the laughter, the joy—it was something I had never felt before. It’s like you’re riding this wave of excitement, and you just want to keep going.

[38:29] James Monroe Iglehart: Being part of shows like "Memphis" and "Hamilton" has also been a huge part of my journey. Each role has taught me something new about myself and about the craft. I think that’s what keeps me motivated—always learning, always growing.

[38:59] James Monroe Iglehart: And let’s not forget about voice acting! It’s such a different skill set, but it’s so much fun. I love being able to create characters and bring them to life in a completely different way. It’s like being a kid again, just playing and using your imagination.

[39:29] James Monroe Iglehart: I mean, getting to work on projects like "As The Curtain Rises" and being part of the "Helluva Boss" and "Hazbin Hotel" series has been a blast. It’s amazing how versatile this industry can be, and I’m grateful for every opportunity that comes my way.

[39:59] James Monroe Iglehart: I think what’s most important is to stay true to yourself and your passion. The industry can be tough, but if you keep that love for storytelling at the forefront, it makes everything worthwhile.

[40:29] James Monroe Iglehart: And speaking of storytelling, I have to mention Scarlett Johansson’s Tony win for "A View from the Bridge." That was such a powerful performance. It’s moments like those that remind me of the impact theater can have on people’s lives.

[40:59] James Monroe Iglehart: I also want to give a shout-out to Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher in "Left on Tenth." Their performances were just stunning. It’s so inspiring to see such talent on stage, and it pushes me to elevate my own work.

[41:29] James Monroe Iglehart: Winning the Tony Award for my performance as the Genie was a surreal moment. It’s something I had dreamed about for so long, and to have that recognition was just incredible. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication that goes into this craft.

[41:59] James Monroe Iglehart: When I took on the roles of Lafayette and Jefferson in "Hamilton," it was a whole new challenge. The music, the choreography, the storytelling—it was all so dynamic. I loved every minute of it, and it really pushed me as a performer.

[42:29] James Monroe Iglehart: And now, stepping into the role of King Arthur in the "Spamalot" revival has been such a joy. It’s a completely different character, and I’m having a blast exploring that side of my artistry.

[42:59] James Monroe Iglehart: I think the key is to embrace every opportunity that comes your way. Whether it’s a lead role or a voice acting gig, each experience adds to your journey and shapes who you are as an artist.

[43:29] James Monroe Iglehart: I’m just grateful to be a part of this incredible community. The support from fellow artists and audiences alike is what makes this all worthwhile.

[43:59] James Monroe Iglehart: So, to anyone out there pursuing their dreams, just keep pushing forward. The journey may be tough, but the rewards are so worth it.

[44:29] James Monroe Iglehart: And remember, it’s all about the stories we tell and the connections we make along the way. That’s what truly matters in this industry.

[44:59] James Monroe Iglehart: I’m excited for what’s next and can’t wait to see where this journey takes me. Thank you for having me on the show and allowing me to share my story!

[45:29] James Monroe Iglehart: It’s been a pleasure chatting with you both. I hope everyone tunes in to "A Wonderful World" and experiences the magic for themselves.

[45:59] James Monroe Iglehart: Let’s keep celebrating the arts and the incredible talent that exists in this world.

[46:29] James Monroe Iglehart: Thank you again for this opportunity. I appreciate it more than you know!

[46:59] James Monroe Iglehart: And to all the listeners out there, keep dreaming big and never stop believing in yourself.

[47:29] James Monroe Iglehart: Until next time, take care and keep shining!

[47:59] James Monroe Iglehart: I look forward to what the future holds.

[48:29] James Monroe Iglehart: Thanks for listening, everyone!

[48:31] James Monroe Iglehart: Bye for now!

[48:35] James Monroe Iglehart: See you soon!

[49:09] James Monroe Iglehart: For those people who don't know who Bill Farmer is, Bill Farmer has been the voice of Goofy for the past 30 years. And if there is another character I love as much or maybe more than Genie, it's Goofy. So to get to be sitting right where I am now on a Zoom recording with him on the other side, and I see him, and I had to stop from tearing up because I've been watching this man since he took over as Goofy, since after Nikki's Christmas Carol he took over for Goofy, I got to talk to Goofy. That's the crazy part. My voice is going back and forth with Goofy and I'm like, this is absolutely ridiculous. Also, I got to do, for those people, it's already passed, but I mean, it's on Disney Plus, but I got to do Rapunzel's Tangled Adventures and they created a character.

They brought the whole original team back of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi and then created the character for me named Lance Strongbow. And I remember being in high school and watching, actually junior high, and watching Little Shop of Horrors for the first time and thinking, wow, how cool is that? Then seeing Little Mermaid and then seeing Aladdin going, wouldn't it be cool if Alan Menken wrote a song for you? I got to sing two original songs by Alan Menken, one duet with Zachary Levi and one solo for me and nothing like, I'm at a movie premiere, movie premiere. And Alan is there and he goes, oh my god, James, I wrote a song for you. You got to hear it. So he stops me in the movie premiere. We're at the after party.

He takes out his AirPods and he goes, put them in here, put them in here. I wipe them off, put them here. And he plays a song for me. I wrote the song for you. And I am just like, what world am I living in? Alan Menken is so excited to find me. I wrote this song for you for the show. It's going to be great. And sure enough, we sang the song. Whenever my kids watch, I'm like, I can't believe I got to do that. I'm an animation fan to my soul. I grew up on cartoons from Hanna-Barbera to Disney to Warner Brothers to, I can't think of the name that did Casper the Friendly Ghost, but that group, just, I mean, if it was cartoons, I was watching it. Paramount with Popeye, everything. And so to get to do voiceovers is like my other favorite thing to do.

It just warms my heart every time I get to do it. You mentioned writing. So are you looking at the creative process of writing the book of a musical or play? Yes, that. And also, I love writing lyrics. I've been writing, and I've been writing and making up songs since I was a kid. For those that know, I was also in Freestyle Love Supreme. Yeah, I was just going to say. We make up new songs every night. So that part, I won't say it's easy, but that part, it does come naturally to me. And to get to write songs with my friends, and I think that'd be cool. And I've got some really cool friends who make some cool music. So I think that if we sit down and put our heads together, I think we can come up with something really fun.

And also, I got the privilege of writing for Marvel Comics. I was doing Hamilton and this guy, this wonderful, amazing award-winning writer named Dan Slott, who was the creator of the Spider-Verse. And so there's the movie The Spider-Verse, but the Spider-Verse that started in the comic books, he's the creator of that. He comes to Hamilton one night and we're talking and he's like, you ever want to write a Marvel comic? And I was like, uh, yeah. And he hooked me up with the guys at Marvel and I got to write this one shot, which is like a 10-page story in this thing called Marvel Voices. And they wanted me to write a Spider-Man story, which I did. And then they called me again. They were like, hey, we're doing Marvel 1000.

It's 80 writers and 80 artists. You write one page of a story. You want to be part of it? I said, yeah. And I said, they said, you could pick whoever you want. I said, can I do Rocket and Groot? And they said, yes. So I got to write Rocket and Groot. And then another of Marvel Voices, I got to write another Spider-Man story and create a character in it. And so it's been really fun to, you know, meet people like Dan Slott or the great Peter David and talk to these amazing writers and like pick their brain or like Laurel K. Hamilton, who also had her novel turned into a Marvel comic and talk to them. So talk to these amazing writers who on the outside are, um, there's a guy named Rodney Alexander, who's just, just insane writer who writes his own comic books that I was like, I have to, I have to be a part of this.

And so it's been really kind of fun to Rodney Barnes's name, excuse me, Rodney Barnes. So to talk to Rodney and talk about comic books and talk about writing has been fun. So that's that the creating of characters and taking people to another world just excites me so much because it's, it did a lot for my child.

[53:30] Eila Mell: Yeah. Well, no one is more deserving than you. We're so happy for your success. We are so excited to come to see A Wonderful World. We're going to come back and see you after and give you all of our praise because we know you're going to deserve it.

[53:46] James Monroe Iglehart: That that's, that's the hope, you know, you create something new and you really hope people like it. Yeah. And, uh, but also there's the fun of it and there's the blessing that we get to do this. There are so many people who want to be in our place to do this for a living. And the fact that we get to be on Broadway and we get to spread a little shine and spread a little cheer all the time with this. I love that Broadway is a place where you can go and the show can depress you and you're still happy about it. Right. You know, you can cry all night and be like, Oh, I thought it was novel. I cried. I might've had a good time.

[54:13] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, it's true. And the one thing about Broadway that is different from going to a movie or watching something on TV, even TV can be such an intimate experience, but Broadway is something that it's, it's an event that you remember your whole life. And there's also a moment of like, there's something about being in a room with everybody and you all being on this journey together because you feel the audience when something is said. And there's a couple of things. There's a couple of moments in our show where we felt the audience go, Oh, like all together. And it is, it is impactful. You know, we have to stay in it because we know they're there with us. And it's just kind of fun to know that they were all in that journey together.

And then they come backstage and they look at you and like, Oh, that part really got me. I didn't know how I felt about you right then. I'm like, good that we did our job. I was like, Oh, you, you turned it around. We loved it. Thank you so much. We're like, yes. So there's just something about that live theater experience when you're in the theater with people together. Experiencing that watching people live people tell a story to you. There's nothing like it.

[55:06] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah, you're all on that ride together. And it's different than any other night.

[55:10] Bruce Gotlieb: Very true. Yeah, you're exchanging energy back and forth. And like you said, you hear that gasp from an entire audience. And you're like, got you. I'm here. Or like when you say something that was really stupid. And they all start laughing when you say something inappropriate. And you realize who are the people who love inappropriate jokes. That's my favorite. You see the most straight-laced person walk in, you said to me in a program that it wasn't laughing. You don't care that you laughed at that.

[55:28] James Monroe Iglehart: Well, I mean, and we're of course, we're so happy that you're honoring Louis Armstrong, who is so deserving.

[55:41] Bruce Gotlieb: Thank you. I think it's great that we're that's we've there's a show out there about him and is telling his story. Because popular music wouldn't be what it is without Louis Armstrong. He was really one of the first American pop stars before like pop star was a thing.

[55:53] James Monroe Iglehart: Right? It's so hard for us to relate now. But that's so true.

[55:56] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah. Well, because people, you know, when we look at it, especially with Broadway, Broadway was popular music.

[56:00] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah. Yeah. So a song on Broadway would come out. And then that song would be on the radio or on TV. That may be the song. Yeah. You know, and all of a sudden, around the 60s is when, you know, Broadway started breaking away and Broadway became Broadway and pop would became pop and rock and roll was this jazz is there like all this music started being separated. You know, there's one thing I love that Louis says he said, listen, if it sounds good, that it is good. You know, I'm not worried about styles that people want to play different styles. I'm talking about is the music good and that's what matters. And so with Broadway, the great thing is it's such a it's not a concrete thing. Anything can be Broadway.

Now it's jazz. It's rock. It's hard rock. It's hip hop. It's opera. You know, it's pop opera. It's K-pop. I mean, Broadway can be anything. If you have a good story and you can put music to it, that's Broadway. And that's what I love about it. Because you can come to Broadway and see 14 different styles and walk away. Yes, I Broadway show. It was great. You know, just the fact that we we get to do this, we get to put it out. And are this this time we get to do some real authentic jazz with some great people. We have Daryl Waters is our musical supervisor. We have Branford Marcellus. Wow. It's our musical arranger. So that's cool. And Daryl Waters from Memphis. Yes. Yeah. I mean, that man, we I was talking about his resume. I was like, but I mean, not only do you give me a job, but you also wrote part of my childhood.

[57:18] Bruce Gotlieb: Oh yeah, that's pretty great. All right. So tell people how they can get tickets for the show.

[57:23] James Monroe Iglehart: LouisArmstrongMusical.com. And if you go to LouisArmstrongMusical.com, you will be able to get your tickets there. Tickets are on sale now. Or you want to go to the beautiful already open box office of the amazing Studio 54. If you're in the position, if you're in the town, go go to the box office. And also, because then you get to walk around, you get to kind of get the feel of New York, you got to get the feel of Broadway. And so it makes it more exciting when you walk away with the envelope, which are two tickets.

[57:50] Bruce Gotlieb: That's right. Oh my gosh. And you're bound to run into somebody maybe not in that show in another show.

[57:55] James Monroe Iglehart: Oh, gosh. Yeah. I mean, constantly. I think that was the thing that tripped me out the most when I was when I first got to New York, was that these people that I considered stars just walking in the street. Yeah, we're going to like, we're going to sweet green. I'm like, you just you just are a normal person. You're just going to just walk into the salad and walk out like nothing happened. Like we don't know who you are. They're like, yeah. And now that's you. You're that person.

[58:15] James Monroe Iglehart: So I was quick, quick story. I'll make it I'll make it fast. I had gotten to I was on tour with Showboat. It was my first, first equity show. And I'd come to New York on a Monday, not knowing that Broadway was not open on a Monday. And my friends and I, we went to go see Forbidden Broadway, just me and her. But we right before we we had no money at all. None. None. We had enough for a croissant and to share a drink at Starbucks. So we got to we got a croissant and we got a drink and who walks by, but Bernadette Peters on her cell phone. Wow, this is 1998. So cell phones looked horrible. She had a little tiny cell phone when she's talking to someone walking down the street. And we're like, Oh my god, this person Peters.

And we're like, I wonder what she's talking about. And my friends and she's probably making like some deal for a new show or tripping out. Flash forward. I'm an Aladdin. I'm walking down the street going to lunch on my phone talking to my I'm talking so I think I'm talking wife. I don't know probably talking to my wife or my kids, one of the two. And this young lady walks up to me after the show that she said, So we were at Starbucks, my friends, you were the fan, and you walked by. And my friend said, I don't know. I wonder what he's talking about. And I said, You should have said something. They're like, Why? I'm like, and I told him the story. I said, probably people are quite nice. And I guess if I had hung up, I said, Did I hang up?

They said, Yes, but we don't want to bother you. Sure. But I've hung up. Please don't hesitate to walk up and just say hello. Because it you know, for me, I know some people don't like it. And for me, it makes my day. I'm like, Thank you telling me that you enjoyed it. Are you a performer? She said, Yes, I am. I said, That's so cool. I said, you know, it's great that you're doing this. I keep on going. But just the fact that she said her and her friends saw me walking past they were at Starbucks. And they said, I wonder what he's talking about. I quickly called my friend Jessica. And I was like, You won't believe what happened. And she was like, it's gonna happen. I was like, I how did this happen?

And so it's and I got to tell I finally got to tell Bernadette Peters. Oh, and I said, Just thank you for that. You had no you didn't do anything. You had no idea what you did. But just seeing you walk past just made me feel like it was magical, like bird because I knew you, you know, from Annie Lily. Yes. It was really, really cool.

[1:00:24] Eila Mell: Yeah. I mean, how do you not love her? She's the sweetest person in the world.

[1:00:29] James Monroe Iglehart: Yeah. Well, as are you? Thank you very much. Thank you very much for joining us. We would love to have you back the next time you've got something going on. We know. So everyone, we encourage you very much to go see A Wonderful World. And we will see you next time on Behind the Awards. Bye bye.