In a 2012 interview with The New York Times, Terry Teachout said that, after listening to 650 reels of private tape recordings made by jazz icon Louis Armstrong, it was very clear that “the public Armstrong and the private Armstrong are very different.”
The theater critic-turned-playwright seems to have constructed the one-person show, “Satchmo at the Waldorf,” to demonstrate in no uncertain terms what those differences are. Thanks to a sterling and surprising performance by Jerold E. Solomon, the Virginia Rep production of the play offers a nuanced portrait of a complicated character who was universally beloved, but struggled to earn respect.
Personally adamant about calling himself Louis, white folks in particular couldn’t stop referring to him as Louie. The show effectively recounts Armstrong’s rise to prominence, while delivering a last-minute twist that is somewhat muted but still devastating.
If you have an image of Armstrong in your mind, it likely shows an avuncular, gravelly-voiced singer smiling broadly through “What a Wonderful World” or wiping sweat off his brow as he delivers his other biggest hit, “Hello, Dolly.”
Teachout’s script signals immediately that we’re going to get a much more intimate view of the man by having Armstrong start the show describing how he’s crapped in his pants after his latest performance.
It’s March of 1971 and he’s settled into a two-week engagement at Manhattan’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel. In many ways, he’s at the pinnacle of his career: not only is he well-paid, but thanks to the rollback of Jim Crow policies, he can finally stay overnight in the fancy hotels where he plays.
But the 69-year-old Armstrong is also in failing health (he would be dead by July) and he’s still dealing with the 1969 death of Joe Glaser. Glaser was his friend and business manager for nearly 40 years. They co-founded Associated Booking Corporation, the agency that managed the top names in jazz for decades. At Glaser’s death, Armstrong finds out that he wasn’t left any ownership stake in the business.
Not much happens in “Satchmo;” the action is essentially Armstrong changing clothes after a show (in a fancy dressing room nicely rendered by scenic designer Mercedes Schaum), while relating anecdotes and reflections of his long career. But Solomon imbues Armstrong with such an engaging personality that not a moment of the 95-minute, intermission-free show drags.
The excellence of Solomon’s performance becomes most apparent in moments where he portrays Glaser in flashbacks. As Armstrong, Solomon is happy and profane, if a little worn-down. Then, in an instant, he transforms into a slick, volatile, mob-connected businessman complete with an impeccable New York Jewish accent.
What emerges as Solomon explores these two characters is a friendship that is genuine but also fraught with loads of racial, social and economic baggage. While Armstrong honors the Jewish friends and supporters he’s had by wearing a Star of David around his neck, he notes that he was never invited to Glaser’s home.
Later in the show, Solomon also slips effortlessly into the character of another jazz icon, Miles Davis, who represents a younger generation of Black artists who dismiss Armstrong as an “Uncle Tom.”
These character transitions are assisted by Joe Doran’s expert lighting design that bathes Solomon in blue light when he’s Davis, hits him with bright whites when he’s Glaser, and couches him in warmer yellows when he’s Armstrong.
Director Rick Hammerly also deserves credit for modulating the story’s tempo to keep the audience on board.
But it’s Solomon who commands the stage and transforms any one-dimensional image of Satchmo into a dynamic three-dimensional reality. Technically precise and infused with empathy, Solomon’s performance makes for a singularly enlightening and engrossing evening.
“Satchmo at the Waldorf” runs through April 7 on Virginia Repertory Theatre’s November stage, 114 West Broad St. Tickets and information available at https://va-rep.org/.
