"Ambassador Satch" - It Was Indeed a Wonderful World

by Maggie Kulbokas

The Cape Playhouse opens its 79th season with the dynamic and thoroughly entertaining "Ambassador Satch: the Life and Music of Louis Armstrong". "Satch" stars the incredibly talented and energetic Andre De Shields as Louis Armstrong. The show tells the story of Armstrong's life and the influences that shaped one of America's greatest musical talents and one of the true fathers of jazz.

Andre De Shields as Louis "Ambassador Satch" Armstrong. Photo courtesy of the Cape Playhouse.

As with many jazz musicians of yore, Armstrong hailed from the south.  Born at the  turn of the century, Armstrong grew up dirt poor in the rough and tumble  neighborhood of New Orleans called the "Battlefield".  Poverty and scratching and hustling for pennies were  balanced by a sense of family, community and, of course, music.  He was witty and  forward, randy and at times, salty.  He married four incredibly different and equally  alluring women, yet saw his music as his one true love.  The experiences of his life  shaped a truly unique world view.  Through hardship, challenge and just plain living,  Armstrong managed to see the world as a place of joy. 

The curtain opens on a mostly black and white stage that functions as the  background for a vibrantly colorful story.  A side door opens and a parade of musicians  in tuxedos enters the audience with De Shields as Armstrong in the lead.  He bobs  and jives to the music--a rousing rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In."  In an  instant the audience was enthralled.  De Shields is dynamic and the music is hard to  resist.  The group makes its way to a simple stage reminiscent of a big band stand.   The ensemble's five musicians are true talents hitting each note--high, low, gloomy or  lofty, right on target.

Armstrong conveys his life story through De Shields, engaging the audience with his  first words.  De Shields exudes Armstrong's witty, sparkling personality through speech  and song.  From time to time Armstrong "plays"--horn in one hand, trademark  handkerchief in the other.  The actual trumpeting is done by the amazingly  talented Stanton Davis who has played on Broadway in such shows as "Bring in 'Da  Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk" and "Aint Misbehavin'".

De Shields co-wrote "Ambassador Satch" with James P. Mirrione and the show plays like  a true labor of love.  Music director Terry Waldo played an enthusiastic piano for the ensemble.

The simple stage is accented with changing backdrops and the show's only real  costume change--that of Harriet D. Foy.  Foy plays all four of Armstrong's wives with an  incredibly sexy flourish--it is easy to see how each of these women  turned  Armstrong's head.  Foy's costumes are larger than life and wonderfully representative  of ladies' styles from the earlier half of the twentieth century.

Louis Armstrong was given the nickname "Satchmo", short for "Satchelmouth",  referring to his large mouth.   It was his joyous outlook and grand toothy smile that  sadly brought about ridicule from some in his advanced years.  As the music changed and jazz  grew into a solid, formidable American sound, politics and race in the United States were  dicey at best.  Some fellow black musicians and critics labeled Armstrong an Uncle  Tom and accused him of pandering to white audience.  Satch was understandably dogged by these criticisms.    In the show, his critics were represented by a distant shadowy  musician taunting Armstrong--daring to turn his back on and ignore one of  the jazz and  blues movement's founding fathers.  But it is Armstrong's strong, positive nature that  prevails.  He was a consummate performer whose true goals were to make music and put on  a great show for the audience--black or white.   As the song says, it is a wonderful world.  One filled with the potential for  hope, promise and joy.

If you go to one show this summer, make it "Ambassador Satch." You won't regret it.

"Ambassador Satch: the Life and Music of Louis Armstrong" is playing at the legendary Cape Playhouse in Dennis June 20-July 2 Monday through Saturday at 8pm. There is a 2pm show on the 22nd, 29th & 30th and a 4pm show on the 25th. "Ambassador Satch" was written by Andre De Shields and James Mirrione and stars Andre De Shields as American musical legend Louis Armstrong. The show is well worth the ticket price: $25-$45. Tickets: 508-385-3911 or www.capeplayhouse.com