ORGANIZATION AIMED AT CREATING MORE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THEATER?

>> WITH THE HELP OF THAT GROUP, ACTRESS VANESSA WILLIAMS IS MAKING HER DEBUT AS A PRODUCER FOR THE BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF A WONDERFUL WORLD.

IT TELLS THE STORY OF JAZZ LEGEND LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND STARS JAMES MONROE IGLEHART.

OUR CORRESPONDENT IN TOLEDO SAT DOWN WITH THE ACTOR AND PRODUCER AND SHARES MORE ABOUT THE PRODUCTION THAT'S TOLD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF HIS 4 WIVES.

SO, JAMES, WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE WORKING ON THIS PRODUCTION WITH VANESSA OVER?

THE MESSAGE HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.

AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT SHE'S BROUGHT A VOICE TO IT AND >> MILES AND FRANCE ABROAD FRIENDS, TOO.

I LOVE THAT.

SHE'S BUT ALSO THERE'S A MOMENT THERE'S THERE'S A MOMENT OF HAVING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POWER.

WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.

AND IT'S EASY TO REALLY USE YOUR POWER TO JUST INSULATE YOURSELF, PROTECT YOURSELF AND PUSH YOURSELF FORWARD AND SHE'S DECIDED TO USE THE STAR POWER.

SHE HAS TO PUSH THESE VOICES FORWARD AND PUSH THE STORY FORWARD AND PUSH PERFORMERS LIKE MYSELF FORWARD AND WE NEED THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE NUANCES TO EACH CULTURE AND JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE TELLING THE STORY, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THE NUANCES TO THAT CULTURE.

WHAT YOU MAY READ LOUIS MEMPHIS.

ACTUALLY, IF YOU REALLY LOOK INTO WHAT HE ACTUALLY WAS SAYING, SOMETHING ELSE AND YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT CULTURE GOING INTERPRET THAT FOR YOU TO SAY NO, THIS IS WHAT IS NOT WHAT SHE'S BEEN DOING.

VANESSA, TELL ME, WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO HAVE YOUR PRODUCE ORIOLE DEBUT FOR THIS BROADWAY PRODUCTION AS A RESULT OF BEING ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF BLACK, UNITED.

>> AND OUR MISSION IS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ON ALL LEVELS OF COMMERCIAL THEATER.

THIS IS PRIME OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BECOME A PRODUCER ON THIS >> I THINK AS A AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PERSON SEEING LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS LIFE.

IT IS IMPORTANT.

>> ME AS A PRODUCER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STORYTELLING IS ACCURATE.

HAS INTEGRITY.

AND I HAVE BEEN CERTAIN DISCUSSIONS WITH MY ALL WHITE PRODUCTION TEAM.

>> ABOUT HISTORICAL FACTS.

>> THAT NEED TO BE THERE OR AREN'T TRUE AND NEED TO BE OMITTED AND THAT I FEEL THAT'S MY PART AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE IN THE ROOM AND TO SHOW UP SHARE MY VOICE.

AND WE HAVE OPENING NIGHT HERE IN CHICAGO.

HOW ARE WE FEELING?

>> HAVING THE BEST TIME ME TO COME TO THE CITY THAT ACTUALLY MADE LEWIS LEWIS.

YOU KNOW, HE GOT HERE AND HE WAS REALLY, REALLY GREEN LIKE EVERYBODY KNEW.

HE WAS INCREDIBLE TRUMPET PLAYER.

THAT WASN'T THE ISSUE.

BUT TO BECOME THE ENTERTAINER THAT HE NEEDED TO BECOME.

HE HAD TO COME.

CHICAGO FIRST AND WITH THE HELP OF KING JOE OLIVER AND DEFINITELY THE HELP OF HIS SECOND WIFE, THE HARDIN.

SHE IS THE ONE THAT MOLDED HIM INTO THE LOUIS THAT WE ALL KNOW.

SHE'S THE ONE LOOK AT HIM AND SAID, HEY, YOU ARE SOMEBODY AND YOU CAN BE SOMEBODY.

LET ME SHOW YOU HOW LET ME SHOW YOU HOW TO DO IT.

THE CHICAGO WAY.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS 17 WHEN HE GOT MARRIED THE FIRST TIME.

THE SECOND TIME SHE WAS A RIGHT?

HIS MOTHER WAS A.

GREW UP IN THE AIR STORY.

VILLAGES THE AREA.

>> SO HE GREW UP THE YEAH.

THAT'S THE THING.

GAME HIS CROWN.

THAT'S THE THING.

WHEN PEOPLE SEE LOUIS ARMSTRONG, THEY HOW HE WOULD DO THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT THERE'S A HOLLYWOOD.

LOU IS JUST A PIECE.

HE'S MORE JAZZ.

JAZZ.

LOUIS IS MORE LIKE WHAT WE CONSIDER OUR HIP-HOP WITH US TODAY.

AND HE WAS VERY HOOD AND HE KNEW IT AND KIND OF LIKE YES, THIS IS THE UNTOLD STORY OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG.

THEIRS.

>> THERE'S THE WHAT, WHAT?

THERE'S WHAT HOLLYWOOD WEIGHT AMERICA, ONE OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG TO BE.

AND THEN THERE'S WHO HE TRULY AND WE'RE SHOWING WHO HE TRULY WAS.

AND NOT ONLY WAS HE NOT ONLY DID HE CHANGE AMERICAN MUSIC, NOT ONLY DOES HE CHANGE THE PERCEPTION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS FOR WHY PEOPLE AT THAT TIME, BUT HE WAS STILL, YOU KNOW, NAVIGATING BEING A BLACK MAN AT THAT TIME AND DEALING WITH HIS OWN STRUGGLES.

AND WE SHOW THAT PARTS.

YOU CAN SEE HE WASN'T JUST THE SMILING TRUMPET PLAYER THAT, YOU KNOW, SAID OH, YEAH, IN PEOPLE'S FACES.

THAT WAS THERE WAS A REAL BROTHER.

THERE WAS GOING THROUGH SOME THINGS IN THESE 4 WOMEN WENT THROUGH IT WITH HIM.

THEY WERE RIGHT THERE IN THE TRENCHES WITH HIM AND IT TOOK HIM GETTING OLDER TO REALIZE NOW I'VE GOT IT RIGHT.

>> A WONDERFUL WORLD BEGAN ITS PRE BROADWAY DEBUT IN NEW ORLEANS BEFORE HEADING TO CHICAGO, WHERE YOU CAN NOW SEE