.Satchmo at the Waldorf Opens at San Jose Stage

Jan 30, 2023

San Jose Stage Company’s SATCHMO AT THE WALDORF featuring L. PETER CALLENDER. — ARMSTRONG Terry Teachout's 'Satchmo at the Waldorf' explores Louis Armstrong's life and legacy through a one-man, three-character performance. Photo by Dave Lepori

Terry Teachout’s mind-boggling one-man, three-character Satchmo at the Waldorf opens Wed night in San Jose. This bio-play takes full advantage of the medium of theater to explore the life and significance of jazz legend Louis Armstrong. With an eye for the complexities of racism that wove in and out of Armstrong’s career, Teachout has created a story in which the main player also plays his white manager, Joe Glaser, and his opinionated colleague, Miles Davis. To add drama, it’s 1971 on the eve of Armstrong’s death, backstage before his final show.

Satchmo at the Waldorf

Opens Wed, 7:30pm, $34+

San Jose Stage, San Jose

Addie Mahmassani https://www.addiemahmassani.com/

Addie Mahmassani is a poet based in Santa Cruz. She holds a PhD in American Studies from Rutgers University-Newark and is currently an MFA student in creative writing at San Jose State University. There, she is a Teaching Associate as well as the lead poetry editor of Reed Magazine, California's oldest literary journal. She also surfs, sings and loves a part-sheepdog named Lou.