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.
Opens Wed, 7:30pm, $34+
San Jose Stage, San Jose
