Hans Böggild - Satchmo' Suite

"Play the lick, play the riff, play your truth!"

"The Satchmo' Suite" toured nationally between 2006 and 2008. The play is about the relationship between a modern day black classical Cellist and the 'Father of Jazz' himself, Louis Armstrong. The Cellist, on tour with a classical symphony, summons Louis Armstrong to get help with a difficult musical passage from Bach’s Six Suites for Solo Cello. The ghost of Louis Armstrong appears in the Cellist’s hotel room. The lives of the major characters intermingle and resonate off each other as issues of hope, courage, family and racism emerge in surprising and powerful ways.

It's been a "slice" since we first hatched the idea for the play. Co-writer Doug Innis and I met at a Toronto wedding reception one evening. Doug was playing cello for the ceremony. Over the marvelous dinner that followed, Doug and I and discovered that we were not only displaced Nova Scotians but also fans of Louis Armstrong. Wouldn't it be great to write something about him? We recalled that Louis had done legendary concerts in Halifax and Cape Breton. We thought it would be an amazing idea to capture that magic. Usually, creative notions hatched at parties vanish as the taxis arrive at the end of the night. The idea stuck with us, however, and it became the beginning of a long collaboration and friendship that's developed for over twenty years.

Writers Hans Böggild & Doug Innis

We began work on the play by mixing the history of the great Louis Armstrong with our own experiences. We read everything about Louis, and listened to his optimistic music, and inadvertently evolved him into a kind of mythological figure. In our play, he started to represent the "heart" in all of us. It made sense - he was not only the "Father of Jazz", he was known as the "Ambassador of Love" in his time. It became clear to us that we weren't writing a biography of Louis, but were trying to capture his essence. We were writing a story, not a history. It was more of a homage than a life story. Louis became an archetype of hope for us in the context of the play.

At the same time, we developed the fictional character of the Cellist, Hubert Clements. At first Hubert was a foil for Louis, but he began to take on a life of his own which ultimately resonated with elements from each of our own lives. He came to represent the "head" in all of us, the intellect that undoes our emotions. The play ultimately explores the polarities of existence -- Between the head and the heart, between logic and intuition, between insecurity and faith, between the present and the past, between the personal and the public and between classical and jazz. It is Hubert and Louis who embody these concepts for us. In the end, it's a play about dealing with life's struggles, having the courage to face one's demons, and then having the faith to go on. While we started writing a play about Louis Armstrong, we ended up writing a play about the rest of us.

The play was originally commissioned and produced at Mulgrave Road Theatre in 1995. At that time it was a one-person show. I directed the premiere and Doug Innis played the roles of both Hubert and Louis, expertly handling the rapid-fire transitions between the two characters. Musicians Don Coward, and later Kim Dunn, provided piano accompaniment while Doug miraculously played both cello and trumpet. It made audiences laugh and cry and cheer through two tours of the Maritimes in 1995 and 1996.

During 2003 and 2004, Doug and I did several rewrites to expand the piece to involve an ensemble cast of five, including two actors and three musicians. The play became more interested in motivation and in the progression of its story than it had been in theatrical transitions, and this broadened it a lot. Doug and I also composed nine original jazz songs for the new production, which helped to weave the music with the drama in deeper ways. As director, I was then blessed with fabulous collaborators to bring the play to life. Actor Jeremiah Sparks signed on as Louis, and Andrew Moodie took on the role of Hubert. Top-notch musicians Paul Simons on piano, Colin Matthews on cello, and Mike Cowie on trumpet, rounded out the ensemble.

Jeremiah Sparks as Louis and Andrew Moodie as Hubert

The new production premiered at Eastern Front Theatre in March 2005, and broke attendance records. The production received instantaneous standing ovations every night of the run. In 2006, Eastern Front Theatre remounted the play for a sold out run at the Neptune Studio Theatre in Halifax. In the summer of 2006, the play was featured at the prestigious Magnetic North Theatre Festival in St. John’s Newfoundland, where it received accolades from audiences and critics alike. In the fall of 2006, the play was part of the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts theatrical season in Montreal, where it received rave reviews and more standing ovations. In 2008, the play went on a Western Canada Tour with three season runs at Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops, and the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg.

In our travels across Canada with the play, Jeremiah and Andrew continued to refine and perfect their excellent performances. As a director, it's been a true joy to work on a play with the same artists over a period of time. Cellist Colin Matthews has stayed with the show throughout its runs. We've now employed four different trumpet players including Mike Cowie (Halifax), Rick Waychesco (Halifax), Bill Mahar (Montreal), and Derry Byrne (Vancouver). On piano, we've used Paul Simons of Halifax and John Gilbert of Montreal. Set and costume design by Denyse Karn, and lighting design by Leigh Ann Vardy, have lent a high quality sheen to the show, as have the artistic contributions of Stage Manager Hilary Graham, PM Louisa Adamson, and assistant director Louise Renault.

So, we've had nine professional presentations across Canada, and hopefully there will be more chances for production. We're thrilled that Talonbooks has published the play. Check out the book cover just below. If you'd like further information, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Click on the book cover to go to the publisher's page.

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Pithy Reviews

"An irresistible meeting of music and drama, The Satchmo' Suite really swings." Matt Radz, Montreal Gazette

“Not to be missed!” The Montreal Suburban

“Great music, great singing, great theatre.” Montreal . com

"The Satchmo' Suite an exhilarating celebration" - St. John's Telegram

"A tour de force… The show was moving and exciting." St. John's Telegram

"Satchmo' Swings!… Full house rises to its feet… Performed Superlatively well… Eastern Front has a hit on its hands." Halifax Chronicle Herald

"Satchmo' Comes to Life" Halifax Daily News

"Satchmo teaches us how to live life" Halifax Chronicle Herald

"Sparks Stunning as Ghost of Jazz Legend" - Halifax Daily News

"The music is hot, the message is meaningful and this play is 90 minutes of excellent entertainment." - The Coast Weekly - Halifax

“Wow! What a great show! At the end of the performance, the audience cheered and shouted bravos as the actors and musicians returned for a second curtain call.” Ed Farolan for ReviewVancouver

“The musicians are hot, timing of the miming is perfect and the premise is so clever that it helps elevate The Satchmo' Suite to a new level.” Peter Birnie, Vancouver Sun

“A delightful musical… superb, evocative and believable…The Satchmo’ suite is a wonderfully directed, acted and produced musical.”

Joe Montague, Riveting Riffs Magazine

“The Satchmo’ suite really swings.” CJSF Radio, Vancouver

“A sweet slice of joy, as polished as Armstrong’s legendary horn.” Mike Youds, Kamloops Daily News

“An incredible melange of music, history, racism, childhood angst, self-discovery and acceptance — all wrapped up with a delicate ribbon of humour… Andrew Moodie, as Hubert, is stunning… Jeremiah Sparks is channelling Armstrong for sure” Dale Bass – Kamloops This Week

“A rousing reminder of Armstrong’s enduring greatness… A compelling tale of love, loss, racial struggle, music and art.” Kevin Prokosh – Winnipeg Free Press

“An emotional journey with a stellar soundtrack, The Satchmo’ Suite has that swing… The result is uplifting.” Lindsey Ward – Winnipeg Sun

Photo Credits: Jeremy Webb, Hans Boggild