Many actors take on a play because they feel comfortable with the character – not Jerold E. Solomon. He wanted to perform in Virginia Rep’s new production, Satchmo at the Waldorf, because it scared him.
“At this stage in my career, I am looking for new challenges and I had never done a one-man show before, so I said to myself, ‘That sounds terrifying – let’s do it,’” says Solomon, who currently teaches theater in Henrico County Public Schools in addition to his career in acting, directing, and writing.
In the show, running March 1 through April 7, Solomon actually plays three characters: Louis Armstrong, arguably the greatest of all jazz trumpeters; Joe Glaser, his manager; and Miles Davis, a rival musician.
Jerold E. Solomon: Solo Show with Three Roles
Solomon prepared for the show through various means. For Armstrong, he watched a lot of Armstrong’s interviews, most from later in his life.
“Then I tried to find his vocal rhythms and cadence and build the man up from there. It would be near impossible to emulate such an iconic voice, but at the end of the day, that’s the voice people are coming to hear so I am trying to get that one as close as possible,” he says.
Researching Joe Glaser was a bit more challenging. Solomon couldn’t find a single recording of him speaking. “So I was able to really create something from the ground up. I love playing Joe Glaser. He’s an old-school Jewish man from Chicago that worked with Al Capone and loved every minute of it. I’ve never gotten to portray that kind of character before so I really dove in on him,” Solomon says.
He took a different approach with Miles Davis. “The real Miles spoke so softly that the audience wouldn’t hear or understand a word I was saying if I tried to copy it. So instead, I tried to capture Miles’ vibe and attitude. The primary goal was to make each man completely different than the others both physically and vocally,” he says.
Stage Veteran Has New Respect for Performers Who Go It Alone
Before starting his research, Solomon hadn’t listened to a lot of jazz.
“Outside of What a Wonderful World and a couple other songs, I didn’t really know much about Louis Armstrong. Now, I find he’s an endlessly fascinating figure. His life, especially his early life, was so interesting and it is amazing some of the things he had to overcome to make it. Joe Glaser is equally fascinating, and his relationship with Louis was a big part of his own personal success,” he says.
The characters never interact so the entire play is addressed directly to the audience.
“I hope it feels like the audience is participating in a really interesting conversation with the characters onstage,” Solomon says.
While there isn’t much singing in the play, Solomon does get to sing a few notes here and there as Louis Armstrong. “I like those moments a lot,” he says.
Preparing for his roles has given him a new respect for solo performers like singers and comedians, he adds. “Standing on stage alone for ninety minutes is no joke. There is no one there to help you so you have to stay laser focused at all times.”
In preparation for this role, juggling teaching, rehearsals, and home life has been a sometimes exhausting challenge for Solomon. But he has a partner.
“Mostly though, the real hero in this process is my wife Alison. She does such an amazing job of taking care of the kids and the home while I am spending so much time away. Wrangling five kids while working her own full-time job is not easy and she sacrifices so much so I can do this thing that I love from time to time,” he says.
Satchmo at the Waldorf is showing now through through April 7 at Virginia Rep’s November Theatre. The one-act play runs ninety minutes and contains profanity and mature themes. For showtimes and tickets, visit virginiarep.org.
