As a long-time admirer of Ella Fitzgerald as well, Kendall decided to create a musical which would focus on both Armstrong and Fitzgerald, despite the feeling that finding an actress who could play the Fitzgerald role “was going to be a tall order.” As Kendall explains, ‘There are not too many people who are brave enough to take on Ella!”

Kendall ultimately found his Ella in NaTasha Yvette Williams who, he says, can “do all the mechanics of the scatting” as well as “play all of the emotional beats” to help him recreate “a chemistry” on stage. He reveals that “what I appreciate the most with her,” however, “is the fact that when we perform together on stage, she really looks me in the eye, and when she takes my hand, she really feels my hand, and she’s not just going through the motions.”

Concludes Kendall, “She literally breaks my heart every time we do the show.”

Making our way through the lobby and into the auditorium of Manasquan NJ’s Algonquin Arts Theatre, we can’t help but notice — directly in the center of the stage — a gleaming golden trumpet sitting on a stand, a spotlight shining upon it, making it glow in front of a lovely muted blue background.

As audience members stop to take note of it, too, we also notice that the stage is set with an electronic keyboard, acoustic bass, drum kit, stands holding a second trumpet and a tenor saxophone, not to mention microphones, bar stools, and music stands.

As musicians begin to take the stage, we hear a drumbeat and, then, see two actors in white robes enter to the 18th century spiritual, “Roll, Jordan, Roll,” both singing, “I want to get to heaven when I die.”

These actors, of course, are Trent Armand Kendall and NaTasha Yvette Williams, appearing as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald in angelic forms on the precipice of a momentous decision:

Is it really time for Louis and Ella to enter heaven and spend the rest of eternity with their loved ones who have gone before them? Or, instead, should they go back and reflect on moments in their lives on earth to find out, as Louis wonders, if he “will be remembered” or, as Ella contemplates, if she has any “earthly regrets”?

Wanting to make absolutely certain they’re ready for the ultimate transition, Louis and Ella reappear on earth in their human forms where they perform a variety of glorious musical numbers, all of which advance the plot and help them to decide if their lives were complete enough to enter heaven. Songs include Irving Berlin’s “Steppin’ Out With My Baby” and “Cheek to Cheek”; George and Ira Gershwin’s “Our Love is Here to Stay,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” and “They All Laughed”; in addition to many more.

Highlights include Williams’ sublime performance of Benny Goodman’s “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” her incredibly rich voice filling the theater, scatting effortlessly over the tight jazz band. Another is her wonderful rendition of Ella’s 1938 hit with The Chick Webb Orchestra, “A Tisket, A Tasket,” Williams making this song her own while evoking memories of the joyous sound of Ms. Fitzgerald, particularly with regards to her meticulous phrasing and spot-on use of vibrato.

Additional highlights include a hilarious audience participation sequence where Kendall and Williams invite folks in the crowd to scat sing along with them, not to mention Kendall’s heart-warming performance of a lesser-known Louis Armstrong song, “The Home Fire.” This number finds Kendall strolling through the audience, singing and swinging, crooning with his beautiful rich tone, and flashing that familiar smile which invokes the spirit of the actual Louis Armstrong.

Still another highlight is Williams’ stunning version of the Johnny Mercer/Hoagy Carmichael composition, “Skylark,” her voice warm and gentle, floating above the talented musicians as Louis, played by Kendall, “joins in” on trumpet, courtesy of music supplied by trumpeter Eli Asher.

Perhaps the greatest moment of the entire production, however, is Trent Armand Kendall’s show-stopping rendition of Louis Armstrong’s classic, “What a Wonderful World,” a performance capable of bringing audience members to tears as it viscerally reminds them how wonderful the world is thanks to the larger-than-life personality and music of the great Louis Armstrong.

And because, as “Ella” explains in the show, “The only thing better than singing is more singing!,” Kendall and Williams conclude this swinging production with a rousing vocal medley. In this compilation, they pair the spiritual, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” with Louis Armstrong’s 1938 version of the famous gospel hymn, “When the Saints Go Marching In,” the crowd rising to its feet in appreciation of this impressive afternoon of jazz at The Algonquin Arts Theatre!