Timbuktu!
''Timbuktu!'' is a musical, with lyrics by George Forrest (author), George Forrest and Robert Wright (writer), Robert Wright, set to music by Alexander Borodin, Borodin, Forrest and Wright. The book is by Luther Davis. It is a resetting of Forrest and Wright's musical ''Kismet (musical), Kismet''. The musical is set in 1361 in Timbuktu, in the Mali Empire, Empire of Mali, West Africa. Production The musical premiered on Broadway theatre, Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on March 1, 1978, and closed on September 10, 1978, after 221 performances and 22 previews. The original production starred Eartha Kitt as Shaleem-La-Lume, William Marshall (actor), William Marshall as Hadji, Gilbert Price as the Mansa of Mali, Melba Moore as Marsinah, and George Bell as the Wazir. Ira Hawkins replaced Marshall prior to the Broadway opening. It was directed, choreographed and costume designed by Geoffrey Holder, with sets designed by Tony Straiges. Alan Eichler was associate producer. Gerald ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Mark Hellinger Theatre
The Mark Hellinger Theatre (formerly the 51st Street Theatre and the Hollywood Theatre) is a church building at 237 West 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, which formerly served as a cinema and a Broadway theater. Opened in 1930, the Hellinger Theatre is named after journalist Mark Hellinger and was developed by Warner Bros. as a movie palace. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb with a modern facade and a Baroque interior. It has 1,605 seats across two levels and has been a house of worship for the Times Square Church since 1989. Both the exterior and interior of the theater are New York City landmarks. The facade on 51st Street is designed in a modern 1930s style and is constructed with golden and brown bricks. The stage house to the west and the auditorium at the center are designed as one unit, with a cornice above the auditorium. The eastern section, containing the building's current main entrance, includes statues flanking the doors, as ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby". Kitt began her career in 1942 and appeared in the 1945 original Broadway theatre production of the musical ''Carib Song''. In the early 1950s, she had six US Top 30 entries, including "Uska Dara" and "I Want to Be Evil". Her other recordings include the UK Top 10 song "Under the Bridges of Paris" (1954), "Just an Old Fashioned Girl" (1956) and "Where Is My Man" (1983). Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the world". She starred as Catwoman in the third and final season of the television series ''Batman'' in 1967. In 1968, her career in the U.S. deteriorated after she made anti-Vietnam War statements at a White House luncheon. Ten years later, Kitt made a successful return to Broadway in the 1978 original product ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Tony Straiges
Tony Straiges (born 1942) is a scenic designer for the stage and ballet. He has designed the sets for 17 Broadway musicals, plays and specials. His sets "often have a sparse elegance or sense of fantasy about them." Robert Brustein said of Straiges: "Today, he is considered one of the visual poets of the stage." Straiges attended the Yale School of Drama at Yale University. Career His first Broadway production was ''Timbuktu!'' in 1978, and recently he designed the sets for '' Enchanted April'' in 2003. He provided the scenic supervision for the 1985 concert version of ''Follies''. Off-Broadway productions include ''Chasing Manet'' at Primary Stages in 2009. His first off-Broadway production was ''Glance of a Landscape'' in 1975, at Playwrights Horizons. He designed the sets for the stage musical ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' at the Irish Repertory Theatre in 2006. He also designed the set for the 1991 Broadway play ''I Hate Hamlet''. Straiges designed the set for ''Sunday in the Park wi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Luther Davis
Luther Berryhill Davis (August 29, 1916 – July 29, 2008) was an American playwright and screenwriter. Early life an education Davis was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Culver Military Academy in 1934 and received a bachelor of arts from Yale College in 1938.Weber, Bruce"Luther Davis: Tony-award winning writer of musical and movies" ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, volume 82, number 6, August 6, 2008, A-11. He served in the United States Army Air Forces until 1945, rising to the rank of major. While in the army air forces, he served in Asia and Europe. Career In collaboration with Charles Lederer, Robert Wright, and George Forrest, Luther Davis wrote '' Kismet'', ''Timbuktu!'', and two different treatments of Vicki Baum’s novel ''Grand Hotel'' (''At the Grand'' for the Los Angeles and San Francisco Light Opera Association and the Broadway musical version, '' Grand Hotel, The Musical''). He received two Tony Awards in 1954 (with Lederer) ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Kismet (musical)
''Kismet'' is a musical adapted by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis from the 1911 play of the same name by Edward Knoblock, with lyrics and musical adaptation (as well as some original music) by Robert Wright and George Forrest. The music was mostly adapted from several pieces composed by Alexander Borodin. The story concerns a wily poet who talks his way out of trouble several times; meanwhile, his beautiful daughter meets and falls in love with the young caliph. The musical was first produced on Broadway in 1953 and won the Tony Award for best musical in 1954. It was also successful in London's West End and has been given several revivals. A 1955 film version was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Background The musical was commissioned by Edwin Lester, founder and director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, who conceived of a musical based on the 1911 play '' Kismet'' by Edward Knoblock.Rooney, David''Kismet'' ''Variety'', February 10, 2006, accessed November 28, 2011 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Melba Moore
Beatrice Melba Hill or Beatrice Melba Smith (sources differ) (born October 29, 1945), known by her stage name Melba Moore, is an American singer and actress. Biography Early life and education Moore was born Beatrice Melba Hill or Beatrice Melba Smith (sources differ) in New York City to Gertrude Melba Smith (1920–1976), who was a singer professionally known as Bonnie Davis and Teddy Hill (1909–1978), a big band leader. Moore grew up in the Harlem section of New York until age 9 when her mother remarried jazz pianist Clement Leroy Moorman and the family relocated to Newark, New Jersey. For high school, Moore attended Newark Arts High School , graduating in 1958. In 1970, she graduated from Montclair State College with a BA in music. Early career Moore began her recording career in 1967, cutting the track "Magic Touch" which was left unreleased until 1986. In later years it became an enormous track on the Northern Soul Scene, eventually leading to Moore performing it live in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Geoffrey Holder
Geoffrey Lamont Holder (August 1, 1930 – October 5, 2014) was a Trinidadian-American actor, dancer, musician, and artist. He was a principal dancer for the Metropolitan Opera Ballet before his film career began in 1957 with an appearance in ''Carib Gold''. In 1973, he played the villainous Baron Samedi in the Bond film '' Live and Let Die''. He also carried out advertising work as the pitchman for 7 Up. Early life Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad,"Geoffrey Holder, Bond villain and dancer, dies aged 84" BBC News, October 6, 2014; accessed October 8, 2014. Holder was one of four children of and Trinidadian descent. He was educated at Tr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
George Forrest (author)
George Forrest (born George Forrest Chichester Jr., July 31, 1915 – October 10, 1999) was an American writer of music and lyrics for musical theatre best known for the show '' Kismet'', adapted from the works of Alexander Borodin. He was also known professionally at times as Chet Forrest. Biography Throughout his career Forrest worked exclusively with the composer-lyricist Robert Wright. The two men had an affinity for adapting classical music themes and adding lyrics to these themes for the Broadway musical stage and films. Wright said that the music was usually a 50-50 "collaboration" between Wright and Forrest and the composer. While both men were credited equally as composer-lyricists, it was Mr. Forrest who worked with the music. '' ''Kismet'''' was one of several works Forrest created with Wright commissioned by impresario Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera (LACLO). ''Song of Norway'', ''Gypsy Lady'', '' Magdalena'', and their adaptation of '' The Gr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Tony Award For Best Revival
The Tony Award for Best Revival was given to the best play, musical or non-musical, which had already appeared on Broadway in a previous production. It was presented from 1977, where it was called ''Most Innovative Production of a Revival'' and later ''Reproduction (Play or Musical)'' in 1980, until 1994, when it was split into the Best Revival of a Musical and the Best Revival of a Play. If there are not enough revivals, it is possible under the current Tony rules for this category to return. Any time there are three play revivals and three musical revivals, the categories are automatically separated; if there are fewer, the Tony Awards Administration Committee may still choose to split up the categories. Winners and nominees 1970s 1980s 1990s See also * Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival * Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical * Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play * Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival * Laurence Olivier A ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Tony Award For Best Costume Design
These are the winners and nominees for the Tony Award for Best Costume Design. The award was first presented in 1947 and included both plays and musicals. In 1961, and since 2005 the category was divided into Costume Design in a Play and Costume Design in a Musical with each genre receiving its own award. Winners and nominees 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s See also * Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Musical * Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Play * Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design * Laurence Olivier Award for Best Costume Design The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Costume Design is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in ... External links Tony Awards Official siteTony Awards at Internet Broadway database ListingTony Awards at broadwayworld.com {{TonyAwardsbyYear Ton ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Tony Award For Best Actress In A Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly announced since 1956. History The award was not presented in 1947 or 1985. Ken Mandelbaum wrote about the 1985 season: "Things get bad enough musically to require the elimination of the Best Musical Actor and Actress categories, as well as the choreography prize." There have been three ties in this category, in 1958, 1962 and 1968. tonyawards.com, accessed June 13, 2014 In 1965, Liza Minelli, age 19, became the youngest actress to win the award, a record she ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Tony Award For Best Actor In A Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly announced since 1956. Winners and nominees 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Award records Multiple wins ; 2 Wins * Norbert Leo Butz * John Cullum * Richard Kiley * Nathan Lane * Zero Mostel * James Naughton * Robert Preston * George Rose * Phil Silvers Multiple nominations ; 4 Nominations * John Cullum * Raul Julia ; 3 Nominations * Len Cariou * Michael Cerveris * Alfred Drake * Joel Grey * George Hearn * Gregory Hines * Richard Kiley * Nathan Lane * Brian Stokes Mitchell * Robert Morse * Robert Preston * George Rose * Phil Silvers ; 2 Nominations * Herschel Bernardi * Ray Bolger * Barry Bostwick * Alex Brightman * Matthew Broderick * Danny Burstein * Norb ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |