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Timbuktu!
''Timbuktu!'' is a musical, with lyrics by George Forrest and Robert Wright, set to music by Borodin, Forrest and Wright. The book is by Luther Davis. It is a resetting of Forrest and Wright's musical '' Kismet''. The musical is set in 1361 in Timbuktu, in the Empire of Mali, West Africa. Production history The musical premiered on 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 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 Bordman noted that the sets and costumes had "a Ziegfeldian opulence." New songs based on African folk music were added t ... [...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 operated as a cinema and 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 door ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Mae Kitt (née Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress. She was 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, Kitt had six US Top 30 entries, including "Uska Dara" (1953) and "I Want to Be Evil" (1953). 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". Kitt starred as Catwoman in the third and final season of the television series ''Batman (TV series), Batman'' in 1967. In 1968, Kitt's career in the U.S. deteriorated after she made Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War, anti-Vietnam War statements at a White House lu ... [...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 Lede ... [...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, 2 ... [...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, director, choreographer, 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''. For his theatre work, he won two Tony Awards, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Costume Design in a Musical for the original Broadway production of ''The Wiz''. In 1973, he played the villainous Baron Samedi in the James Bond film '' Live and Let Die''. He also appeared in such films as '' Doctor Dolittle'' (1967), '' Annie'' (1982), '' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' (2005), and was the voice of Ray the Sun on the children's television series '' Bear in the Big Blue House'' (1998–2002). He also carried out advertising work as the pitchman for 7 Up. Holder was a member of the executive committee of the Writers and Artists for Peace in the Middle East, a pro-Israel group. Early li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melba Moore
Beatrice Melba Smith (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 Smith on October 29, 1945, 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 nine, when her mother remarried, to 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 a popular track on the Northern soul scene, eventually leading to Moore performing it live in 2009 at the Baltic Soul Weekender 3 in Germany, n ... [...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 G ... [...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 Award Records These include wins for the Best Costume Design in a Play and Best Costume Design in a Musical. Multiple wins ; 6 Wins * Florence Klotz * William Ivey Long ; 4 Wins * Cecil Beaton ; 3 Wins * Theoni V. Aldredge * Eugene Lee * Santo Loquasto * Patricia Zipprodt * Catherine Zuber ; 2 Wins * Lucinda Ballard * Gregg Barnes * Linda Cho * Desmond Heeley * Rob Howell * Willa Kim * Franne Lee * Katrina Lindsay * Motley Theatre Design Group * John Napier * Martin Pakledinaz See also * Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Musical * Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Play ... [...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 Oli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Obba Babatundé
Obba Babatundé (born Donald Cohen; December 1, 1951) is an American actor. A native of Queens, New York City, he has appeared in more than seventeen stage productions, thirty theatrical films, sixty made-for-television films, and two prime-time series. Early life and education Babatundé was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. As a child, he attended public schools. He was attracted early to theater and from a young age would sing, dance and act for his family. He attended Jamaica High School where he was a well-rounded student who, in addition to appearing in the Sing '68 school musical program, was a student aide and a member of both the track and cross country teams. After graduating from Jamaica High School in 1969, he started teaching at a private school for students of color. He also pursued acting jobs in New York, gaining some roles Off-Off-Broadway. Learning that his ancestry included people from Nigeria, he adopted a name made of Yoruba words: ''Obba'', for "ki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bruce Hubbard
Bruce Hubbard (1952 − 12 November 1991) was an American operatic baritone. A Drama Desk and Laurence Olivier Award nominee for Best Actor, he performed on Broadway, the Metropolitan Opera, BBC television, in concert and made several recordings. He is most famous for appearing as Joe in ''Show Boat'', and as Jake, as well as Porgy, in ''Porgy and Bess'' on Broadway, the West End, and in several major opera houses and regional theatres. He graduated from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Early life Hubbard was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1952. He graduated from Arlington High School in 1971. In 1973, while still a student at Indiana University, where he was a music major, he helped coach actors who appeared in musicals. He returned to Indianapolis and recorded two songs on a vinyl LP. He recorded "Antiphon" from ''Five Mystical Songs'' by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and "Without a Song" by Vincent Youmans, with the Arlington High School concert choir. This custom al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Wright (writer)
Robert Craig Wright (September 25, 1914 – July 27, 2005) was an American composer-lyricist for Hollywood and the musical theatre, best known for the Broadway musical and musical film '' Kismet'', for which he and his professional partner George Forrest adapted themes by Alexander Borodin and added lyrics. ''Kismet'' was one of several Wright and Forrest creations that was commissioned by impresario Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera. '' Song of Norway'', ''Gypsy Lady'', '' Magdalena'', and their adaptation of '' The Great Waltz'' were also commissioned by Lester for the LACLO. The LACLO passed most of these productions to Broadway. Wright was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Wright and Forrest had an affinity for adapting classical music themes and adding lyrics to these themes for Hollywood and the Broadway musical stage. Wright said that the music was usually a 50-50 "collaboration" between Wright and Forrest and the composer. While both men w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
