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 (which also had a book co-written by Davis) and the majority of the play's songs are reused from Kismet. The musical is set in 1361 in Timbuktu, in the Empire of Mali, West Africa.
For the 1978 Tony Awards, the play was considered a revival rather than a new work, and was nominated for a Tony in the Best Revival category.
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.[1][2]
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.[2] It was directed, choreographed and costume designed by Geoffrey Holder, with sets designed by Tony Straiges. Alan Eichler was associate producer.[2]Gerald Bordman noted that the sets and costumes had "a Ziegfeldian opulence." The score was largely that of Kismet, though several songs were dropped and three new songs based on African folk music were added to provide "some tonal verisimiltude."[3]
Following its Broadway run, it toured for more than a year with Kitt continuing in her starring role as Shaleem-La-Lume, Gregg Baker as Hadji, Bruce Hubbard as the Mansa and Vanessa Shaw as Marsinah.[4]
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