 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 ancient empire of mali, west africa. ==production== 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, and melba moore as marsinah. it was directed, choreographed and costume designed by geoffrey holder, with sets designed by tony straiges. gerald martin bordman noted that the sets and costumes had "a ziegfeldian opulence." new songs based on african folk music were added to provide "some tonal verisimiltude."bordman, gerald martin. american musical theatre: a chronicle, "act six:full circuit; or, return of the brits" american musical theatre: a chronicle (3rd ed.), oxford university press us, 2001, isbn 0-19-513074-x, p. 750 ==songs==   ;act i * rhymes have i - hadji, marsinah and beggars * fate - hadji * in the beginning, woman - shaleem-la-lume * baubles, bangles and beads - marsinah and merchants * stranger in paradise - the mansa of mali and marsinah * gesticulate - hadji and council * night of my nights - the mansa of mali and courtiers  ;act ii * my magic lamp - marsinah * stranger in paradise (reprise) - marsinah * rahadlakum - shaleem-la-lume and ladies of the harem * and this is my beloved - hadji, marsinah, the mansa of mali and the wazir * golden land, golden life - chief policeman and nobles of the court * zubbediya - zubbediya, princess, marriage candidates and acrobat * night of my nights (reprise) - the mansa of mali, marsinah, hadji and nobles of the court * sands of time - hadji and shaleem-la-lume  ==awards and nominations== ;1978 tony award nominations * tony award for best actor in a musical - gilbert price * tony award for best actress in a musical - eartha kitt * tony award for best costume design - geoffrey holder * tony award for most innovative production of a revival - luther davis 
1978_musicals All-Black_cast_Broadway_shows Broadway_musicals Timbuktu