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Tovarich (musical)

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Tovarich
Original Cast Recording
MusicLee Pockriss
LyricsAnne Croswell
BookDavid Shaw
Basis1935 French play Tovarich
Productions1963 Broadway

Tovarich is a 1963 stage musical in two acts with book by David Shaw; music by Lee Pockriss and lyrics by Anne Croswell; based on the comedy by Jacques Deval and Robert E. Sherwood.

Production history

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The musical opened in New York at The Broadway Theatre on 18 March 1963 then transferred to Majestic Theatre and the Winter Garden Theatre. It ran for a total 264 performances. Billboard reported that the production "having the distinction of being the first musical to open on Broadway without an original cast waxing contract, finally landed a deal when Capitol agreed to record the show last week [late May 1963]."[1]

The production was directed by Peter Glenville and choreographed by Herbert Ross. The original cast included Vivien Leigh, Jean Pierre Aumont, George S. Irving, Louise Kirtland, Alexander Scourby and Louise Troy.

Vivien Leigh won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Leigh left the production on short notice because of illness; understudy Joan Copeland took over the role October 7, 1963 and she was replaced by Eva Gabor on October 21, 1963.

Original cast and characters

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Character Broadway (1963)[2]
Tatiana Petrovna Vivien Leigh
Mikail Alexandrovich Ouratieff Jean-Pierre Aumont
Gorotchenko Alexander Scourby
Natalia Mayovskaya Louise Troy
Charles Davis George S. Irving
Grace Davis Louise Kirtland
George Davis Byron Mitchell
Helen Davis Margery Gray
Maria Soukhomine Bettye Jenkins
Marina Rita Metzger
Vassily Paul Michael

Songs

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¹ - music and lyrics by Joan Javits and Philip Springer

Awards and nominations

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Original Broadway production

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Year Award Category Nominee Result
1963 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Vivien Leigh Won
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Louise Troy Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Rolontz, Bob. "B’dway Musical Season Not All That Bad." Billboard 75:22 (1 June 1963), 1.
  2. ^ Playbill 1963 Bio Cast List accessed 07/22/2023
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