Bajour is a Broadway musical with a book by Ernest Kinoy and music and lyrics by Walter Marks. The musical is based on the Joseph Mitchell short stories "The Gypsy Women" and "The King of the Gypsies," originally published in The New Yorker. The title is allegedly a Romani word for a confidence game in which lonely and unhappy women are swindled out of their life savings.
Synopsis
New York University anthropology student Emily Kirsten studies the customs of the Dembeschti tribe of nomadic Romani people for her Ph.D. thesis. This brings her into contact with tribal leader Cockeye Johnny Dembo, who works out of a dilapidated storefront in a Manhattan slum. He needs to raise $9,000 to purchase Anyanka from the Moyva King of Newark as a bride for his handsome son Steve. Anyanka is so eager to seal the deal that she offers to stage a bajour (a con game) to help finance it, and complications ensue when she targets Emily's widowed mother as her victim.
Production History
After tryouts at the Shubert Theatre in Boston and in Philadelphia, the Broadway production opened on November 23, 1964, at the Shubert Theatre in New York City, later transferring to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, completing a run of 232 performances. The production was directed by Lawrence Kasha and choreographed by Peter Gennaro. $480,000 was invested in the musical, and losses exceeded that amount.
A revival was presented in the "Musicals in Mufti" series in New York in July 2007.
Original Cast and Characters
| Character | Broadway (1964) |
|---|---|
| Emily Kirsten | Nancy Dussault |
| Anyanka | Chita Rivera |
| Johnny Dembo | Herschel Bernardi |
| Lou MacNiall | Robert Burr |
| Helene Kirsten | Mae Questel |
| Steve | Gus Trikonis |
| The King of Newark | Herbert Edelman |
| Loopa | Antonia Rey |
| The Chairlady | Lucie Lancaster |
| Olga | Carmen Morales |
| Marfa | Jeanne Tanzy |
Song List
Act I: "Move Over, New York," "Where is the Tribe for Me?," "The Haggle," "Love-Line," "Words, Words, Words," "Mean," "Must It Be Love?," "Bajour"
Act II: "Soon," "I Can," "Living Simply," "Honest Man," "Guarantees," "Love is a Chance," "The Sew-Up," "Move Over, America"
Critical Response
Billboard magazine, reviewing the Boston tryout, noted that the musical "at the moment is overlong and lacks real distinction in its treatment of an unusual theme." The New York Times was more positive after the Broadway opening, stating: "In spirit and manner, it often reminds one of this musical and that. But even if the gypsies spit on their hands like the stagy creatures they are, they provide moments of good cheer and animation. It's a 'Bajour' that isn't all swindle."
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Nancy Dussault | Nominated |
| 1965 | Tony Award | Best Choreography | Peter Gennaro | Nominated |
Recordings
An original cast recording was released by Columbia Masterworks in 1964, conducted by Lehman Engel.
