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Nancy Ruth Bacal (February 27, 1937 – January 17, 2023) was a multifaceted Canadian-American artist, journalist, and educator whose career spanned several creative disciplines. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Bacal developed an early passion for the arts and pursued higher education at McGill University, where she was actively involved in the performing arts scene.
At McGill, Bacal gained recognition for her role in the 1957 satirical musical My Fur Lady, a landmark Canadian production created and performed by McGill students. In the musical, she portrayed Honey Bender, delivering a standout performance on the song “Honey Don’t Be Highbrow.” The show, with music by Galt MacDermott and James Domville, blended jazz, 1950s rock and roll, and political satire, and was a national sensation that toured across Canada with over 400 performances, resulting in an original cast recording.
Following her early success in musical theatre, Bacal established herself in the 1960s as a journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), where she showcased her keen insight and storytelling abilities. Her creative pursuits extended into film and television, with credits including the documentary Raga (1971), which featured Ravi Shankar, and appearances in BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950) and The Four Just Men (1959).
A gifted writer and lyricist, Bacal contributed to various literary projects, notably serving as the editor of Leonard Cohen’s anthology Stranger Music, reflecting her deep engagement with the literary world. Later in her career, she founded and led The Writer’s Way, a platform dedicated to nurturing writers and fostering creative expression, mentoring aspiring authors and sharing her passion for storytelling.
Nancy Bacal passed away on January 17, 2023, at her home in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 85. She is remembered for her diverse and impactful contributions to journalism, film, literature, and education, as well as her early mark on Canadian musical theatre.
-Robert Williston
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