Fascinating Moments in Musical Theatre History

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1. What was ironical about Beatrice Lillie being cast as Madame Arcati in the musical, "High Spirits"? She got the role only after Helen Hayes turned it down. She and Noel Coward didn't get along Noel Coward had written the part for her over twenty years ago. She couldn't sing a note

2. Carol Channing understudied Eve Arden in the musical "Let's Face It!" in 1941. What else is true of the two performers? Eve Arden and Carol Channing are related. Eve Arden and Carol Channing co-starred on the TV Series "The Mothers-In-Law" Eve Arden and Carol Channing both auditioned to play "Mame" on Broadway. Eve Arden replaced Carol Channing in the Chicago company of "Hello, Dolly!"

3. What was so unusual about Constance Towers being cast as Julie in the 1966 Lincoln Center revival of "Show Boat"? She had a dream she would get the part before she was cast. She had been a child performer in the original production. She had auditioned for a different role. She had already recorded an album of Jerome Kern's music.

4. Hollywood composer Roger Edens wrote two songs to bolster the quite weak song of the Ethel Merman musical "Happy Hunting" after it opened on Broadway. Why was his work initially credited solely to his friend Kay Thompson? He didn't want the IRS to know about the income he received for these songs. He disliked Ethel Merman imensely. The producers of "Happy Hunting" insisted. Because he was under exclusive contract to MGM.

5. In 1954, Shirley MacLaine went on for the lead dancer Carol Haney in the musical "The Pajama Game." That evening, Hal Wallis, a Hollywood Producer was in the audience and signed her to a motion picture contract. What is so ironical about this incident? Shirley MacLaine was dating one of Hal Wallis' talent scouts at the time. Hal Wallis and Shirley MacLaine went to High School together. She was going to resign from the show that very night. This was Shirley MacLaine's first Broadway show.

6. Two Off-Broadway musicals that were based on the same play opened within two weeks of each other in 1968. What play was it? Love's Labour's Lost 'Tis a Pity She's a Whore School For Scandal Twelth Night

7. Believe it or not, Mary Martin was considered for which role? Sally Bowles in "Cabaret" Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" Aldonza in "Man of La Mancha" Amalia in "She Loves Me"

8. Which Broadway songwriting team had fathers with the same first name, wives with the same first name, and went to the same University? Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe Lee Adams and Charles Srouse

9. The part of "Yente, the Matchmaker" got smaller and smaller during the tryout period of "Fiddler on the Roof" because of what reason? The actress in the role became ill The show was running too long Jerome Robbins, the director, didn't care for the performance of the actress in the role Zero Mostel insisted

10. "Say, Darling" was a musical about which of the following? The 1919 Actor's Equity Strike Strippers Broadway Ushers The creation of the musical "The Pajama Game"