Musicals! Part 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chicago

Set in the age of jazz, the musical Chicago premiered in 1975 and has been successfully revived in both Broadway and the West End ever since. In 2002 the movie version, starring Catherine Zeta Jones, Rene Zellweger and Richard Gere, garnered 6 Academy Awards including one for best picture, which is a rarity for musicals.

The connection between all of the answers is the legendary Bob Fosse who defined all of these shows. A semi-autobiographical movie of his life, starring Roy Schneider was fittingly titled "All that Jazz".

Answer: Jesus Christ Superstar

"Jesus Christ Superstar" launched the career of Andrew Lloyd Webber (who wrote the tunes) and Tim Rice (who wrote the lyrics). The show debuted on Broadway in 1971 and ran until 1980 making it one of the longest running shows of all time.

It was only superseded by "Cats", although Lloyd Webber would not have been too upset by that given that he penned that one too. "Jesus Christ Superstar" still continues to perform to packed houses fifty years later.

Yvonne Elliman who charted with this song was a member of the original cast and also reprised her part of Mary Magdalene for the movie. She also performed on the cast album and was apparently offered a percentage of the royalties or a flat fee. In an interview Elliman said that she did not think this musical would last so she opted for the flat fee. The musical went on the generate revenues of $237m worldwide and is still making returns today.

All of the other answers are musicals written by Lloyd Webber.

Answer: South Pacific

The stage show and later movie of "South Pacific" was written by Rogers and Hammerstein as were all of the musicals listed in this question. Despite the cheery foot-tapping classics, the writers dealt with some pretty controversial topics for the time (1949) including interracial marriage and racism.

Despite pressure applied to them by the backers they refused to remove the material even if it meant the production failed. Over seventy years later South Pacific and its songs remain classics even if the edginess of the original show has been dulled with age.

Answer: A Chorus Line

The multi-faceted Marvin Hamlisch wrote the score for "A Chorus Line" but was not able to repeat its success. Not that his career could be called a failure, he is one of only 17 people to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards and only one of two to have bagged those and a Pulitzer Prize. Hamlisch was a master at penning movie scores, most notably the theme tunes to "The Spy who Loved Me", "The Way We Were" and his adaptation of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" for the blockbuster movie "The Sting".

Answer: Kiss Me, Kate

"Kiss Me, Kate" is a clever conceit which sets the plot of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" against the backdrop of a troupe of actors putting on Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew". The lyrics were set by the great Cole Porter although the music was the work of husband and wife partnership Bella and Samuel Spewack. Sadly, they weren't able to repeat the inspiration in this (to my mind) underrated musical. "Brush up your Shakespeare" was a comic number performed by two gangsters sent to collect a debt from the lead character.

The other musicals mentioned here were all Cole Porter's and themselves delivered timeless classics. "High Society" gave us "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"; Anything Goes - "I Get a Kick out of You" and "Seven Lively Arts" - "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye".

Answer: Gypsy

"Gypsy" was written as a vehicle for the talents of Ethel Merman, who will forever be associated with the role of the archetypal pushy showbiz mother. The music score was written by Jule Styne, who wrote music for many other classic musicals including "Funny Girl", "Anchors Aweigh" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". Steven Sondheim contributed the lyrics and has an even more impressive CV/resume which includes all of the musicals mentioned in this question.

Unfortunately, for anyone who has seen the film "Airplane" this song will forever conjure the (one of many classic lines) as the lead character, Ted Striker, recovers in a military hospital and is asked by his girlfriend: "What's his problem?"
"Lt Hirwitz, severe shellshock. He thinks he's Ethel Merman".
At which point we're treated to a hilarious cameo by Ethel Merman singing this song as he/she's sedated and returned to her bed.

Answer: Annie Get Your Gun

Another song strongly associated with Ethel Merman. Ethel played the lead part of Annie Oakley in the original 1946 production on Broadway and reprised the role twenty years later. She did not appear in the 1950 film production, the role being taken by Betty Hutton.

However, she did sing this song in the 1954 movie of the same name. All of the musicals mentioned here were composed by the great Irving Berlin. There's also an interesting connection between the three incorrect answers in that "Easter Parade" and "White Christmas" were both written for the musical "Holiday Inn"; both of them were then used in eponymous musicals.

Answer: Chess

"Chess" was a collaborative effort between Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the 'B's in ABBA) and Tim Rice. Tim Rice initially established himself as the talented lyricist with Andrew Lloyd Webber. The other answers are their collaborative works.

Answer: Sweet Charity

"Hey Big Spender" has been recorded many times on both sides of the Atlantic, covered by, amongst others, Peggy Lee and Shirley Bassey. Like the musical "Gypsy", this musical was also about strippers, with the original choreography being arranged by Bob Fosse.

The music was by Cy Coleman who also wrote the music for "Wildcat" and "Barnum". Dorothy Fields wrote the lyrics and came up with the idea of a musical about Annie Oakley which eventually became "Annie Get Your Gun".

Answer: Carousel

The jolly foot-tapping and sometimes singalong nature of Richard Rodgers' music scores often belied, and probably allowed them to get away with, some pretty dark subject matter, especially for its time. That was no less the case with "Carousel", which featured a ne'er do well petty criminal who commits suicide and is allowed to return to earth to put things right. Echoes of "It's A Wonderful Life" filmed ten years earlier, but far darker if you take away the rollocking songs.

The other musicals mentioned, apart from "Oklahoma!", are lesser known musicals from the Rodgers and Hammerstein stable.