Work or Play? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Poker player

Stanley Kowalski is one of the central characters in Tennessee Williams' famous play "A Streetcar Named Desire". He is a complex and volatile character who plays a significant role in the unfolding drama of the story. He is a working-class Polish-American man in his early thirties who lives in a small, cramped apartment in New Orleans with his wife, Stella.

Stanley and his buddies frequently engage in poker games, which have several symbolic implications. Poker is a recurring motif in the play and serves as a symbol of masculinity, competition, and dominance. It's a space where Stanley and his friends can express themselves freely and assert their dominance over one another. These games also often lead to arguments and outbursts, mirroring the broader conflicts between Stanley and the other characters, particularly Blanche.

Answer: Shoe manufacturer

"Kinky Boots" is a musical which debuted in 2013 and features music by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein. It is an adaptation of a 2005 movie of the same name which was written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth and actually inspired by real events.

In the play, Charlie Price is a young man in his late twenties to early thirties who is initially living in London. He is the son of the late owner of Price & Son, a traditional, struggling shoe factory in the town of Northampton, England.
At the start of the musical, Charlie is portrayed as somewhat lost, as he tries to find his own identity and purpose in life. The musical's plot centers around Charlie's journey to save his family's failing shoe factory.

After his father's death, Charlie inherits the factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Charlie's determination to turn the factory's fortunes around leads him to an unexpected partnership with a drag queen named Lola (Simon) who helps him rebrand the business by creating high-heeled boots for drag queens. Throughout the musical, Charlie learns to challenge societal norms and prejudices, discovering the importance of acceptance, diversity, and self-expression. He learns to embrace his father's legacy and find his own sense of purpose by reimagining the family business and championing the concept of "kinky boots."

Answer: Ex-convict/mayor

Jean Valjean is the central character and protagonist of Victor Hugo's epic novel "Les Misérables". He is a complex and morally compelling character whose journey through life and its challenges gives us the main plotline for the story.

Set in 19th-century France that precedes the rise of the Second Republic, the story of Jean Valjean is one of a former convict who seeks redemption. After breaking parole and receiving an unexpected act of kindness, Valjean transforms himself from a hardened criminal into an upstanding citizen and mayor. While still haunted by the demons of his past and injustices of French society, Jean Valjean chooses to dedicate his life to helping others.

The play explores themes of justice, mercy, love, and the human capacity for change through the lens of Valjean's life and choices. It was composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg, with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and an English-language libretto by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel. The musical made its debut in 1980 in France and later opened in London's West End in 1985 and on Broadway in 1987. A film adaptation followed in 2012.

Answer: Moneylender

Shylock is one of the most complex and controversial characters in William Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice." He is a Jewish moneylender from Venice who plays a significant role in the story. The controversially depicted character is central to the main plot - a loan given by Shylock to Antonio with a pound of flesh demanded as collateral if the loan is defaulted.

This troublesome contract is the crux of the conflict of the play. Shylock seeks to enforce the contract as he believes it will allow him to exact revenge on Antonio, who has previously insulted him for his Jewish heritage. Shylock's character raises important themes related to justice, mercy, and prejudice. His insistence on the bond reflects a desire for retribution for the wrongs he has suffered. Some interpretations of the play view Shylock as a tragic figure, highlighting the mistreatment and prejudice he faces as a Jew in Venetian society. Other interpretations emphasize his villainous aspects, focusing on his determination to carry out the harsh terms of the bond.

Answer: Airplane part manufacturer

Joe Keller is one of the central characters in Arthur Miller's play "All My Sons". Joe Keller is a middle-aged man, typically portrayed as being in his 60s. He is the father of two sons, Chris and Larry, and the husband of Kate Keller. Joe is a successful businessman who owns a manufacturing company that makes airplane parts.

The central conflict of the play revolves around Joe Keller's actions during World War II. He knowingly shipped defective airplane parts to the military, which led to the deaths of twenty-one pilots. Joe's actions resulted in his partner, Steve Deever, being imprisoned, while Joe himself avoided prosecution. At the start of the play, Joe is trying to move on from the past and maintain the appearance of a successful, respectable family man. However, as the story unfolds and old wounds resurface, Joe's character is challenged. His relationship with his surviving son, Chris, a newly-returned war veteran, becomes strained as Chris questions Joe's role in the defective parts incident.

Answer: Retired professor

In Anton Chekhov's 1898 play "Uncle Vanya", retired Professor Aleksandr Vladimirovich Serebryakov is a central character whose presence is the disruptor which provides the play with its central conflict. Upon arriving at his estate, which is being looked after by 'Uncle' Vanya, the brother of Aleksandr's first wife, the tension starts when Aleksandr demands his portion of the estate's income.

The conflict between generations is one of the main themes. The older generation feels entitled to the fruits of their labor, while the younger generation resents their sense of entitlement and feels unfulfilled. Aleksandr, despite having lived away from the estate for many years, believes he has the right to claim a portion of the estate's income as his own, even though it has been managed and maintained by the younger generation, particularly Vanya and Sonya, Vanya's daughter. They, in turn, resent the older generation's sense of entitlement because they have worked tirelessly to care for and manage the estate during Serebryakov's absence. This conflict underscores the broader themes of resentment, dissatisfaction, and unfulfilled aspirations that fill the lives of the characters in the play.

Answer: History professor

In Edward Albee's play "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", George's character plays a pivotal role in the unfolding drama, which explores themes of illusion, reality, marriage, and societal expectations.

George is an associate professor of history at a New England university, and he is married to Martha in a tumultuous and dysfunctional marriage. George is known for his dry wit, intelligence, and a somewhat defeated demeanor, which masks a deeper complexity. George is initially presented as a somewhat passive figure, subjected to Martha's verbal and emotional abuse. However, as the play progresses, it becomes clear that he is not entirely without his own weapons of manipulation and psychological games. Through his interactions with Nick and Honey, he reveals his capacity for both intellectual gamesmanship and a desire to expose the illusions and lies that underpin relationships

Answer: Doctor

Frank Gibbs is a character in Thornton Wilder's 1938 play "Our Town". His role as the town doctor of Grover's Corners highlights the themes of community, everyday life, and the passage of time. He is respected for his job and the caring he does for others as well as for the family he has raised along with his wife, Julia.

"Our Town" is a classic American play that celebrates the simplicity and profundity of ordinary life in a small town. Frank Gibbs, as the local doctor and a family man, embodies the sense of community and the interconnectedness of individuals, something that the play tries to highlight.

Answer: Trash collector/Truck driver

Troy Maxson is the central character in August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences". As a middle-aged African American man who works as a garbage collector in Pittsburgh in the 1950s, he struggles to reconcile his present with his past. In his younger years, he played baseball in the Negro Leagues and maintains his strength and has an imposing figure. As an African-American man, he faces discrimination, especially having been excluded from playing Major League baseball.

Troy's strained relationship with his son Cory, who aspires to play football and seeks a college scholarship, is a central conflict in the play. Troy's own experiences and disappointments influence his decisions regarding Cory's future. His past traumas cause him to demand that Cory choose getting a stable job instead of a pursuing a scholarship to play football.

In the end of the play, Troy manages to break the race barrier in Pittsburgh by becoming the first African-American truck driver. His resilience and determination are traits that the play tries to highlight while also casting light on past injustices as well as the persistence of racism existing to the present.

Answer: Actor

James Tyrone is a central character in Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Long Day's Journey into Night", which was published posthumously in 1956. He is an actor, now in his twilight years, who achieved fame for acting in "The Count of Monte Cristo". James is also depicted as a frugal and financially cautious man who is often accused of being miserly, despite his success and fortune.

The play unfolds over the course of a single day and night in the Tyrone family home. James is there with his wife, Mary, and his two sons, Edmund and Jamie. Each family member grapples with their own demons, regrets, and addictions, particularly Mary's morphine addiction and Edmund's tuberculosis. As they gather together, their shared history of disappointment, illness, and unresolved conflicts resurfaces, leading to raw and painful confrontations.

James Tyrone's character represents themes of regret, nostalgia, and the consequences of past choices. His fear of poverty and his fixation on financial security shape many of his decisions and conflicts within the family.