Origins of Musicals Trivia

1. In "Green Grow the Lilacs," the unbalanced farmhand who loved Laurey was named Jeeter. In the play's musical version, "Oklahoma!", he was named Jud. Why was the name changed?

From Quiz Many Musicals Started Out as Something Else

Answer: The play "Tobacco Road" also had a character called Jeeter

"Tobacco Road" had a main character called Jeeter--who was a villainous, unruly character. Rodger and Hammerstein didn't want their audiences to confuse their show's farmhand character (who was a different type of character) with the character in "Tobacco Road," so they renamed him Jud.

From Quiz A Broadway Musical By Any Other Name

Answer: Anything Goes

In 1934, Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse completed the book for a musical entitled "Hard To Get." The show, with songs by Cole Porter, was to take place on a luxury liner and describe what effect a shipwreck had on its passengers. Unfortunately, there was a real-life disaster and shipwrecks were no longer thought to be humorous. Russell Crouse and Howard Lindsay were called in to rewrite the book. Although it still took place on a ship, all references to a shipwreck were eliminated, and the show was now called "Anything Goes."

From Quiz Original or Not?

Answer: A book

"Les Miserables" was based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, although it does have many movie versions.

From Quiz Musicals' Literary Origins

Answer: "The Adventures of Don Quixote de La Mancha" by Miguel de Cervantes

The musical is actually adapted from the librettist's (Dale Wasserman) play called "I, Don Quixote," in which Cervantes, who is imprisoned during the Spanish Inquisition, puts his masterpiece forth as a drama played out for his fellow prisoners.

From Quiz Which Came First - Movie or Play?

Answer: musical

It's in the credits to the movie, which I watched the other day.

From Quiz Inspirations for Classic Broadway Musicals

Answer: Gaston Leroux

An unfamiliar name to most

From Quiz No New Tale To Tell

Answer: Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe

Opening on Broadway in 1956, "My Fair Lady" ran for six and a half years, a record at that time. "Pygmalion", inspired by the tale of a sculptor who fell in love with one of his statues, was successfully filmed in both German and English in the 1930s, but Shaw had expressly forbidden the production of a musical version. Following Shaw's death in 1950, Alan Jay Lerner was asked by the owner of the film rights to produce a musical adaptation. "My Fair Lady" is closer to the 1938 British film of "Pygmalion" than to the stage play.

From Quiz Many Musicals Started Out as Something Else

Answer: Ruth's pregnancy

For reasons I cannot determine, Ruth's pregnancy and her considering an abortion are not part of the storyline in the musical "Raisin."

From Quiz A Broadway Musical By Any Other Name

Answer: My Fair Lady

While working on the musical version of "Pygmalion," lyricist Alan Jay Lerner came upon the word "Fanforan," which means braggart. He thought it suited the character of Henry Higgins perfectly and wanted to use it as the title of the musical. Composer Frederick Loewe didn't like it, and it was decided to call the new show "My Fair Lady."

From Quiz Original Or Not? II

Answer: A novel

"Ragtime" is based upon a 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow, and opened in January of 1998.

From Quiz Original or Not?

Answer: A movie

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" was based on the 1988 movie starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. It is about two con men who make a bet which says whoever can raise 50 grand first gets to stay in town, and the other has to leave forever.

From Quiz Musicals' Literary Origins

Answer: "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

This musical, which also draws from Thomas Mallory's legendary epic "Le Morte d'Arthur," became linked to the Kennedy administration, having been a favorite of President Kennedy and his wife.

From Quiz Which Came First - Movie or Play?

Answer: movie

There have been five 'Phantom' movies, including a silent movie in 1925. There have been five 'Phantom' novels, including the original by Gaston Leroux, a romance called 'Phantom' by Susan Kay, 'Phantom of Manhattan' by Fredrick Forsyth, and 'Progeny.' I am unsure of the author of this novel and the name and author of the fifth novel. Fredrick Forsyth's and the last two are all sequels. And the crime of all crimes - Antonio Banderas signed a contract in 1998 to play the title role in 'Phantom of the Opera' the motion picture-musical. Sarah Brightman refuses to star as Christine Daae and I am currently unsure about Steve Barton as Raoul, Victome de Chagny.

From Quiz Inspirations for Classic Broadway Musicals

Answer: James Barrie

Barrie had a tough life - plenty of room for fantasy. Baum did 'Wizard of Oz'. Dodgson is better known as Lewis Carroll

From Quiz No New Tale To Tell

Answer: Oliver!

Lionel Bart's musical based on "Oliver Twist" opened in London in 1960 and on Broadway in 1963. Future Monkee Davy Jones appeared in both productions. Carol Reed directed the 1968 film version, which was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won six, including Best Film and Best Director. "Pickwick", a musical version of "The Pickwick Papers" starring Harry Secombe in the title role, ran for two years in London before having a brief Broadway run in 1965. "Scrooge", a musical film version of "A Christmas Carol" with Albert Finney in the title role, was released in 1970 and was nominated for four Oscars but won none. "Drood", a musical version of Dickens' unfinished novel "The Mystery of Edwin Drood, became the first Broadway musical with multiple endings. Opening in 1985, it won five Tony Awards.

From Quiz Many Musicals Started Out as Something Else

Answer: Magnolia, Ellie, Kim

In the novel, Cap'n Andy passes away when Kim is a toddler. Gaylord dies after deserting Magnolia. Parthy passes away just before the end of the novel. So, the only major characters left are Magnolia, Ellie, and Kim. Magnolia would be somewhere in her 60s and Ellie would be in her 70s at this point.

From Quiz A Broadway Musical By Any Other Name

Answer: Dolly: A Damned Exasperating Woman

Believe it or not, the announcement that a musical version of "The Matchmaker" would be produced on Broadway stated the new show would have the rather complex title of "Dolly!: A Damned Exasperating Woman." By the way, the same announcement stated that the new show was going to star Elaine Stritch.

From Quiz Original or Not?

Answer: A book

"Wicked" was based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire book of the same title, which was based on the movie and book series "The Wizard of Oz". The musical is basically about the Wicked Witch of the West, and her friendship with Glinda the Good Witch.

From Quiz Musicals' Literary Origins

Answer: "Berlin Stories" by Christopher Isherwood

The character of the Master of Ceremonies (brilliantly played both on Broadway and on film by Joel Grey) was a concept of original producer-director Harold Prince to help tie all the various stories together.

From Quiz Which Came First - Movie or Play?

Answer: movie

There are six movies, five of which were produced before the musical. The most recent stars Liam Nieson as Jean Valjean, Uma Thurman as Fantine, Geoffrey Rush as Javert, and Claire Danes as Cosette Fauchlevent, also referred in the novel as Madamoiselle Euphrasie Fauchlevent. M. Fauchlevent is the man whom Valjean saved from under a cart and with whom Valjean and Cosette live at the end. Her actual last name (that being Fantine's last name) is never mentioned.

From Quiz Inspirations for Classic Broadway Musicals

Answer: Thornton Wilder

The story was 'The Matchmaker'

From Quiz No New Tale To Tell

Answer: Half a Sixpence

Starring Tommy Steele as Arthur Kipps, "Half a Sixpence" opened in London in 1963. It transferred to Broadway in 1965, running for over 500 performances. Steele also starred in the 1967 film version, with Julia Foster as Ann, the girl with whom Kipps halves a sixpence before acquiring his fortune.

From Quiz Many Musicals Started Out as Something Else

Answer: The puppets had Paul's voices and were various components of his personality

It is not until the end of "Carnival" that Lili discovers that her friends the puppets are just extensions of various personality components of Paul, the puppeteer, who she hates. In the film "Lili", she comes to this realization much earlier. In a dream-like ballet sequence about three-fourths into the movie, she dances with a life-size version of each puppet and each one turns into Paul.

From Quiz A Broadway Musical By Any Other Name

Answer: Away We Go!

When "Oklahoma!" opened out of town, its first title was "Away We Go!," which is a square dance call. Nobody cared for that title and it was decided to rename the show "Oklahoma" after the rousing number in the show. An exclamation point was added so people wouldn't think the show was about the "okies" in "The Grapes of Wrath."

From Quiz Original Or Not? II

Answer: A novel

The musical was based on the novel "My Love, My Love" by Rosa Guy. It opened in October 1990.

From Quiz Musicals' Literary Origins

Answer: "The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare

Using the play within a play style, Cole Porter's musical follows divorced couple Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham as they try to put on a musical version of Shakespeare's classic.

From Quiz Which Came First - Movie or Play?

Answer: musical

The movie starred Michael Douglass as Zach, the choreographer.

From Quiz Inspirations for Classic Broadway Musicals

Answer: Puccini

Madam Butterfly

From Quiz No New Tale To Tell

Answer: P G Wodehouse

Reginald Jeeves, valet to Bertie Wooster, made his first appearance in the short story "Extricating Young Gussie", by P G Wodehouse, in 1915. An incredibly prolific writer, Wodehouse provided lyrics for a number of musical comedies. His best known song is probably "Bill" from the Jerome Kern musical "Show Boat". Based on various Wodehouse stories and with book and lyrics by Alan Ayckbourne, "Jeeves" opened in London in 1975, but closed after a month. A revised version of the musical, renamed "By Jeeves", opened in 1996 and enjoyed greater success.

From Quiz Many Musicals Started Out as Something Else

Answer: Prostitute

Cabiria, the female lead of "Le Notti de Cabiria," was a prostitute. In the stage musical "Sweet Charity," the female lead's occupation was changed to taxi-dancer to soften the character and make her more sympathetic. However, it was heavily implied in "Sweet Charity" that the taxi-dancers did prostitute themselves with some of their clients at the Fan-Dango ballroom.

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Last Updated Apr 13 2024 5:48 AM

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