Who Writes This Stuff? Trivia Quiz

Answer: William Shakespeare

"The Taming of the Shrew", which scholars date to around 1592, is among the earliest comedies attributed to William Shakespeare (1564-1616), who would go on to create the most influential body of dramatic writing in the English language. The play's debate‑sparking portrait of courtship has inspired adaptations from opera to modern film, and its lively, rough‑edged, and structurally unusual text remains a favourite of directors drawn to inventive reinterpretation.

Answer: Oscar Wilde

"The Importance of Being Earnest", first produced on February 14, 1895, represents the height of Oscar Wilde's (1854-1900) theatrical career, arriving just as his public reputation was about to be undone by scandal. Wilde was already celebrated for three earlier social comedies, but this play's refined wit and brilliantly structured frivolity secured its place as his masterpiece. Though its initial run was cut short by his legal troubles, it has since become a cornerstone of English‑language theatre, revived continually for its brisk dialogue and razor‑sharp satire of Victorian manners.

Answer: Joseph Kesselring

"Arsenic and Old Lace", which opened on Broadway in January 1941, was the most successful work of Joseph Kesselring (1902-1967), a playwright whose career otherwise included more serious and less enduring dramas. Encouraged by producers to emphasize farce, Kesselring reshaped his early drafts into a macabre yet light-footed comedy whose rapid-fire plotting made it a long-running hit.

Its popularity was such that Frank Capra's 1944 film adaptation was withheld until the stage production had completed its extended run.

Answer: Noël Coward

"Blithe Spirit", which premiered in 1941, reflects the singular comedic style of Noël Coward (1899-1973), already a prolific playwright, songwriter, performer, and director by the time he penned this ghostly drawing‑room farce. Coward later remarked that he wrote the play in a matter of days while ill - an origin story that has only enhanced the piece's mystique. One of his biggest wartime hits, it remains a favourite for its blend of urbane dialogue, supernatural mischief, and Coward's trademark lightness of touch.

Answer: Mary Chase

Premiering on November 1, 1944, "Harvey" brought national acclaim to Mary Chase (1906-1981), who became only the fourth woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, awarded to her in 1945. Though she later wrote for both stage and children's literature, it was "Harvey" that secured her lasting reputation, thanks to its gentle absurdity and warmly sympathetic portrayal of eccentricity.

Its enormous success inspired multiple adaptations, including the well‑known 1950 film starring James Stewart.

Answer: Neil Simon

"The Odd Couple", which debuted on Broadway on March 10, 1965, further solidified the prominence of Neil Simon (1927-2018), who became one of the most commercially successful playwrights in American history. Simon revised the script extensively during tryouts, guided in part by critic Elliot Norton's suggestion that the Pigeon Sisters reappear in the final act - a change Simon credited with strengthening the play's structure. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Author, the play's success led to a 1968 film, a long‑running television series, and numerous later adaptations.

Answer: Tom Stoppard

"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead", first performed at the 1966 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, was the breakout work of Tom Stoppard (1937-2025), launching a career defined by intellectual humour, linguistic virtuosity, and philosophical playfulness.

His reimagining of Shakespeare's minor characters from "Hamlet" drew comparisons to Beckett while remaining distinctly his own, weaving theatrical wit together with existential dread. Its Broadway transfer earned the 1968 Tony Award for Best Play, establishing Stoppard as a leading voice in modern drama.

Answer: Michael Frayn

"Noises Off", which premiered in 1982, exemplifies the comic engineering of Michael Frayn (b. 1933), a writer whose multifaceted career includes journalism, fiction, philosophy, and drama. The idea for the comedy famously came to Frayn while watching one of his plays from the wings and realizing that the backstage disorder was funnier than the onstage action. Though it collected no major awards at its debut, its precisely choreographed chaos and escalating farce have made it one of the most frequently revived comedies of the modern stage.

Answer: Ken Ludwig

"Lend Me a Tenor", premiering on March 6, 1986, established Ken Ludwig (b. 1950) as a major contemporary farceur, the first of many successes in a career that would later include Broadway hits, West End productions, and internationally produced comedies. Ludwig's meticulous comic rhythm - rooted partly in his love of opera - helped the play earn nine Tony nominations and secure wins for Best Direction and Best Actor.

Its fast-paced mayhem and mistaken identities have made it a favourite among theatre companies worldwide.

Answer: James Ijames

"Fat Ham", which premiered digitally on April 23, 2021, showcases the bold contemporary voice of James Ijames (b. 1980), a playwright whose work often blends classical foundations with explorations of Black identity, queerness, and cycles of inherited trauma. Created for the Wilma Theater during the Covid pandemic, the play swiftly moved Off-Broadway and then to Broadway, drawing widespread critical acclaim.

In 2022, Ijames received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the play's subsequent Tony Award nominations cemented its status as a major reimagining of "Hamlet" for the twenty-first century.