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Quiz about Famous First Lines from Plays

Famous First Lines from Plays Trivia Quiz

These are the first lines spoken by a character in a play. I will tell you the character and you decide what that character said. Have fun with it!

A multiple-choice quiz by footlights. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
footlights

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
106,598

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
608

Last 3 plays: Guest 73 (3/10), AliTob (3/10), Guest 92 (4/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Sheridan Whiteside, the dreadful house guest in "The Man Who Came to Dinner", said this upon entering the stage. Hint

"Will someone answer the door"?

"I could vomit."

"Miss Preen!!!!"

"Quit playing with my pillows."

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Henry Albertson, the old actor in "The Fantasticks", says this upon entrance. Hint

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen."

"Down to business, you, sir, need players."

"Where may you be going my fiery eyed young friend?"

"Sir, the players have arrived."

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Eugene in "Brighton Beach Memoirs" says this as the lights come up. Hint

"Was I fresh?"

"In a minute Ma. This is for the World Series."

"One out, a man on, bottom of the seventh, two balls, no strikes."

"If only I was born Italian...All the best Yankees are Italian."

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. The Captain in Strindberg's "Dance of Death" utters this line. Hint

"Won't you play me a little something?"

"What does it matter? We don't give parties anyhow."

"Dear God, don't go on again."

"Oh, let's not talk about it."

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. In "I'm Not Rappaport" the main character Nat says this as curtain rises. Hint

"Mister?...Mister.....Mister?"

"That's a long and complicated story."

"Ok, where was I?"

"Honey bun, you sayin' you're a spy?"

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. After the opening song, "Call On Dolly", Carol Channing, as Dolly Gallagher Levy, said this line in the hit musical "Hello, Dolly". Hint

"Dolly Levi."

"I mean to say nothing, Mr Vandergelder."

"Congratulations, a thousand congratulations."

Oh, Mr Vandergelder, you're killing me."

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. The Stage Manager in "Our Town" says this when he enters for the first time. Hint

"The name of the town is Grovers Corners, New Hampshire."

"This play is called 'Our Town.'"

"It's about dawn."

"Want to tell you something about that boy."

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Sabina, the maid, in Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth" says this. Hint

"Every night this same anxiety about the master."

"Oh, oh, oh. Six o'clock and the master not home yet."

"This is a fine American home."

"Oh, why can't we have plays like we used to?"

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. The character of Henry Drummond in "Inherit the Wind." Hint

"Break him. Make him a private."

"Well, hold your horses Bannister. You may get it yet."

"The use of this title prejudices the case."

"Objection."

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. In "The Matchmaker" (before "Hello, Dolly") Dolly Levi says what line upon making her first entrance? Hint

"Mr Vandergelder is a very rich man."

"Good morning, darling girl. How are you?"

"Mr. Kemper."

"I meant to give you my other card. Here."

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Most Recent Scores

Mar 28 2024 : Guest 73: 3/10
Mar 23 2024 : AliTob: 3/10
Mar 01 2024 : Guest 92: 4/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Sheridan Whiteside, the dreadful house guest in "The Man Who Came to Dinner", said this upon entering the stage.

Answer: "I could vomit."

The character was modeled after the real life Alexander Woolcott. The part was played by Monte Wooley on Broadway and in the film. For a brief period of time, Woolcott himself took over the part in New York. He was playing himself.

2. Henry Albertson, the old actor in "The Fantasticks", says this upon entrance.

Answer: "Sir, the players have arrived."

The longest running musical in theatre history opened on May 3, 1960 at the Sullivan Street Playhouse and ran until February 2002 when it closed short of 42 years. Over 17,000 performances. It was financed at $16,500 and returned a profit of 13,000 per cent. For every $330 invested in the show in 1960 $45,000 was returned to the investor.

3. Eugene in "Brighton Beach Memoirs" says this as the lights come up.

Answer: "One out, a man on, bottom of the seventh, two balls, no strikes."

The first in Neil Simon's trilogy, this autobiographical play follows Eugene Jerome at the age of 15. Matthew Broderick made his first big hit on Broadway in 1983 with this show. He won a Tony Award for the role.

4. The Captain in Strindberg's "Dance of Death" utters this line.

Answer: "Won't you play me a little something?"

This seldom done play was revived on Broadway in October 2001. It starred Ian McKellan, Helen Mirren and David Strathairn.

5. In "I'm Not Rappaport" the main character Nat says this as curtain rises.

Answer: "Ok, where was I?"

Herb Gardner's play originally opened on Broadway on November 19, 1985 starring Judd Hirsch and Cleavon Little. It enjoyed a run of over a year. A recent revival this season was not as lucky. Hirsch returned to play Nat and Ben Vereen played Midge. Reviews were not good and it soon was history.

6. After the opening song, "Call On Dolly", Carol Channing, as Dolly Gallagher Levy, said this line in the hit musical "Hello, Dolly".

Answer: "Dolly Levi."

"Hello, Dolly", based on Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker", was the longest running musical in the 60's. Until "The Producers" last year, "Dolly" held the record for the most Tonys won.

7. The Stage Manager in "Our Town" says this when he enters for the first time.

Answer: "This play is called 'Our Town.'"

"Our Town" has been performed probably more than any other play since it was first produced on Broadway in 1938. High schools and community theatres worldwide have produced it. It is currently being revived on Broadway starring Paul Newman as the Stage Manager with a star-studded supporting cast.

They are all working for Union minimum. Newman is donating his salary to charity. The sold out run ends Jan 26th.

8. Sabina, the maid, in Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth" says this.

Answer: "Oh, oh, oh. Six o'clock and the master not home yet."

This classic had its Broadway premiere November 18, 1942 at the Plymouth Theatre. Tallulah Bankhead starred as Sabina with Florence Eldredge and Fredric March as Mr. and Mrs. Antrobus. A very young Montgomery Clift made his debut as their son.

9. The character of Henry Drummond in "Inherit the Wind."

Answer: "Well, hold your horses Bannister. You may get it yet."

Based on the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925, "Inherit the Wind" is a classic play. In its original version Paul Muni played Drummond and Ed Begley played Matthew Brady. Tony Randall was E. K. Hornbeck. It opened in 1955.

10. In "The Matchmaker" (before "Hello, Dolly") Dolly Levi says what line upon making her first entrance?

Answer: "Good morning, darling girl. How are you?"

Ruth Gordon was the original Dolly opening in "The Matchmaker" on Broadway in December 1955. Among other cast members were Eileen Herlie, Robert Morse and Arthur Hill. The film was made in 1957 with Shirley Booth as Dolly, Shirley MacLaine as Irene Molloy, Anthony Perkins as Cornelius Hackl and Robert Morse recreating his role as Barnaby Tucker.

Source: Author footlights

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ltc717 before going online.
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