Broadway Radio Trivia By Peter Filichia
Most every Sunday, I record a podcast on
broadwayradio.com , usually with my colleague Michael
Portantiere and always with our host James Marino. Some
years after we started doing it, James had the idea of me
asking either a trivia question or a brainteaser at the end of
each show.
It’s turned out to be a reasonably popular feature. Some
listeners are so hot to answer the question that they e-mail
me within a half-hour of the podcast’s going live.
As a result, I’ve come to know and respect such theatrical
savants as Steve Bell, Ron Fassler, Josh Israel, Cathy Jones,
Alex Lauer, Jake Leonard, Jack Leshner, Robert LoBiondo,
Alyssa Maher and Doug Strassler (they’re a couple), Deb
Poppell, Jed Slaughter, Daniel Schwartzberg, Jeff Vellenga
and Cary Winslow.
For those who haven’t tuned in, perhaps you’d like to play
now. Every question involves a musical whose cast album,
be it an original and/or a revival, can be found here at
Masterworks Broadway. See how well you do, and if you care to e-mail me the answers you know (or THINK you know), I’m at [email protected].
1–The film version of one of the earliest Tony-winning
musicals opened on a holiday. This scheduling showed that
the movie executives were keenly aware of its plot. What’s
the show and the holiday?
2–What do “It’s a Hit” from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG,
“The Rumor” from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, “One More Kiss”
from FOLLIES and “Only a Moment Ago” from NO, NO,
NANETTE all have in common?
3—What world-famous Broadway book musical had two
female lyricists?
4—What do these Tony-winning musicals have in common?
REDHEAD, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, HOW TO SUCCEED IN
BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, CABARET, COMPANY,
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, RAISIN, ANNIE, AIN’T
MISBEHAVIN’, SWEENEY TODD, JEROME ROBBINS’
BROADWAY, THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES, THE PRODUCERS,
HAIRSPRAY and KINKY BOOTS.
5—There’s a musical in which a woman played an editor.
When the film version was made, not only the title but also
the sex of the editor (and the lead) were changed. The irony
is that the actress who originated the role and the actor who
assumed it were in real life married. Name the musical,
movie, woman and man.
6–What do these musicals have in common? TWO’S
COMPANY, CALL ME MADAM, THE GIRL WHO CAME TO
SUPPER, FLOWER DRUM SONG, MAGGIE FLYNN and THE
GRAND TOUR?
7–Before this musical began its pre-Broadway tryout, one of
its songs was recorded by a best-selling singer. But en route
to Broadway, the decision was made to retain the melody
but rewrite the lyric to create a title song. When the film
version was made, the second lyric was retained but given a
new melody. What’s the show, the title song and the original
name?
8–What do ANNIE, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, ON THE TOWN
and PAL JOEY have in common?
9–In the 1970s, a 45 RPM single was made from an off-
Broadway cast album, but the name of the “group” that was
said to sing it was not a genuine group; the name of the
SHOW was used as the name of the ARTIST. What’s the
name of the musical and song?
10–In the 1970s, a musical trying out in New England had a
six-word title. The final five words were actually the name of
a song in the show. By the time the musical reached
Broadway, it had dropped those five words in its title but
retained the song. What was the original name of the show,
its eventual name and the song title?
11–During the run of MY FAIR LADY – from early 1956
through late 1962 – “I Could Have Danced All Night” was
heard eight times a week. But for part of that run, a
Broadway play used a little of that song. What was it?
12–In the 1960s, he was nominated for a Grammy for a
Tony-winning musical for which he didn’t write a word. In
the 1970s, he won a Tony for a musical for which he wrote
hundreds of words. Who is he and what are the shows?
13–Musicals are famous for title songs. What Tony-winning
musical has a title song only in a manner of speaking –
because the title is a foreign word. When translated into
English, it’s the name of the show’s third song. What’s the
foreign title, the English translation and the title of the song?
14–So when a Broadway musical has a popular title tune – a
la “Cabaret” or “The Sound of Music” – it’s expected to be
retained when the show is filmed. But one movie retained
the title song’s melody while omitting all the lyrics. What’s
the title song and name of the Broadway musical and film?
15–What two Tony-winners, who each won a Tony for the
same musical, shared the same birthday? They were born in
different years, yes, but they had the same birthday.
16–The opening number of a landmark Sondheim musical
actually happens to mention the title of an earlier Sondheim
musical. What’s the name of the song and both shows?
17–One Tony-winning musical that centered on a family saw
every member of the family win a Tony. Name the musical
and the Tony-winners.
18–What do these characters in musicals have in common?
Lily Garland, Joe Hardy, Paul San Marco, Signor Pirelli and
Sweeney Todd?
19–GUYS AND DOLLS was the first musical to open in the
1950s to win a Best Musical Tony – but another Tony-
winning musical from that decade actually had characters
known as “Guys and Dolls.” Which one was it?
20–What performer who appeared regularly on GREEN
ACRES also appeared in the film version of 1776?
21–MAME tells us that “The Man in the Moon is a Lady.” But
even more famous earlier musical had made the same
observation, although in dialogue. What’s that musical and
what character makes the observation?
22–Remember Henrik in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC? Why
wouldn’t he like “Bloody Mary” (SOUTH PACIFIC), “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” (MY FAIR LADY), “I’ve Got Your Number” (LITTLE ME), “Old Friends” (MERRILY WE
ROLL ALONG) and “Do It Alone” (PARADE).
23–Two Tony-winning musicals from different seasons
opened in the same calendar year and ran concurrently for a
long time. Each had a character that had the same
occupation. This was a featured character in the longer-
running of the two, and the lead in the shorter-running
musical. What are the shows, the characters’ names and the
occupations?
24–What do these songs have in common? “You’re the Top”
(ANYTHING GOES), “Do It the Hard Way” (PAL JOEY), “It’s a
Perfect Relationship” (BELLS ARE RINGING), “I Don’t Need
Anything but You” (ANNIE) and “A Moment with You”
(SATURDAY NIGHT).
25–In her first book musical on Broadway, she played two
distinctly different characters. In her second one, she played
four distinctly different characters. Who is she, what are the
names of the two musicals and the six characters?
26–What Tony-winning playwright designed the logo for a
musical that got a Tony for one of its leading performers?
27–In a world-famous musical, a group of men whistle a
famous 19th century song – not a song from a musical, but
a famous song from way-back-when. But this song just so
happens to have the exact same title of a song that was
written specifically for the show — but was sung by a group
of women. What’s the one name of both songs and the
show?
28–Many performers lie about their ages. Which Broadway
legend – one whose life story became a musical – fibbed
about his age the least?
29–A show that closed some months shy of becoming
Broadway’s longest-running musical shuttered ten years to
the day of the opening of a show that did become
Broadway’s longest-running musical. What are the two
shows?
30–What song — not show, mind you, but SONG — from a
1960’s musical that got unanimous raves (but lost the Best
Musical Tony) became a children’s picture book?
31–The melody that begins the overture of a 1940’s smash-
hit musical is also heard in the first-act finale of a 1960’s
smash hit musical. Cite the piece of music and the names of
both shows.
All answers will be given next week. Those of you who are
as smart as the fifteen people named above may not need
to tune in at all.
Peter Filichia also writes a column each Monday at
www.broadwayselect.com and each Friday at
www.mtishows.com . He can be heard most weeks of the
year on the Internet via www.broadwayradio.com .
