A Broadway Musical By Any Other Name Quiz

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."

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."

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.

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."

Answer: My Man

The musical based on the life story of Fanny Brice was first announced as "My Man," the title of probably her most famous song. When rights to the song proved to be unavailable, the show was renamed "Funny Girl."

Answer: The Apple Tree

"The Apple Tree," an evening of three one-act musicals, was known as "Come Back! Go Away! I Love You!" during part of its gestation period. It was eventually renamed "The Apple Tree", referring to its first musical, "The Diary of Adam and Eve."

Answer: I Picked a Daisy

"On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" started out as a collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Alan Jay Lerner with the title "I Picked a Daisy." When Rodgers dropped out to be replaced by Burton Lane, the show then received its new name.

Answer: Mame

For a while, the creators thought of calling the musical version of "Auntie Mame" "My Best Girl" (after one of the songs in the show); until it was decided to call it simply "Mame."

Answer: Joy Comes To Dead Horse

When Harvey Jones and Tom Schmidt first conceived a story of two families who build a wall between their families to bring their children closer together, it was to be set on neighboring ranches in Texas. (Jones and Schmidt are both Texans.) The title they choose was "Joy Comes To Dead Horse."

Answer: East Side Story

"West Side Story" was first conceived as a story about Jewish and Irish families fighting around Passover/Easter Time, with the title "East Side Story." It was decided to make the story more relevant and it was set among warring native born Americans and Puerto Ricans with the title "West Side Story."

Answer: At The Grand

"Grand Hotel" began its out of town tryout in the 1950s under the title "At The Grand." At that point, it was a star vehicle for Paul Muni. That version never made it to Broadway. It was revamped (with new songs) and was finally presented on Broadway in the 1980s.

Answer: Tell Me More!

The 1920s Gershwin musical "Tell Me More!" was first known as "My Fair Lady." It even had a song with that title, based on the music in the nursery rhyme, "London Bridge is Falling Down."

Answer: Stars in Your Eyes

It was Joshua Logan, the director, who insisted that all the satire in "Swing To The Left" be dropped and engineered it into the more bland "Stars In Your Eyes."

Answer: The Girls Upstairs

Stephen Sondheim and James Godlman's surreal musical "Follies" began left as a murder mystery which involved some murdered Follies showgirls, "The Girls Upstairs."

Answer: Holly Golightly

The musical version of Truman Capote's novella "Breakfast at Tiffany's" began life with the title "Holly Golightly," the lead character. Along the way, the entire book was jettisoned and replaced with a new one by Edward Albee. At the same time, the title reverted back to the title of its source. Eula Mae was Holly's real name; "Moon River" was the hit song used in the film version of the novella.

Answer: Married Alive

"Darling of the Day" was known for a brief time as "Married Alive." When the title was changed, book writer Nunnally Johnson's name was also removed from the credits. It opened on Broadway with no one being credited for the book, never a good sign.

Answer: Fade Out--Fade In

The Broadway musical "Fade Out--Fade In" which starred Carol Burnett was first announced with the title "A Girl to Remember." "Fade Out--Fade In" is probably remembered today for the constant squabbles Miss Burnett had with the show's producers.

Answer: Scarlett

Believe it or not, the musical "Gone With The Wind" had its world premiere in Tokyo. It was performed in Japanese with the title "Scarlett." It then was played in London (by now in English) under the title "Gone With the Wind." This produced toured the United States but never made it to Broadway.

In the American production, Pernell Roberts was Rhett and Lesley Ann Warren Scarlett. The score contains such songs as "Two of a Kind," "Blissful Christmas," and of course "Tomorrow Is Another Day."

Answer: Gowns By Roberta

"Roberta" was based on a novel titled "Gowns By Roberta," which was also its first title. At first, the show got negative reviews, but Jerome Kern's score (which included "Yesterdays" and "I'll Be Hard To Handle") charmed audiences and the show became a hit. "I Won't Dance" was written for the film version of "Roberta."

Answer: Shine It On

"The Act" was known prior to Broadway as "Shine it On," one of its songs. "The Act" was not a success. Even Liza Minnelli's fanbase (which then was quite large) were dismayed that she only performed in the show seven times a week and lip-synched some of the numbers. In addition, most of the songs were mediocre anyway.

Answer: 110 in the Shade

When the musical version of "The Rainmaker" was first announced, it was with the title "Rainbow." The musical, retitled "110 in the Shade," is about a man who brings rain to a town suffering from a physical and emotional drought. It was received modestly in the 1960s, but has had two major revivals in New York--in 1997 and 2007 and seems to be accepted now as a minor classic in musical theatre.

Answer: Shrew

When "Kiss Me, Kate" was in rehearsals, the musical was known as "Shrew." (Which is also the name of the show-within-a-show that is being performed.) The actual title for the show was formulated when someone noticed that Cole Porter had written the lyrics "Kiss Me, Kate" for the musical's finale.

Answer: Hot-Cha!

This show was called "Hot-Cha!" (a popular slang expression of the time) when it reached Broadway. Ziegfeld reluctantly kept the phrase "Laid in Mexico" as a subtitle.

Answer: Life Begins At 8:40

The Shuberts titled the show "Life Begins At 8:40." (8:40 was then the time Broadway shows began.) The Shuberts did eventually obtain rights to the title "Ziegfeld Follies" and presented musicals with that title in the 1930s and 1940s.

Answer: Sally

The revised and revamped "The Little Thing" was titled "Sally," after its leading female character. In the early 1920s, it was vogue to title musicals after the heroine. Besides "Sally," there was "Irene," "Mary," and who could forget "Sally, Irene and Mary?" :-)

Thank you for playing my quiz! I hope you enjoyed taking it as much as I had researching it!