Shakespeare in Musicals Trivia Quiz

Answer: Return to the Forbidden Planet

"The Tempest" (c. 1610) is one of Shakespeare's final plays. Often classed as a comedy, it is somewhat more grim than many of Shakespeare's other comedies. Much of the play is set on a remote island ruled over by the magic-wielding Prospero.

"Return to the Forbidden Planet" (1990) is based on the 1956 science-fiction movie "Forbidden Planet" which is based on "The Tempest". Created by director Bob Carlton, "Return to the Forbidden Planet" is a jukebox musical, including a number of 1950s and 1960s rock songs.

Answer: The Boys From Syracuse

"The Comedy of Errors" (c. 1594) is one of Shakespeare's most "laugh-out-loud" comedies, full of puns and slapstick. The plot focuses on two pairs of identical twins who have been separated from each other since infancy. "The Comedy of Errors" itself is based on "Menaechmi', by the Roman playwright, Plautus.

"The Boys From Syracuse" was based on "The Comedy of Errors". The 1938 musical had music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart. The musical's original run on Broadway was 235 performances. "This Can't Be Love" may be the best-known song from the show.

Answer: Kiss Me, Kate

"The Taming of the Shrew" (c. 1592) focuses on a family where the younger daughter cannot marry her lover before the older daughter is herself married. The comedy is somewhat controversial due to the question of whether it should be considered misogynistic or not. The play has been frequently adapted for stage, television, and screen.

"Kiss Me, Kate", based on "The Taming of the Shrew", won the first Tony Award for Best Musical. With songs by Cole Porter, "Kiss Me, Kate" ran for 1,077 performances. The plot revolved around a group of actors who were in a production of "The Taming of the Shrew".

Answer: All Shook Up

"Twelfth NIght" (c. 1601) was also called "What You Will". It tells the story of twin siblings who were separated by a shipwreck. The 2006 film "She's the Man" is a modern adaptation of "Twelfth Night".

"All Shook Up" (2005), with a book by Joey DiPietro, is a jukebox musical which draws on the songs associated with Elvis Presley. Its original Broadway run lasted for 213 performances. The musical resets the story in the US Midwest in the 1950s.

Answer: West Side Story

"Romeo and Juliet" (c. 1593), a tragedy, is one of Shakespeare's best known plays. The story follows the tale of two young lovers who are seemingly kept apart by fate and by their families. Many in the audience may forget that Romeo and Juliet are not adults or even near-adults, but in their mid-teens.

"West Side Story" (1957) ran for 732 performances in its initial Broadway run. Leonard Bernstein wrote the music and Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics. The setting is moved to New York City and adds cultural differences separating the two main groups in the musical.

Answer: Rosalind

"As You Like It" was written about 1599. In the play's story, the heroine Rosalind flees to the Forest of Arden to avoid persecution in her uncle's court. Though one of Shakespeare's popular comedies, it has received mixed reviews from critics.

"Rosalind" (1938) was an attempt to adapt "As You Like It" as an opera. Florence Wickham wrote the music and lyrics for the opera which opened in New York. The premiere of the opera was sponsored by Eleanor Roosevelt, a friend of Florence Wickham.

Answer: Babes in the Woods

Fluctuating love seems to be the theme of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (c. 1595), as who is in love with whom changes both among humans and among fairies. This is my personal favorite Shakespearean play, perhaps because I had the chance to play Peter Quince in a production that was showing various Shakespearean scenes. While some characters temporarily gain the head of a donkey, no one dies.

"Babes in the Woods" (1964), with music and lyrics by Rick Besoyan, ran for about six weeks off-Broadway. Besoyan also served as the show's director. The cast included Ruth Buzzi as Helena.

Answer: These Paper Bullets

Another comedy of romantic connections, "Much Ado About Nothing" (c. 1599) was set in the Italian town of Messina. Verbal secrets and trickery form a large part of the plot and action of the play. This is one of Shakespeare's plays that includes a majority of the lines in prose.

"Much Ado About Nothing" was adapted as a musical comedy called "These Paper Bullets" (2015) by Rolin Jones. The production included songs written by Billy Joe Armstrong, the front man of Green Day. The setting of the play was moved to London.

Answer: Desperate Measures

"Measure for Measure" (c. 1604) is set in Vienna and includes plenty of word play and irony. The comedy is sometimes classed as a "problem play" since it includes a number of elements of tragedy. The duke of Vienna has to leave on a diplomatic mission and leaves his assistant to temporarily take charge of things.

"Desperate Measures" (2004) was adapted from "Measure for Measure". The book and lyrics were by Peter Kellogg and the music was by David Freedman. The setting was moved to Arizona around the year 1900.

Answer: Catch My Soul

One of Shakespeare's best known tragedies, "Othello" (1603) is set in Venice. The characters of Othello, Iago, and Desdemona are all among the better-known ones of Shakespeare. The play includes a look at the issues of jealousy and race.

"Catch My Soul" has lyrics by Jack Good and music by Ray Pohlman and Emil Dean Zoghby. Productions have been mounted in both the UK and the US. Jack Good himself originally portrayed Othello.