An Alphabet of Musicals: K-R Trivia Quiz

Answer: The King and I

"The King and I" made its Broadway debut in 1951. It was based on a 1944 novel called "Anna and the King of Siam", a fictionalised account of governess Anna Leonowens and her role attending to the children of the then king of Siam (now Thailand), King Mognkut.

The Broadway musical was a huge hit, winning Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actress and Best Featured Actor and originally running for over 1,200 performances.

Answer: False

Initial reviews from London critcs were poor, calling it 'witless', 'synthetic' and 'melodrama' (among other things). Regardless, the show sold out during its first three months and it went on to have its 25th Anniversary concert in 2010, and in doing so became the second-longest continually-running West End production (behind "The Mousetrap").

Some literary critics also gave it negative reviews due to their resistance towards turning classical literature into this format.

Answer: Adapted from films

"The Lion King" was a 1997 Broadway production based on the 1994 film; it was a Tim Rice and Elton John collaboration. "The Little Mermaid" first played on Broadway in 2008; while it took several songs from the 1989 film, it also included some expanded versions of songs and added several others. "Little Miss Sunshine" was an Off-Broadway show premiering in 2013; it was based on the non-musical film from 2006.

Answer: Miss America

"Miss 1917" was (as the title suggests) a 1917 Broadway Revue production featuring songs from popular musicals of the time, including "Babes in Toyland" and "The Wizard of Oz". "Miss Liberty" premiered in 1949 on Broadway and is based on the story around the sculpting of the Statue of Liberty (which happened in 1886). "Miss Saigon" is a production first appearing at London's West End; having its basis in the Puccini opera "Madame Butterfly", it follows the tragic love story of a Vietnam soldier and the woman he meets while serving in the war.

Answer: False

The correct title is "No, No, Nanette". It was in fact based on a play called "My Lady Friends" from just 6 years prior. The story is a comedy following the antics of three couples and a frivolous young lady (Nanette) who joins them for an interesting time in Atlantic City.

Answer: Oliver!

"Oliver!" premiered at the West End in 1960, along with its title exclaiming the name (a popular option for 'O' musicals, as it turns out). It follows the story of an orphan who escapes life in the workhouse, only to take up with a band of thieves, but eventually finds a kindly benefactor who takes Oliver under his wing.

Answer: The Phantom of the Opera

While Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 adaptation of the Gaston Leroux novel of the same name is the best known, it was in fact not the first. There was a previous adaptation, also premiering at the West End in 1976. The story follows a woman named Christine and her fascination with a deformed but brilliant musical prodigy.

Answer: Porgy and Bess

"Porgy and Bess" was a somewhat controversial production when it premiered in 1935. It was the first major production to feature a cast of African-American singers, and many critics were concerned about the stereotype of black Americans portrayed in the musical. Despite mixed reviews on its debut, the production became a big success, leading to its adaptation into a 1959 film.

Answer: True

"Quilters" was a short-run musical of 24 performances. It was about the lives of a group of American female pioneers. Based on the Patricia Cooper novel, "The Quilters: Women and Domestic Arts", the show followed six separate stories which came together at the end (like the patchwork in a quilt).

Answer: Rent

"Rent", written by Jonathon Larson, is a story about a poor group of artists living in New York and dealing with the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. After a quiet off-Broadway premiere in the mid 1990s, it made it to Broadway in 1996.