Broadway Flops Trivia Quiz

Answer: Breakfast at Tiffany's

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" was in such bad shape that the producer, David Merrick, closed it during previews rather than (in his own words) "subject the drama critics and the public to an excruciatingly boring evening." Somehow, a full studio cast recording emerged.

Answer: Wildcat

"Wildcat" in many people's opinion was never really given a fair chance by the public. It had a decent score (written by Cy Coleman, author of the music in "Sweet Charity" and "I Love My Wife"). Lucille Ball's Broadway debut unfortunately also became her last performance there.

Answer: That the image of Jesus on the Shroud of Turin was genuine

"Into the Light" was a musical written about the testing done on the Shroud of Turin. It also featured a side storyline about a scientist worried about his son's fantasy life. Tap dancing nuns and priests could hardly save this show.

Answer: Legs Diamond

"Legs Diamond" is based on the Warner Brothers movie "The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond". The film version is based on the life of criminal Jack Moran, whose alias was Jack "Legs" Diamond. Peter Allen had always wanted to take a show to Broadway; halfway through, he stated "I'm in show business! Only a critic can kill me now!" Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened.

Answer: Superman

Charles Strouse and Lee Adams (collaborators on shows such as "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Annie") produced six flop musicals during their careers. One of them was the musical "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman!" Eventually, it was adapted into a film, which did much better than the Broadway musical, although the musical was nominated for three Tony awards.

Answer: Big Deal

Bob Fosse, the bookwriter/choreographer of "Chicago" and the brilliant choreographer behind "Sweet Charity", "Pippin", and others, missed with this one. After a mere 69 performances, "Big Deal" shut down.

Answer: Merrily We Roll Along

"Merrily We Roll Along" was a play set in 1934 moving back steadily toward 1916; the revised musical version (with a Stephen Sondheim score to boot) started in 1980 and moved steadily back towards 1955.

Answer: The Yearling

"The Yearling", was adapted from a Gregory Peck movie under the same name about a boy who adopts a baby deer. The show lasted all of three performances and we can safely assume that the movie was much much better.

Answer: Pipe Dream

"Pipe Dream" was based on the Steinbeck story "Sweet Thursday". It tells the story of lonely people who find friendship and romance in a California town. However, this musical has the sad title of "Shortest Running Rodgers and Hammerstein Musical." Rodgers himself commented "If there were any tears in my eyes at opening night, it was because "Pipe Dream" was the weakest musical Oscar and I had ever done together."

Answer: Kelly

"Kelly" has one of Broadway's most terrible scores. It was considered the flop to end all flops until "Carrie" came along in 1988. If you want a laugh, I highly recommend trying to find the CD: there is a recording available. The opening number, "Ode to the Bridge" can't be missed: the title character sings a love song of sorts to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Answer: Raggedy Ann

"Raggedy Ann" failed primarily because it didn't really have an audience. Adults weren't interested in numbers such as "Gingham and Yarn" and "Rag Dolly".

Answer: Bye Bye Birdie

"Bye Bye Birdie" spawned a sequel entitled "Bring Back Birdie." Needless to say, it didn't do so well for a number of reasons. As with their other sequel, "Annie 2", almost all the characters in "Bye Bye Birdie" had reached a happy ending (and those that hadn't were eliminated from the sequel) and people were no longer interested in what happened to them.

Not to mention a bad score and spoiled stars: when Donald O'Connor, the actor playing the lead role of Albert Peterson, forgot the words to one of his songs, he begged the boys in the band for help.

When they wouldn't give it to him, he stormed off the stage shouting "I hated this song anyway!"

Answer: Charlie and Algernon

"Charlie and Algernon" was based on the story "Flowers for Algernon", a tale of a man who is mentally challenged and is given the opportunity to receive a surgery that will make him very intelligent. The process has also been tested on a mouse named Algernon. Charlie slowly gains intelligence, but is devestated to find that the operation is only temporary and might even cause death.

Answer: True

Believe it or not, a sequel was written to "Annie". The storyline concerns Annie's adoptive father, Oliver Warbucks, being ordered to find a mother for Annie or she'll be taken away from him. Rather than choosing his secretary and love, Grace, he organizes a contest to find her a mother. Meanwhile, Annie's meanspirited orphanage owner, Miss Hannigan, has escaped from jail and enters the contest, determined to become Annie's mother and make her life miserable. Needless to say, this show was poorly received.

Not only because Annie had a perfect ending in the first show, but also because the writers attempted to correct it so many times during its run! There is also another version of this sequel entitled "Annie Warbucks" that was a little bit better received.

Answer: Carrie

"Carrie" is the most expensive Broadway flop in history. Featuring goofy dialogue, costumes, and choreography, "Carrie" was buried by the critics. The sad thing is, many moments of "Carrie" are absolutely spectacular, particularly those between Carrie and her religious fanatic mother.

The score for those moments had very high quality; some of those songs are my personal favorites in all of musical theatre. However, it also had some of the campiest, cheesiest, and most terrible lyrics and music that have been heard. "Carrie" could definitely work if put into the right hands, but they definitely were not the hands of original director, Terry Hands. Well, that's my quiz. Hopefully you aspiring musical writers out there now know a few things to avoid! (For further details on "Carrie" I have a quiz on that as well)