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Kander & Ebb Trivia Quiz

This is a quiz about the musical theatre songwriting team of Kander and Ebb. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by Mrs_Seizmagraff. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
Mrs_Seizmagraff

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
183,753

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
11 / 20

Plays
283

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. One of John Kander's first professional jobs in New York City was with the 1959 musical "Gypsy". What was his role? Hint

Lyricist

Dance music arranger

Rehearsal Pianist

Assistant choreographer

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Question 2 of 20

2. Before Kander and Ebb had a show on Broadway, they had a hit popular song. What was that song? Hint

Coffee in a Cardboard Cup

Maybe This Time

My Coloring Book

And the World Goes Round

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Question 3 of 20

3. What was Kander and Ebb's first Broadway show? Hint

Flora, the Red Menace

Cabaret

New York, New York

The Happy Time

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Question 4 of 20

4. Fill in the lyric from the opening song of "Zorba": "Life is what you do while you're waiting to ______."

Answer: (One Word. Something everyone is waiting for...)

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Question 5 of 20

5. What song from "Cabaret" did a prominent Jewish leader urge Kander and Ebb to cut, claiming that it was an actual NAZI anthem? Hint

Cabaret

Maybe This Time

Tomorrow Belongs to Me

Mein Herr

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Question 6 of 20

6. Jill Haworth, who created the role of Sally Bowles in the original 1966 production of "Cabaret", was not Kander and Ebb's first choice for the role.

True

False

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Question 7 of 20

7. What year was a "Happy Time" for Kander and Ebb on Broadway? Hint

1967

1968

1969

1970

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Question 8 of 20

8. 1971 saw the biggest Kander and Ebb floperoo, "70 Girls, 70". Which of the following songs came from this 1971 fiasco? Hint

Arthur in the Afternoon

The Pineapple Song

Yes

I Remember Mama

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Question 9 of 20

9. Who starred as Billy Flynn in the original 1975 production of "Chicago"?

Answer: (Two words. Think "Law and Order")

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Question 10 of 20

10. Another "Chicago" question: What is "understandable", according to Mary Sunshine and Billy Flynn? Hint

Velma's shooting her husband

Roxie's defence

Billy's legal fees

Amos thinking he is "Mr. Cellophane"

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Question 11 of 20

11. 1977's "The Act" won Liza another Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical. Which of the following songs is NOT from "The Act"? Hint

Shine It On

Coloured Lights

Bobo's

City Lights

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Question 12 of 20

12. What was Lauren Bacall in 1981? Hint

Coco

Woman of the Year

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer

The Madwoman of Central Park West

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Question 13 of 20

13. Who is the voice of the animated cat on the recording of Kander and Ebb's 1981 musical? Hint

Lauren Bacall

John Kander

Fred Ebb

Harry Guardino

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Question 14 of 20

14. 1984's "The Rink" was originally intended as a vehicle for Liza Minnelli.

True

False

15. Kander and Ebb songs are often quite biting and full of double meanings. One of my favourite songs is from "The Rink" called "What happened to the old days?". According to the ladies who sing this song, what happens if you see some boy with bulging trousers? Hint

You shouldn't expect a wedding ring

You'd better run

He's got a gun

He's shoplifted something

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Question 16 of 20

16. In 1991 the revue "And the World Goes 'Round" debuted off-Broadway, introducing us to many previously unheard Kander and Ebb songs, including one about this fictional food character: Hint

Aunt Jemima

Betty Crocker

Sara Lee

Uncle Ben

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Question 17 of 20

17. "Kiss of the Spider Woman" was tried out extensively before finally landing on Broadway in 1993. Name ONE of the two cities it tried out pre-Broadway:

Answer: (One Word. One is in Canada, one is in the UK)

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Question 18 of 20

18. "Life's a party, why don't you come to the Steel Pier?" 1997 was the last time Broadway saw a new Kander and Ebb musical, "Steel Pier". The opening number, quoted above, was compared by critics to which other Kander and Ebb song? Hint

Coloured Lights

Cabaret

Wilkommen

Arthur in the Afternoon

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Question 19 of 20

19. In 1999, Kander and Ebb's new musical "Over and Over" premiered at the Signature Theatre in Washington, DC. What play was the basis for this musical? Hint

The Skin of our Teeth

Curtains

Our Town

A Streetcar Named Desire

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Question 20 of 20

20. In 2001, "The Visit" premiered at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, starring the immortal Chita Rivera. Chita was not the original leading lady that Kander and Ebb had in mind, however. Who was she? Hint

Angela Lansbury

Jill Haworth

Liza Minnelli

Glenn Close

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. One of John Kander's first professional jobs in New York City was with the 1959 musical "Gypsy". What was his role?

Answer: Dance music arranger

"Gypsy" has music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. John Kander arranged the dance music.

2. Before Kander and Ebb had a show on Broadway, they had a hit popular song. What was that song?

Answer: My Coloring Book

"My Colouring Book" was featured on an early 1960s TV variety show and became an instant hit. It was later featured in the 1991 revue of Kander and Ebb songs, "And the World Goes Round".

3. What was Kander and Ebb's first Broadway show?

Answer: Flora, the Red Menace

"Flora" starred a then unknown Liza Minnelli, and began Kander and Ebb's long relationship with her. George Abbot (the show's director) initially did not want Minnelli, but when the girl he had cast as Flora dropped out, Kander and Ebb (and producer Hal Prince) got their way and cast Minnelli. The show was a flop, but earned Liza her first Tony.

4. Fill in the lyric from the opening song of "Zorba": "Life is what you do while you're waiting to ______."

Answer: die

"Zorba" was first on Broadway in 1968, and revived in 1983 starring Anthony Quinn. This was the first Kander/Ebb show Chita Rivera did, she starred in the 1968 touring version.

5. What song from "Cabaret" did a prominent Jewish leader urge Kander and Ebb to cut, claiming that it was an actual NAZI anthem?

Answer: Tomorrow Belongs to Me

Kander's eerie refrain certainly evokes NAZI imagery (as it was intended), however it was all his own composition. The leader was insistent that the song was an actual NAZI propaganda song. "Tomorrow belongs to me" remained in, however a line in the song "If you could see her" was changed to bow to pressure from Jewish groups.

This line was reinstated to the original in the 1987 and 1998 revivals.

6. Jill Haworth, who created the role of Sally Bowles in the original 1966 production of "Cabaret", was not Kander and Ebb's first choice for the role.

Answer: True

Kander and Ebb wrote the role with Liza in mind, but Hal Prince wanted a British actress and cast Haworth. Liza ended up immortalizing the role on film in the 1971 Fosse film version, which also won her an Academy Award.

7. What year was a "Happy Time" for Kander and Ebb on Broadway?

Answer: 1968

"The Happy Time", a forgettable musical set in Quebec, played Broadway in 1968, the same year as "Zorba". It starred Robert Goulet.

8. 1971 saw the biggest Kander and Ebb floperoo, "70 Girls, 70". Which of the following songs came from this 1971 fiasco?

Answer: Yes

"Yes" was the finale, and was later incorporated into the revue "And The World Goes Round". The vamp in "Yes" is quite similar to that of "New York, New York".

9. Who starred as Billy Flynn in the original 1975 production of "Chicago"?

Answer: Jerry Orbach

Jerry was great in the role. He went on to star in the long running musical "42nd Street" which premiered in 1980, and of course TV's "Law and Order".

10. Another "Chicago" question: What is "understandable", according to Mary Sunshine and Billy Flynn?

Answer: Roxie's defence

The bridge in "We both reached for the gun" (which goes "understandable, understandable...") is the ONLY piece of music in the entire show in the meter 3/4.

11. 1977's "The Act" won Liza another Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical. Which of the following songs is NOT from "The Act"?

Answer: Coloured Lights

"The Act" is one of my favourite Kander and Ebb scores. The show focuses around the life of a nightclub singer and her act. The song "Coloured Lights" is from "The Rink".

12. What was Lauren Bacall in 1981?

Answer: Woman of the Year

"Woman of the Year" is absolutely hilarious! Bacall does an excellent job as Tess Harding, and won her second Tony for this role. "Coco" is a forgettable 1970s musical, "Madwoman..." was Phyllis Newman's 1980s one-woman show (Kander and Ebb contributed a song to that one) and "Chief Cook..." is a song from "The Rink".

13. Who is the voice of the animated cat on the recording of Kander and Ebb's 1981 musical?

Answer: Fred Ebb

Ebb is the voice you will hear on the recording of "Woman of the Year". Another example where the lyricist makes a cameo on the recording is in the original recording of "Gypsy" in which we hear Sondheim bellow, "You ain't getting 88 cents from me, Rose!"

14. 1984's "The Rink" was originally intended as a vehicle for Liza Minnelli.

Answer: False

"The Rink" was an original musical written with Chita Rivera in mind. When Ebb mentioned the project to Liza over lunch one day, she begged to be in it, because the role she was to play "didn't have one sequin" in it. Unfortunately, Liza was battling drug and alcohol addictions at the same time, and Stockard Channing took over her role midway into the short run.

Answer: He's got a gun

I love this song! It's sung by Chita Rivera and two male chorus members dressed as old women, lamenting the deterioration of the neighbourhood. "The Rink" also featured a then relatively unknown Jason Alexander (of "Seinfeld" fame).

16. In 1991 the revue "And the World Goes 'Round" debuted off-Broadway, introducing us to many previously unheard Kander and Ebb songs, including one about this fictional food character:

Answer: Sara Lee

Wouldn't a song about Aunt Jemima be a blast? I love "Sara Lee", it's a great song. "And the World Goes 'Round" starred Karen Ziemba, who would later appear in 1997's "Steel Pier".

17. "Kiss of the Spider Woman" was tried out extensively before finally landing on Broadway in 1993. Name ONE of the two cities it tried out pre-Broadway:

Answer: London

Chita Rivera, then in her 60s, never missed a performance of "Kiss of the Spider Woman" except for a six-month break in 1995 when Vanessa Williams took over the role. One journalist described her as "putting the 'sex' back in 'sexagenarian'".

Answer: Cabaret

"Life is a cabaret, old chum! Come to the Cabaret." The score of "Steel Pier" sounds tired, despite a few gems like "Everybody's Girl". Steel Pier lasted less than 80 performances.

19. In 1999, Kander and Ebb's new musical "Over and Over" premiered at the Signature Theatre in Washington, DC. What play was the basis for this musical?

Answer: The Skin of our Teeth

"Over and Over" never made it to Broadway and to date I don't think there are any plans for a recording. It starred the late great Dorothy Louden as the stage manager.

Answer: Angela Lansbury

Angela attended several workshops of "The Visit" but had to bow out due to her husband's illness. It would have been incredible to see her work with Kander and Ebb, as she has worked with some of the great musical theatre talents of this era; Jerry Herman ("Mame", "Dear World") and Stephen Sondheim ("Sweeney Todd"). "The Visit" was supposed to be on Broadway in 2004, but was cancelled late 2003 when a backer pulled out.

Source: Author Mrs_Seizmagraff

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