More Musical Summaries in Four Words Quiz

Answer: The Phantom of the Opera

One of the longest-running musicals in history, "The Phantom of the Opera" is based on a book by Gaston Leroux. In Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical version, a disfigured man secretly teaches young Christine to sing, falling in love with her. He shows he's not to be trifled with when others stand in Christine's way to fame.

The design of the Phantom's mask was altered to aid the actor's singing, though the original design still appears on posters.

Answer: The Mikado

Gilbert intended his operetta to comment on current British social mores, specifically on sexuality. The Mikado has outlawed flirting (punishable by death!) and betrothed his son to an older woman he doesn't love. The son disguises himself as a poor minstrel, secretly marries a girl, and wacky hijinks ensue.

The film "Topsy-Turvy" dramatizes the original production of the musical (and is an excellent film if you haven't seen it).

Answer: Cabaret

Bob Fosse helmed this musical based on the play "I Am a Camera". In the 1930s, the Nazis begin to come to power while various dramas unfold in the lives of a cabaret singer and a writer. The Emcee of the Kit Kat Klub tells the nightclub patrons that they should leave their troubles outside and enjoy the show.

In the 1972 film adaptation, the cabaret numbers explicitly mirror the action that takes place outside the club.

Answer: Footloose

Based on the 1984 film of the same named, "Footloose" is about a young man who moves to a town that has banned dancing, blaming it for the deaths of several students. He encourages the student population to rebel against this rule. Some of Kenny Loggin's songs return for the stage show, though some are rearranged: "Holding Out for a Hero" is now imagined as a fantasy concert whereas in the movie it plays over a bout of tractor chicken. Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford contributed more music and lyrics.

This is the only musical that I've performed in, though I only danced, since I can't sing (I mouthed the lines instead).

Answer: A Chorus Line

Marvin Hamlisch's musical that celebrates the lives of ordinary people is about an audition for dancers in a chorus. Some are young and looking for a big break; others are hoping for one last production before they're too old to dance. One of the famous songs is "One", which begins "One singular sensation." Since "one" is necessarily singular, it's a bit of a tautology, though grammar rules can be stretched in the name of poetry, I suppose.

Answer: The Fantasticks

With its very small cast, minimalist sets, and tiny orchestra, "The Fantasticks" is very inexpensive to stage, which has contributed to it being one of the longest-running musicals ever. The first half shows two lovers trying to overcome the "feud" between their families and get married.

After some interesting subterfuge and play-acting in Act I, the lovers have another challenge in Act II: adjusting to married life. Harvey Schmidt composed the score and Tom Jones wrote the lyrics.

Answer: The Pirates of Penzance

Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta is great fun. Frederic was accidentally apprenticed to a pirate instead of a pilot, and through a technicality having to do with his birthday has to be a pirate essentially forever. These pirates aren't really that great at pirating, since they won't steal from orphans (they're orphans themselves, after all), so all their victims claim to be orphans.

In one number, "With Cat-like Tread", the pirates sing about how quiet and sneaky they are...while belting at the tops of their lungs and doing a kick-line.

Answer: Little Shop of Horrors

With music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, "Little Shop" tells the story of a man whose floral shop flounders until a strange new plant appears during an eclipse. The plant will only eat blood and won't stop growing. The musical started as an Off-Off-Broadway production and eventually went to Broadway.

I once went to a community theater production with someone who accidentally took Advil P.M. instead of Advil before leaving home. While the musical was fun, she kept falling asleep during it.

Answer: Bye Bye Birdie

The musical was loosely based on Elvis Presley's draft in the 1950s. Conrad Birdie is a rock and roll sensation with teen girls, who are devastated when he gets his draft notice. Songwriter Albert and his secretary Rosie, who are in love, come up with a publicity stunt for Birdie before he has to report for training.

A movie adaptation starring Dick Van Dyke came out in 1963 and ends differently than the stage version. Charles Strouse composed the score.

Answer: Into the Woods

This Sondheim musical tells the stories of Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack (of beanstalk fame) in a new way. Act I ends with happy endings, which are quickly undone and deconstructed in Act II. A film adaptation was released in 2014.