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Musicals of the 1970s Trivia Quiz

In the 1970s, musicals took a turning point. Many hit shows from the 1960s closed and new shows from innovative songwriters were on the rise. Here, you get to answer some various trivia questions about musicals in this decadent decade.

A multiple-choice quiz by BwayBabyCA. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
BwayBabyCA

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
200,993

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1100

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. One of the most prominent collaborations of the 1970's was between composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim and director-producer Harold Prince. Out of the four 1970's musicals listed, which one was not one of theirs? Hint

Sweeney Todd

Pippin

Company

A Little Night Music

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Question 2 of 10

2. One of the first Broadway hits of the 1970's was a musical based on a hit record album. Can you name it? Hint

Godspell

Two Gentlemen of Verona

Grease

Jesus Christ Superstar

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Question 3 of 10

3. Director-choreographers became a big hit in the 1970's, with two names becoming the most prominent. Which one of these pairs were directing rivals in the 1970's? Hint

Michael Bennett and Tommy Tune

Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse

Michael Bennett and Bob Fosse

Jerome Robbins and Gower Champion

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Question 4 of 10

4. To many insiders, the 1970's was the beginning of the deconstruction of the musical. This was because many classic musicals from the previous decade were closing. Which of these 1960's musicals did not close during the 1970's? Hint

Cabaret

Hello, Dolly!

Fiddler On the Roof

Man of La Mancha

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Question 5 of 10

5. Rock musicals became very successful during this decade. Which one of these 1970's musicals is not considered a rock musical by many standards? Hint

Godspell

The Wiz

Annie

Grease

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Question 6 of 10

6. Revivals began to be hits in the 1970's. Which one of these musicals did not have a major Broadway revival in the 1970's? Hint

The King and I

Anything Goes

Candide

Porgy and Bess

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Question 7 of 10

7. Revues became popular during the 1970's as well. Which of these 1970's revues became a big hit with both audiences and critics? Hint

Bubbling Brown Sugar

Side By Side By Sondheim

Ain't Misbehavin'

Sugar Babies

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Question 8 of 10

8. Tony Trivia: Which one of these musicals did NOT win the Tony Award for the Best Musical of its respective year? Hint

Sweeney Todd (1979)

Follies (1972)

A Chorus Line (1976)

The Wiz (1975)

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Question 9 of 10

9. Towards the end of the 1970's, Broadway's box office was growing higher and higher. Which musical is considered the show that started that growth in ticket sales? Hint

A Chorus Line

Sweeney Todd

Evita

Annie

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Question 10 of 10

10. At the end of the decade, the musical theatre lost one of its greatest composers of all time. Which one of these composers died in 1979? Hint

George Gershwin

Irving Berlin

Richard Rodgers

Cole Porter

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Pippin

"Pippin," with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (of "Wicked" fame), lost the 1973 Tony Award for Best Musical to the Sondheim-Prince collaboration of "A Little Night Music."

2. One of the first Broadway hits of the 1970's was a musical based on a hit record album. Can you name it?

Answer: Jesus Christ Superstar

This Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical was the first musical to start out as a concept album. The album was at the top of the Billboard 100 in 1970 and a year later, the musical opened on Broadway to great audience acclaim. Lloyd Webber and Rice repeated this formula with their next hit (ironically at the end of the decade), "Evita."

3. Director-choreographers became a big hit in the 1970's, with two names becoming the most prominent. Which one of these pairs were directing rivals in the 1970's?

Answer: Michael Bennett and Bob Fosse

Their rivalry became apparent to all in 1976 when Michael Bennett's opus "A Chorus Line" beat Bob Fosse's new hit "Chicago" at the Tony Awards in almost every category including Best Musical, Best Director and Best Choreographer.

Answer: Cabaret

Kander and Ebb's classic closed in September of 1969 after almost three years of being the toast of Broadway. The other three choices each made it into 1970 or beyond.

5. Rock musicals became very successful during this decade. Which one of these 1970's musicals is not considered a rock musical by many standards?

Answer: Annie

Produced by Mike Nichols and based on the legendary comic strip "Little Orphan Annie," "Annie" was classic Broadway in its style with its healthy Shirley Temple like optimism.

6. Revivals began to be hits in the 1970's. Which one of these musicals did not have a major Broadway revival in the 1970's?

Answer: Anything Goes

The much lauded Lincoln Center revival of Cole Porter's classic did not open on Broadway until 1987, starring Patti LuPone and Howard McGillin.

7. Revues became popular during the 1970's as well. Which of these 1970's revues became a big hit with both audiences and critics?

Answer: Ain't Misbehavin'

Based on the songs of "Fats" Waller, "Ain't Misbehavin'" became the first revue to win the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1978.

8. Tony Trivia: Which one of these musicals did NOT win the Tony Award for the Best Musical of its respective year?

Answer: Follies (1972)

The Stephen Sondheim-Harold Prince musical about a reunion of Follies performers was a modest hit with critics but not as much with audiences. It has gone down in history as the musical to win the most Tony Awards (seven) without winning Best Musical, which it lost to a more audience-popular rock musical, "Two Gentlemen of Verona."

9. Towards the end of the 1970's, Broadway's box office was growing higher and higher. Which musical is considered the show that started that growth in ticket sales?

Answer: A Chorus Line

While the other three were big hits with audiences, it is "A Chorus Line" that is credited with the big jump in sales on Broadway.

10. At the end of the decade, the musical theatre lost one of its greatest composers of all time. Which one of these composers died in 1979?

Answer: Richard Rodgers

Ironically, Richard Rodgers almost made it into the 1980's. He died on December 30, 1979, only a few weeks after being honored by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Source: Author BwayBabyCA

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