FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

Original or Not? Trivia Quiz

One day in my group chatroom, a post came up asking us to think of musicals that were COMPLETELY original, and were not based on a previous work. I thought that it could be a very good quiz, so here you are!

A multiple-choice quiz by at34712. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
at34712

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
237,151

Updated
Aug 17 22

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
18 / 25

Plays
628

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. OK, let's try this one. What was "Les Miserables" based on? Hint

A book

A play

A movie

It was completely original

NEXT>

Question 2 of 25

2. What was the basis for the musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"? Hint

A play

A movie

A book

It's original

NEXT>

Question 3 of 25

3. What was "Wicked" taken from? Hint

It really happened!

A movie

A book

A play

NEXT>

Question 4 of 25

4. OK let's switch it up. Was "The Full Monty" based on a book?

Yes

NEXT>

Question 5 of 25

5. Was the musical "Assassins" based on real events, or a book?

Answer: (Real events or book! Come on, 50% chance)

NEXT>

Question 6 of 25

6. What was the musical "Gypsy" based on? Hint

A movie

What do you mean?! That was an original musical!

A play

A memoir

NEXT>

Question 7 of 25

7. What was "Rent" based on? Any true fan of the show SHOULD know this! Hint

An opera

A play

A book

That was original!

NEXT>

Question 8 of 25

8. OK, let's see...

Tell me what "Urinetown the Musical" is based on. Hint

What do you mean!? That was an original musical!

A book

A play

A movie

NEXT>

Question 9 of 25

9. OK, try this! What KIND of book was the musical "Cats" taken from? Hint

A non-fiction book

A fictional book

A poetry book

An historical book

NEXT>

Question 10 of 25

10. Try this: What was the source of the musical "Sweeney Todd"? Hint

A movie based on a poem, based on a legend

Nothing; it was original

A comic book

A play based on a penny dreadful, possibly based on a legend

NEXT>

Question 11 of 25

11. The musical "Nine" was based on a movie by what film director? Hint

Jean Cocteau

Roberto Rossellini

Bernardo Bertolucci

Federico Fellini

NEXT>

Question 12 of 25

12. "The Phantom of the Opera" was based on which of the following? Hint

A book

A play

A movie

It was original!

NEXT>

Question 13 of 25

13. "Little Shop of Horrors" was taken from...? Hint

It was original

A book

A non-musical movie

A musical movie

NEXT>

Question 14 of 25

14. What was the basis of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma!"? Hint

A book

None

A movie

A play

NEXT>

Question 15 of 25

15. Let's try this one: What was the origin of the musical "Evita"? Hint

Real events

A book

A movie

It was original!

NEXT>

Question 16 of 25

16. True or False: "A Chorus Line" is based on actual events.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 17 of 25

17. The idea for the 2001 off-Broadway musical "Bat Boy" came from a 1992 article in what magazine?

Answer: (Three Words)

NEXT>

Question 18 of 25

18. The musical "Aida" was based on an opera of the same title, which was composed by which of the following choices? Hint

Richard Strauss

Giuseppe Verdi

Amilcare Ponchielli

Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky

NEXT>

Question 19 of 25

19. The movie "Hairspray" was based on...? Hint

A musical

Real events

A book

That was original, you idiot!

NEXT>

Question 20 of 25

20. The musical "Spamalot" was based on which Monty Python movie? Hint

The Holy Grail

The Meaning of Life

And Now for Something Completely Different

The Life of Brian

NEXT>

Question 21 of 25

21. Which Shakespeare play was the basis for "West Side Story"? Hint

Hamlet

King Lear

Othello

Romeo and Juliet

NEXT>

Question 22 of 25

22. OK, was the musical "City of Angels" based on a movie?

Yes

NEXT>

Question 23 of 25

23. "42nd Street" is original. True or False?

True

False

NEXT>

Question 24 of 25

24. "The Producers" was based on a movie by what famous director?

Answer: (Full Name or Surname)

NEXT>

Question 25 of 25

25. The musical "Annie" was taken from which of the following? Hint

A television show

That was completely original!

A newspaper article

A comic strip

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. OK, let's try this one. What was "Les Miserables" based on?

Answer: A book

"Les Miserables" was based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, although it does have many movie versions.

2. What was the basis for the musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"?

Answer: A movie

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" was based on the 1988 movie starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. It is about two con men who make a bet which says whoever can raise 50 grand first gets to stay in town, and the other has to leave forever.

3. What was "Wicked" taken from?

Answer: A book

"Wicked" was based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire book of the same title, which was based on the movie and book series "The Wizard of Oz". The musical is basically about the Wicked Witch of the West, and her friendship with Glinda the Good Witch.

4. OK let's switch it up. Was "The Full Monty" based on a book?

Answer: No

"The Full Monty" was based on a 1997 movie of the same title. It's about six guys who decide to put on a strip number to make money.

5. Was the musical "Assassins" based on real events, or a book?

Answer: Real events

"Assassins" is a 1991 Stephen Sondheim musical about people who have (or have tried to) kill a US president.

6. What was the musical "Gypsy" based on?

Answer: A memoir

"Gypsy" was taken from the memoir of the famous stripper, Gypsy Rose Lee. Although the musical was about Gypsy's life, it is more often seen as the story of her mother, Rose.

7. What was "Rent" based on? Any true fan of the show SHOULD know this!

Answer: An opera

Despite the fact that many of the aspects of the show were taken from creator Jonathan Larson's life, the main plot was based on the opera "La Boheme".

8. OK, let's see... Tell me what "Urinetown the Musical" is based on.

Answer: What do you mean!? That was an original musical!

"Urinetown" is one of the few that we were able to define as completely original. "Urinetown" was actually thought up when the creators were vacationing in Europe and stopped at a public restroom which required money to get into the stall.

9. OK, try this! What KIND of book was the musical "Cats" taken from?

Answer: A poetry book

"Cats" was based on the T.S. Elliot book of poetry called "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats". There is virtually no plotline to this musical!

10. Try this: What was the source of the musical "Sweeney Todd"?

Answer: A play based on a penny dreadful, possibly based on a legend

Although "Sweeney Todd" had many movies about him, the musical was drawn mostly from the play. "Sweeney Todd" is about a barber who has been released from jail after serving for a crime he did not commit, and seeks revenge by slitting the throats of those who come into his shop for a shave.

His partner and one-time landlord, Mrs. Lovett, then disposes of the bodies by baking them into meat pies.

11. The musical "Nine" was based on a movie by what film director?

Answer: Federico Fellini

"Nine" was based on the Fellini movie "8 1/2", which was supposedly loosely based on Fellini's own life. The musical is about an Italian film director and his relationships with the women in his life. The best part of this musical is that there is only one man, at least one boy (there can be up to four or five) and the rest of the cast is women!

12. "The Phantom of the Opera" was based on which of the following?

Answer: A book

"The Phantom of the Opera" was based on a Gaston Leroux novel, and had many movie versions, including a 1925 silent movie starring Lon Chaney.

13. "Little Shop of Horrors" was taken from...?

Answer: A non-musical movie

"Little Shop of Horrors" was ACTUALLY based on a 1960 movie, then was turned into a musical, then a musical movie. It is about a nerdy floral shop assistant who discovers a new breed of plant that feeds on human blood.

14. What was the basis of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma!"?

Answer: A play

"Oklahoma!" was Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's first collaboration, and was based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, "Green Grow the Lilacs".

15. Let's try this one: What was the origin of the musical "Evita"?

Answer: Real events

"Evita" was a 1979 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on the life of Argentina's first lady, Eva Peron.

16. True or False: "A Chorus Line" is based on actual events.

Answer: True

In the workshops for the show, the actors were interviewed and their stories were compiled into a musical.

17. The idea for the 2001 off-Broadway musical "Bat Boy" came from a 1992 article in what magazine?

Answer: Weekly World News

Although the idea of the batboy was not original, the plot of the show in itself was, so this could fall in either category. It's about a batboy found in a cave who tries to fit into society.

18. The musical "Aida" was based on an opera of the same title, which was composed by which of the following choices?

Answer: Giuseppe Verdi

"Aida" was made into a musical in 2000, and was composed by Elton John and Tim Rice. It is a love story about an Egyptian captain and a Nubian princess-turned-slave.

19. The movie "Hairspray" was based on...?

Answer: A musical

"Hairspray" was based on a 1988 John Walters' movie about a girl who joins a 1960's dance show and tries to end the show's segregation. The musical premiered in 2002, while the movie was released in 2007.

20. The musical "Spamalot" was based on which Monty Python movie?

Answer: The Holy Grail

"Spamalot" was based on the 1975 movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", and was co-written by Eric Idle.

21. Which Shakespeare play was the basis for "West Side Story"?

Answer: Romeo and Juliet

"West Side Story" debuted in 1957 and had a book by Arthur Larents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

22. OK, was the musical "City of Angels" based on a movie?

Answer: No

There is a movie with the same title, but they are not the same. "City of Angels" the musical is about an author who is getting his best selling detective novel turned into a movie. The musical alternates between the author struggling with the adaption of the screenplay and the story itself.

23. "42nd Street" is original. True or False?

Answer: False

"42nd Street" was preceded not only by a 1933 movie of the same title, but by the Bradford Ropes novel that inspired both. The musical opened in 1980 in the Winter Garden Theater.

24. "The Producers" was based on a movie by what famous director?

Answer: Mel Brooks

"The Producers" was based on the 1968 Mel Brooks film starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. The musical opened in 2001 and starred Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.

25. The musical "Annie" was taken from which of the following?

Answer: A comic strip

"Annie" opened in 1977 and in 1982 was made into a musical movie.

Well, I hope you had as much fun as I had making the quiz!

Source: Author at34712

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.