To the Stage For Broadway Musicals! Quiz

Answer: Amazing Grace

"Amazing Grace" is the Broadway adaptation of John Newton's life. John Newton was press ganged into the Royal Navy as a young man. During the service, the navy traded him off to a slave ship. John Newton became very successful as a sailor and became a captain of his own ship. He was so cruel as a captain, his sailors tried to kill him. He spent time as a slave in West Africa until he was rescued by another sea captain, who searched for him on behalf of his father. After his rescue, John Newton reflected on his life and became a Christian. When he returned to sea, he showed kindness to his slaves and crew. He eventually gave up the slave trade altogether and became an abolitionist.

Broadway dramatized his true story by adding historical bits of the British abolitionist movement and a romantic narrative with his childhood friend Mary Catlett. While John faces the horrors of life at sea and slavery abroad, Mary fights with the abolitionists in Britain to end slavery. When John becomes a Christian, he joins Mary and her efforts to show Parliament the horrors of the slave trade. They eventually marry and John shares his testimony through hymn writing.

"Amazing Grace" opened on Broadway July 16, 2015. The musical was Christopher Smith's first production as professional writer or composer. Some of the featured songs included "Rule Britannia!", "Someone Who Hears", "Testimony", "A Chance For Me", "Amazing Grace", and "I Still Believe".

In the original production Mary Catlett was played by Erin Mackey
and John Newton was played by Josh Young. The Broadway show was only shown until October of 2015, but did very well on tour.

Answer: Aladdin

Outside the city of Agrabah, a poor young beggar is led to the cave of wonders by a Sultan's evil advisor. Aladdin is commanded to fetch a lamp and touch nothing else. He does not expect that the lamp contains a magical genie, with the power to grant him three wishes. Genie transforms him into a prince with looks, riches, and magic. However Aladdin has to win the love of the princess by telling her the truth and being genuine. He battles the evil advisor and saves the Sultan. Finally he repays the Genie by setting him free from the spell of the lamp.

"Aladdin" opened on Broadway in 2014 and was nominated for best musical in the Tony awards. The original cast starred Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Courtney Reed as Jasmine, James Monroe Iglehart as Genie, and Jonathan Freeman as Jafar. The production was directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, a director who has been nominated for seven director Tony awards.

"Aladdin" made over $400 million from 2014 to 2019 in Broadway theater shows, making it one of the highest grossed theater productions on Broadway. It has also toured in multiple countries including Germany, Australia, Japan, and Singapore.

Answer: Carousel

Billy and Julie fall in love at Billy's carousel ride. After the two are married, Billy falls into a life of crime. When Billy finds out that Julie is pregnant, he is determined to do whatever it takes to provide. Billy agrees to help a robbery, but it doesn't succeed. He dies in Julie's arms and his spirit cannot enter heaven until he does one good deed. Years pass and his spirit watches his daughter grow up without a father. His "good deed" is finding a way to tell his wife and daughter he loves them.

This Rodgers and Hammerstein classic opened on Broadway for the first time on April 19, 1945. The musical received outstanding reviews when it was first produced. The 1945 Donaldson Awards awarded it "Best Play of the 1944-1945 Season" and in 1946 it won New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for "Best Musical".

Answer: My Fair Lady

"Just you wait!" is the song Eliza sings in frustration, dreaming of all the ways to kill the professor when she can't understand her English lessons. At the moment the professor is ready to give up his work with Eliza, she begins to recite one of her lessons perfectly, "The Rain in Spain". Eliza is so excited she beings to sing it around the house. The professor and Eliza continue to work together to the astonishment of others, until she is beautiful lady.

The 1956 original production of "My Fair Lady" won six Tony awards, including Best Musical. It featured award winning actress, Julie Andrews, as Eliza Doolittle, and Rex Harrison, as Professor Henry Higgins.

Answer: Camelot

"Camelot" opens up with a nervous king and his mentor, Merlin the sorcerer. King Arthur is unsure of his arranged marriage with Guenevere, but is assured that this is the right thing to do. When he meets his bride, it is love at first sight. Later, King Arthur establishes the knights of the round table. Guenevere starts falling in love with Sir Lancelot and King Arthur clings to his sword Excalibur for direction.

The original production in 1960 won four Tony awards. The original stars included Richard Burton as Arthur, Julie Andrews as Guenevere, and Robert Goulet as Lancelot. It was directed by Moss Hart.

Answer: The Lion King

"Lion King" uses actors in costumes and puppets to portray its storyline. The play starts with Simba being presented as the newborn prince, while Scar laments that he has lost his chance to become king. Simba's curiosity gets the best of him when his father tells him not to venture outside the pride lands. Using the opportunity of the Mufasa trying to save Simba, Scar kills Simba's father in a stampede. Scar tells Simba never to return.

Simba obeys Scar and makes friends with Timon and Pumba. He forgets about the pride lands until his childhood friend Nala and the ghost of his father visits him. Learning about the destruction his uncle has caused, Simba goes back to the pride lands and faces Scar. He takes his rightful place as King and restores order.

As of 2022, "Lion King" had grossed over $1 billion since its first production, making it one of the highest grossing productions of Broadway history.

Answer: Beauty and the Beast

An enchantress visits a spoiled prince disguised a beggar. She offers him a rose for a place to stay and warns him not to be deceived by appearances. When she is turned out into the cold, she reveals herself and casts a spell on the prince and his castle. The prince is turned into a hideous beast and must find love before the last petal of an enchanted rose falls.

As a beast he is bad tempered and wishes to hide from the world. An inventor wanders into his castle and the beast locks him up. He sees an opportunity when Belle surrenders her freedom to set her father free. Belle falls in love with the castle staff and the Beast. When the townsfolk try to kill the Beast, Belle tries to save his life. When Belle is weeping over the dying beast, the curse breaks. She is astonished he is a prince.

"Beauty and the Beast" opened on Broadway for the first time in 1994. It has had several re-runs and performances due to its popularity. The production cost was over $20 million due to costumes and special effects for characters and scenes. Beauty and the Beast Broadway toured the United Kingdom in 2001.

Answer: Hamilton

Hamilton begins life as an orphan and through his intellect, rises to become a great scholar at school with Aaron Burr and the Marquis de Lafayette. Revolution breaks out and his speaking skills make him a revolutionary leader. He becomes a close aid to George Washington despite wanting to serve a more active role in the military battlefield. Later Hamilton is honored for his loyalty in the war by being appointed to the position of Secretary of Treasury.

Hamilton makes significant changes as a politician and cabinet member on George Washington's staff, but struggles with his personal life. He faces blackmail, gives into affairs, and fights with Aaron Burr. He does everything he can to amend his mistakes and make things right with his family, but Burr will not resolve his bitterness with Hamilton. Hamilton dies fighting a duel with Aaron Burr.

"Hamilton" is an unusual Broadway musical because it features hip hop, R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes. The original show in 2016 won 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. "Hamilton" also won the 2016 Grammy Awards for "Best Musical Theater Album".

The original cast in 2016 drew attention for their international casting of founding father roles. Broadway used African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and all ethnicities to portray the roles.

Answer: The King and I

The "King and I" Broadway show was based on the novel by Margaret Landon, "Anna and the King of Siam" written in 1944. Landon had based her novel on several memoirs by Anna Leonowens, a governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860's. Anna was a British school teacher and the King wanted her to teach his children about other countries. He wanted Siam to become more modernized and more compatible with the rest of the world.

"The King and I" was one of five Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals that became Broadway hits during the "Golden Age" of musical theater in the 1940s and 1950s.

Gertrude Lawrence won the Tony Award for Best Actress and Yul Brynner won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in the original performance.

On August 16, 1952, Gertrude Lawrence collapsed backstage after a "King and I" performance and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors discovered she had widespread liver and abdominal cancer. She died a month later on September 6, 1952.

Answer: The Sound of Music

"The Sound of Music" was based on the memoirs of Maria Von Trapp and "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers". Maria met the Von Trapp family when she signed up to be a governess for Captain Von Trapp's children. Before this job, she had been indecisive about her future and her decision to be a nun. Captain Von Trapp is a naval captain and opposes the Nazi regime in Austria. He is a widower raising his children alone. Maria falls in love with the captain and his family. She uses music to heal the broken home and teaches them to sing.

This Broadway musical was the last joint work of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The original Broadway production opened in 1959, and starred Mary Martin as Maria Von Trapp. The "Sound of Music" Broadway show won five Tony Awards, including "Best Musical".

Answer: It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman"

During the 1960s, the United States experienced a popular rise in comic books and superheroes. Charles Strouse was inspired to write the 1966 musical starring the DC superhero Superman and his efforts to defeat Dr. Abner Sedgwick.

Dr. Abner Sedgwick is a ten time Nobel prize losing scientist who wants to show the world his brilliance by destroying Superman. Superman also struggles to save Lois Lane from a jealous columnist who teams up with Dr. Sedgwick to harm her.

Bob Holiday played Superman and Patricia Marand played Lois Lane in the original show. The show was nominated for three Tony Awards. Patricia Marand was nominated in the Tony Awards for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.

Answer: Godspell

In "Godspell" eight characters act out Bible parables and the story of Jesus, as told in the Gospel of Matthew.

The show starts off with the voice of God. John the Baptist enters and tells people to prepare themselves for the Messiah. When Jesus approaches, John explains that he is not worthy to baptize Jesus, but Jesus says that it is necessary to do what God requires. John baptizes Jesus and the cast sings "Save the People".

The cast acts out the parables of Jesus and his teachings. They perform the parable of the Widow and the Judge, the Good Samaritan, the Pharisee and the Publican, The Unforgiving Servant, Lazarus and the Rich Man, the Beatitudes, the Sower and the Seeds, and the Prodigal Son.

In the second half of the play the cast tells of Jesus and his life. Jesus is tempted, betrayed, and crucified. The play ends with Jesus dying and the cast singing "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord".

It was nominated at the Tony Awards in 1977 for Best Original Score.

Answer: Wicked

Glinda, the Good Witch, mourns when Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, is killed. While Oz is celebrating her friend's death she reminisces the truth of how her friend became the "Wicked Witch". Elphaba was born green and never accepted by her father. Elphaba's father spent most of his time with her disabled sister.

When Elphaba went to school she realized her teacher was being fired for being a goat. She wet to the Wizard of Oz, who promised her he would fix the situation, only to discover he was a fraud. When she tried to use his book of spells to fix things, she accidentally gave a monkey servant wings. Rumors spread that Elphaba ws a "wicked witch" and she fled.

Later when she tried to recover shoes from a house that fel on her disabled sister, the land of Oz thought the worst. She discovered the shoes were being worn by Dorothy and tried to get them back. Her efforts failed and she was killed.

Glinda confronts the Wizard of Oz about her friend's death. The Wizard of Oz is Elphaba's true father. Glinda bans him from Oz and punishes the others who tormented her friend's life. She vows to be a good witch and grieves for not standing up for her friend.

In 2016, "Wicked" topped $1 billion in gross sales, joining the ranks of top selling shows "Lion King" and "The Phantom of the Opera" as Broadway's highest grossing musical sales. It won seven Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards for its original performance in 2003.

Answer: Les Misérables

Jean Valjean was sentenced to prison for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. Upon his release, he is constantly hunted by his prison guard Javert, who feels he still needs to pay for his crime. While he tries to adjust to his new life he runs across many people that are affected by poverty and the revolution. One of them is a young girl named Cosette that he tries to care for and protect.

"Les Misérables" originally did not appeal to critics in a positive light. Set during the French Revolution and a historically dark time, it was not an upbeat story. The main character also died at the end, after giving his farewell to Cosette in what seems a hopeless situation. However audiences loved the show for its messages of mercy, perseverance, and love.

The original Broadway production in 1987 won seven Tony awards, which included "Best Musical". It also won five Drama Desk Awards.

Answer: Cats

"The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat
And there isn't any call for me to shout it
For he will do as he do do
And there's no doing anything abou-ou-ou-out it, no
The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore"---The Rum Tum Tugger

Lloyd Webber began putting music to T.S Eliot's poems in 1977. Producer Cameron Mackintosh and director Trevor Nunn recruited choreographer Gillian Lynne to turn Lloyd Webber's songs into a theatrical production in 1980. The show had its first production on Broadway in 1982 and ran for 18 years.

The play features multiple cats who musically tell their stories and life to the audience.