What Musical Is It? Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Wizard of Oz

"The Wizard of Oz" was made in 1939 and starred Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale. "The Wizard of Oz" was based on the book by L. Frank Baum. Dorothy makes this statement when she first ends up in Oz and everything looks bright and colorful as opposed to the grayness of Kansas. "The Wizard of Oz" is about a little girl who is hit on the head and dreams she is in a place called Oz where the Wicked Witch of the West wants her dead for killing her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East. Dorothy's only hope is to find the Wizard of Oz to send her back home to Kansas.

Answer: Cabaret

"Cabaret" is a musical by Kander and Ebb. The MC was played by Joel Grey. Joel Grey is the father of Jennifer Grey from "Dirty Dancing". "Cabaret" also features Liza Minelli as Sally Bowles. Liza Minnelli is the daughter of Judy Garland. The MC speaks this line, "Tonight everything is beautiful" in regards to the cabaret. Outside the Nazis are taking over everything, but inside the cabaret they are unaffected by it all.

Answer: The Sound of Music

Julie Andrews plays Maria in "The Sound of Music". The man she falls in love with is Georg von Trapp, who is played by Christopher Plummer. The movie is set in Austria during the Third Reich. The Nazis want Captain von Trapp to join them in the Third Reich but he will not do it. With the help of some nuns, he and his family are able to escape to Switzerland. Before this happens a woman who was training to become a nun falls in love with him (and he with her) and they get married and she becomes the mother to his seven children.

Answer: The Wiz

"The Wiz", which is a remake of "The Wizard of Oz' with an all African-American cast and a setting in NYC, was made in 1978. Diana Ross played Dorothy and Michael Jackson played the Scarecrow. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion all set off to see the Wiz (played by Richard Pryor) each in need of something.

The Scarecrow wants a brain, the Tin Man a heart, the Lion courage and Dorothy wants to get back home to NYC.

Answer: Show Boat

"Show Boat" has been remade many times. The original movie came out in 1929 and starred Laura La Plante and Joseph Schildkraut. This version was actually a silent movie. The first musical version came out in 1936 and starred Irene Dunne and Allan Jones. "Show Boat" is about a family who does shows on their boat, the Cotton Blossom.

The daughter, Magnolia, falls in love with and marries a gambler named Gaylord. She soon finds out that married life isn't what she expects when her husband is off gambling leaving her behind with their daughter.

Answer: Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins was a 1964 musical starring Julie Andrews in the title role and Dick Van Dyke as Bert. Julie Andrews won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Mary Poppins is a very special nanny who comes to take care of Jane and Michael Banks. While she is there, she helps the father see that being a father is more than discipline - it is about loving and enjoying your children.

Answer: Chicago

"Chicago" came out in 2002 and starred Richard Gere as Billy Flynn. Queen Latifah played Mama Morton. John Kander and Fred Ebb did the music for "Chicago". "Chicago" is about women imprisoned in the Cook County Jail for committing murder. They all swear they had a good reason to do it and therefore were not really guilty.

The main woman Roxie, killed her lover with a gun and was depending on Billy Flynn, the lawyer, to get her off.

Answer: West Side Story

"West Side Story" came out in 1961 and starred Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer. It is a musical remake of "Romeo and Juliet" in which the main characters are kept from true love because of rival gangs: the Jets and the Sharks.

Answer: Oklahoma!

"Oklahoma!" was released in 1955. It starred Shirley Jones as Laurie and Gordon MacRae as Curly. "Oklahoma!" is considered the first fully integrated musical. This means that the dancing, singing, and dialogue are all part of the plot and not just random based on what is popular at the time. "Oklahoma!" takes place right around the time Oklahoma became a state. Curly is in love with Laurie but Jud also has an eye for her.

When Laurie chooses Curly, a fight ensues between Jud and Curly on top of a haystack. Jud is killed when he falls on his knife.

Answer: Carousel

"Carousel" is about a carousel barker named Billy Bigelow who is accidentally killed in a failed robbery attempt. He sees his wife and daughter from up in Heaven and has to make things right.