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This Broadway musical trivia quiz has 126 free questions with answers and runs from Wicked, Hamilton and The Lion King to Phantom, Les Mis, Chicago, A Chorus Line and the golden-age shows of Bernstein, Berlin and Sondheim. Alongside the musicals you will find theater trivia on Death of a Salesman, August Wilson, the Tony Awards, the ghost light, the gypsy robe and the theatres of the Great White Way themselves. The 126 questions range from easy ones any cast-album fan will get to genuinely hard ones about record runs, original casts and backstage traditions, so it suits a musical theatre night, a drama class or a pub quiz round. Every answer has been checked against a real source and each question shows its citation.
30 of 126 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Which musical ran on Broadway for over 35 years, longer than any other show?
The Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber's show ran for over 35 years before closing in April 2023; in 2012 it became the first Broadway production to reach 10,000 performances.
Q 02Who composed the music and wrote the lyrics for the hit Broadway musical 'Wicked'?
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz is the acclaimed composer and lyricist behind 'Wicked', as well as other popular musicals like 'Godspell' and 'Pippin'.
Q 03Which character in 'Hamilton' sings the jaunty breakup song 'You'll Be Back'?
King George III
King George III sings 'You'll Be Back' to his rebellious colonies; Jonathan Groff originated the role on Broadway and earned a 2016 Tony nomination for it.
Q 04Who was the original Elphaba when 'Wicked' opened on Broadway?
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel originated Elphaba when Wicked opened in October 2003 and won the 2004 Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, a decade before voicing Elsa in Frozen.
Q 05In what year did 'Hamilton' officially premiere on Broadway?
2015
After a successful Off-Broadway run, 'Hamilton' officially opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on August 6, 2015.
Q 06Which iconic Broadway house is the long-time home of the musical 'Wicked'?
Gershwin Theatre
'Wicked' has been performing at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway since its premiere in October 2003.
Q 07Who wrote the book, music, and lyrics for 'Hamilton'?
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Miranda started writing the show while on vacation from his previous hit 'In the Heights' and first performed a number from it at the White House in 2009.
Q 08The score of 'Hamilton' blends Broadway show tunes with what other main genre?
Hip-Hop and R&B
'Hamilton' is celebrated for its innovative integration of hip-hop, R&B, and pop music with traditional show tunes to tell a historical narrative.
Q 09Which Broadway musical famously features the powerful anthem 'Defying Gravity'?
Wicked
'Defying Gravity' is one of the most iconic songs from 'Wicked', performed by Elphaba, symbolizing her embrace of her true power.
Q 10What fantastical land serves as the primary setting for the musical 'Wicked'?
Oz
Set before Dorothy's arrival, 'Wicked' explores the Land of Oz, delving into the backstories of its famous witches.
Q 11Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton' is based on a biography of Alexander Hamilton written by which author?
Ron Chernow
The musical 'Hamilton' was inspired by Ron Chernow's comprehensive 2004 biography, 'Alexander Hamilton'.
Q 12How many performances make up a standard Broadway week?
Eight
A standard Broadway contract week is eight performances, six evenings plus two matinees, with one day dark, traditionally Monday.
Q 13What is the theatrical term for a new production of a previously produced Broadway play or musical?
Revival
A revival is a new staging of a show previously produced on Broadway; the Tonys have handed out a separate Best Revival of a Musical award since 1994.
Q 21What is the single bulb left burning on an otherwise dark stage when a theatre is empty called?
Ghost light
A ghost light's practical job is to stop people falling into the orchestra pit, though superstition says it keeps the theatre's ghosts company.
Q 22Which historic Broadway venue, built in 1903, was nicknamed 'The House Beautiful'?
New Amsterdam Theatre
The New Amsterdam Theatre, an early example of Art Nouveau architecture, opened in 1903 and was immediately hailed as 'The House Beautiful' by the press.
Q 23Who choreographed the original Broadway production of 'Hamilton'?
Andy Blankenbuehler
Q 14What is the most prestigious honor given for excellence in Broadway theatre?
Tony Award
The Tony Award is Broadway's top honor, given for the season's best plays, musicals and performances; winners receive a medallion bearing the masks of comedy and tragedy.
Q 15In which Andrew Lloyd Webber musical does Grizabella sing 'Memory'?
Cats
Grizabella sings 'Memory' in Cats, which opened on Broadway in October 1982 and ran nearly 18 years; Betty Buckley won the 1983 Tony for the role.
Q 16Which musical follows a red-haired orphan and her dog Sandy during the Great Depression?
Annie
'Annie' is the classic Broadway musical about an optimistic orphan who captures the heart of billionaire Oliver Warbucks amidst the challenges of the 1930s.
Q 17Who composed the iconic music for the Broadway musical 'West Side Story'?
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein composed the memorable score for 'West Side Story', with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, reimagining Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' in 1950s New York.
Q 18Which Disney musical is known for its puppets and masks bringing African animals to life on stage?
The Lion King
Disney's 'The Lion King' is renowned for its innovative puppetry, elaborate costumes, and vibrant staging that transforms the animated film into a breathtaking theatrical experience.
Q 19Which musical about the 1899 New York newsboy strike features 'Seize the Day'?
Newsies
'Newsies' tells the inspiring true story of the 1899 newsboy strike, where a group of young paper sellers stood up to powerful newspaper publishers.
Q 20Which American playwright authored the classic drama 'Death of a Salesman'?
Arthur Miller
'Death of a Salesman,' a Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 1949, explores the American Dream through the life of Willy Loman and was written by Arthur Miller.
Andy Blankenbuehler won a Tony Award for Best Choreography for his work on 'Hamilton,' known for its dynamic blend of hip-hop and contemporary dance.
Q 24Which square sits at the heart of Manhattan's Theater District?
Times Square
Times Square, where Broadway crosses Seventh Avenue near 42nd Street, anchors the Theater District; it was Longacre Square until 1904, when The New York Times moved its headquarters there.
Q 25Which musical won a record 12 Tony Awards in 2001?
The Producers
Mel Brooks' The Producers swept the 2001 Tonys with 12 wins, including Best Musical, beating the 10 won by Hello, Dolly! in 1964.
Q 26What minimum seating capacity officially makes a theater a Broadway theater?
500 seats
To be classified as a Broadway theater, a venue must have 500 or more seats, distinguishing it from smaller Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway venues.
Q 27In which part of Manhattan are most Broadway theaters located?
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan holds the Theater District, roughly 41st to 54th Streets between Sixth and Ninth Avenues, plus Lincoln Center.
Q 28Which American composer wrote the scores for 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Call Me Madam'?
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was a renowned American composer and lyricist known for writing the complete scores for numerous Broadway musicals, including the highly successful 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Call Me Madam'.
Q 29Which Broadway theater, on the third floor of One Astor Plaza, has hosted 'The Lion King' since 2006?
Minskoff Theatre
The Minskoff Theatre, situated on the third floor of One Astor Plaza, has been the long-term home for Disney's 'The Lion King' since 2006.
Q 30In which month is the Tony Awards ceremony usually held?
June
The Tony Awards are usually held in June, after the Broadway season's late-April eligibility cutoff; the pandemic-delayed 2021 ceremony in September was a rare exception.