Short Response
Describe the circumstances under which Bernstein became an overnight sensation in 1943.
In 1943, 25 year--old Leonard Bernstein, serving as Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, stepped in on short notice and with no rehearsal for the famous conductor Bruno Walter who had contracted the flu. The crowd went wild for him, the performance was broadcast live on the radio and, the next day, the New York Times wrote a front-page story about the event. Bernstein had become an overnight sensation.
Who portrayed Mrs. Lovett in the original production of Sweeney Todd?
A) Patti LuPone
B) Angela Lansbury
C) Chita Rivera
D) Pearl Bailey
B) Angela Lansbury
The original DIRECTOR of Cabaret
Harold (Hal) Prince
Set in Budapest, this is the story of the employees in a perfume shop.
She Loves Me
In the context of the scene in which it is sung, what does the title "Send in the Clowns" mean?
In the context of the show, a line like "Send the clowns" is Desiree realizing that the worst possible outcome has occurred and there's nothing to be done except to, as one does when disaster strikes at the circus, say send in the clowns to distract the audience while the mess is cleaned up. The worst possible outcome in this case is that Frederick and Desiree believe they are victims of bad timing. At first Frederick wanted Desiree, but the feeling was not reciprocated. Then, by the time Desiree realized that she wanted Frederick, he had come to feel he no longer wanted her. They missed one another. (Luckily, by the end of the show, the are able to synchronize their timing and their emotions and end up together by the final curtain.)
Bernstein wrote two musicals with a two person lyricist team and both musicals are set in New York City. Name the two person lyricist team (full names please) and name the two musicals which resulted from their collaboration with Bernstein.
Betty Comden and Adolph Green were the lyricist team who worked with Bernstein on both ON THE TOWN and WONDERFUL TOWN.
What MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and THE LAST FIVE YEARS have in common?
A) They both have reverse-running narratives at some point.
B) Their original productions were both flops.
C) They both involve some characters involved in show business.
D) All of the above.
D) All of the above, also they were both originally directed by a person whose last name was Prince.
The original DIRECTOR of Chicago
Bob Fosse
Set in Italy, this is the story of a love triangle between a handsome solider, his beautiful mistress, and the sickly cousin of his commanding officer.
Passion
In SWEENEY TODD, when we first meet Toby, who does he work for and what kind of product is he selling?
Toby works for a man who goes by the name of Adolfo Pirelli, allegedly a successful Italian barber who is pedaling a "Miracle Elixir" to stimulate hair growth. Toby is his assistant.
Explain what revitalizing event occurred in 1967 as HELLO DOLLY! was over three years into its Broadway run. In your explanation, make sure you cite the star and producer who were major players in this piece of Broadway history.
The actress Pearl Bailey, who had been touring as Dolly, came to Broadway in the role, leading an all- Black cast, including co-star Cab Calloway. Bailey won a Special Tony Award for her performance and producer David Merrick saw his production's popularity increase and run another two years.
What do we eventually learn is the true identity of the Beggar Woman in SWEENEY TODD?
A) She is Sweeney's daughter, Johanna B) She is Mrs. Lovett's sister, Sue C) She is Sweeney's wife, Lucy D) She is a policewoman in disguise
C) She is Sweeney's wife, Lucy
The original DIRECTOR of Pippin
Bob Fosse
Set in Los Angeles, this is story of a screenwriter trying to finish his film script and the story of the detective he’s writing about.
City of Angels
Set in Sweden, this is the story of mismatched couples who go for a weekend in the country.
A Little Night Music
How would you characterize the theme of Jerry Herman's body of work. What message/character trait do the shows from HELLY DOLLY! onward consistently celebrate?
There are many enduring themes in Jerry Herman's work, but the one which speaks most strongly to me is RESILIENCE -- the idea that an individual can stand in the shadows or they can charge onward into the light, living life to the fullest, and overcoming whatever forces stand in their way. That's why the Herman's song from THE GRAND TOUR called "I'll Be Here Tomorrow" was also the name of the lecture. It makes a promise of survival and of thriving.
For THE LAST FIVE YEARS, choose which option best explains the structure.
A) The stories are told in alternating segments. Cathy's story goes forward and Jamie's story goes backward
B) The stories are told in alternating segments. Jamie's story goes forward and Cathy's story goes backward
C) The first act is Cathy's story, the second act is Jamie's story. Cathy's story goes forward and Jamie's story goes backward.
D) The first act is Jamie's story, the second act is Cathy's story. Jamie's story goes forward and Cathy's story goes backward.
B) The stories are told in alternating segments. Jamie's story goes forward and Cathy's story goes backward
The COMPOSER of Funny Girl
Jule Styne
Set in New York City, this is the story of three sailors who have 24 hours to explore.
On the Town
Set in Brooklyn, this is the story of a young Wall Street runner’s attempt to get rich quick on the stock market.
Saturday Night
Please cite the individuals who served as director-choreographer for the following shows: SWEET CHARITY and THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES. Write the name of each artist and, in parenthesis next to that person's name, the show associated with that a!ist.
Bob Fosse (SWEET CHARITY) and Tommy Tune (THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES)
The non-diegetic numbers in CABARET do all the things that songs in Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals do -- they move the plot, they reveal character, etc. Explain what the diegetic numbers in CABARET accomplish.
A) They dig deeper into the lives of the main characters.B) They showcase authentic musical material from 1920s German cabarets. C) They offer commentary on the events of the plot. D) They are set in the contemporary world and offer modern perspective on theme's of the show.
C) They offer commentary on the events of the plot.
The CHOREOGRAPHER of Hamilton
Andy Blankenbuehler
Set in New York City, this is the story of two sisters from Ohio.
Wonderful Town
What were the four assignments that Oscar Hammerstein gave to the aspiring musical theatre writer Stephen Sondheim that resulted in four pre-professional "apprentice" musicals Sondheim worked on during high school and through college?
1. Write a musical adapted from a play you admire. (This resulted in All That Glitters, based on the play Beggar on Horseback by George Kaufman)
2. Write a musical adapted from a play you like, but think needs improvement. (This resulted in High Tor, based on the play of the same name by Maxwell Anderson.)
3. Write a musical based on a non-dramatic source, i.e. a novel, a short story or series of short stories. (This resulted in Sondheim's abandoned musical Mary Poppins, based on the P.L. Travers short stories.)
4. Write an original musical not based on any source material. (This resulted in Climb High)