Theater News

The Broadway University Final Exam for the Class of 2004

Professor Filichia tests your knowledge of shows that share common song titles.

Well, it’s that time of year again — final exam time — in all the colleges and universities around the country. So why should it be any different here at Broadway University? Here are 50 questions that will (certainly) challenge you and (possibly) delight you.

Allow me to explain the concept of the test. As every student at Broadway University knows, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens wrote a song called “Lucky” for their 1988 musical, Lucky Stiff — but that didn’t stop Adam Guettel from writing a song called “Lucky” for his 1994 musical, Floyd Collins. For that matter, many moons earlier, in 1926, Vernon Duke and Percy Greenbank wrote a song called “Lucky” for their musical Yvonne.

No one sued, of course, because it’s a given that songwriters might give a title to a song in their score that has already been used by songwriters in their score. I can think of 50 examples where it happened. Now — can you guess the name of the identical song title that was used in each of the following musicals?

  1. All-American and Ragtime
  2. Anything Goes and Candide
  3. Baby and The Baker’s Wife
  4. Bajour and A Little Night Music
  5. Beauty and the Beast and The Wiz
  6. Bed and Sofa and Rent
  7. Bounce and Zenda
  8. Buddy and The Happiest Girl in the World
  9. Cabaret and Miss Saigon
  10. Carmelina and Smokey Joe’s Cafe
  11. Carnival! and Destry Rides Again
  12. Celebration and Pippin
  13. Chicago and Saturday Night
  14. Cinderella and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
  15. City of Angels and Into the Woods
  16. Crazy for You and The King and I
  17. Darling of the Day and Mamma Mia
  18. Destry Rides Again and The Happy Time
  19. Do I Hear a Waltz? and Jekyll & Hyde
  20. Eleanor and Thoroughly Modern Millie
  21. Falsettos and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
  22. Fanny and Kwamina
  23. First Impressions and Your Own Thing
  24. Flower Drum Song and Sunday in the Park with George
  25. Golden Boy and Into the Woods
  26. Golden Boy and Love Life
  27. Hairspray and Into the Woods
  28. Hallelujah, Baby! and Rent
  29. Happy Hunting and The Human Comedy
  30. Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris and Pacific Overtures
  31. Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris and Your
    Own Thing

  32. Jennie and Over Here
  33. Jubilee and The New Yorkers
  34. Kiss of the Spider Woman and Mayor
  35. Little Shop of Horrors and You’re a Good Man, Charlie
    Brown

  36. Me and Juliet and The Producers
  37. Mexican Hayride and Oil City Symphony
  38. My Fair Lady and Rent
  39. New Girl in Town and Metropolis
  40. New Girl in Town and The Zulu and the Zayda
  41. Oh, Brother and One Touch of Venus
  42. Oklahoma! and Smokey Joe’s Cafe
  43. Plain and Fancy and Urinetown
  44. Rent and Wish You Were Here
  45. Shenandoah and The Will Rogers Follies
  46. So Long, 174th Street and Two by Two
  47. The Garrick Gaities and My Favorite Year
  48. The Phantom of the Opera and Rags
  49. The Producers and Tovarich
  50. The Sound of Music and West Side Story

And here’s hoping that on this test, you’re as lucky as Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, Adam Guettel, Vernon Duke and Percy Greenbank.

********************

[To contact Peter Filichia directly, e-mail him at pfilichia@aol.com]