Contest - Win Two Tickets to Follies on Broadway

I'm not really a summer person. I never really have been. I've always looked forward to the fall, partly because my birthday is in September, but also because, when I was in school, I always looked forward to the the new academic year. (Yeah, I'm kind of a dork.) And now that I'm teaching full-time, I'm filled with that same sense of eager anticipation when August rolls around.

Of course, autumn also brings the promise of the new theater season, and, I don't know about you, but I'm becoming pretty darned excited. Sure, some folks are lamenting the relative paucity of new musicals. So far, the announced crop of new tuners is somewhat thinner than last year's crop. (Watch this space for a preview of new musicals for the upcoming Broadway season.)

But last season there were only two musical revivals on Broadway, whereas this season we're likely to see at least a half dozen. Of course, there's the eagerly anticipated new production of Porgy and Bess, which I'll be seeing twice during its run at the American Repertory Theatre. Plus there's Godspell, Evita, and potentially Jesus Christ Superstar, not to mention a significantly revised version of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

But for Stephen Sondheim aficionados, the clear favorite will undoubtedly be Follies, a show that, to date, has found greater success in its recordings and concert presentations than in open-ended, fully staged productions. Follies had a decidedly lackluster revival in 2001, which, despite direction by Matthew Warchus and choreography by Kathleen Marshall, just kinda fell flat on the stage of the Belasco Theatre. For me, the problem was partly one of casting. The four central players -- Blythe Danner (Phyllis), Judith Ivey (Sally), Gregory Harrison (Ben), and Treat Williams (Buddy) -- somehow didn't mesh to create an emotionally moving core for the production, despite the considerable talents of these individual performers.

Ten years later, we have another chance to see Follies on Broadway, under the auspices of the Kennedy Center, where this production played a well-received engagement earlier this year. The production has transferred nearly intact for a limited run at Broadway's Marquis Theatre, with Eric Schaeffer and Warren Carlyle repeating their duties as director and choreographer, respectively. Much of the stellar cast has made the transfer as well, including headliners Bernadette Peters, Ron Raines, Jan Maxwell, and Danny Burstein. The supporting cast features such Broadway stalwarts as Jayne Houdyshell, Terri White, Mary Beth Peil, Susan Watson, and Florence Lacey, not to mention London regular Elaine Paige.

Sounds pretty good, huh? Well, if you're as eager as I am, I'm sure you'd love the chance to win a couple of tickets to see the show. Well, look no further, dear reader. Below are a few Follies trivia questions. Please submit your answers as a comment below. I will select a winner randomly from all entries with the correct responses. (Don't worry: I will only publish the comments after I have selected the winner.)

Good luck!

The contest is over, and the winner has been notified. Thanks to everyone who played!

1. The original working title for Follies remains with the show as the title of one of the show's songs. Which song is it? [The answer I was looking for was The Girls Upstairs, but as many of you pointed out the name of the song is actually "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs." So I accepted either answer.]

2.  Stephen Sondheim and co-director Hal Prince were supposedly inspired to create Follies by a photo of a legendary silent-film star standing amid the wreckage of a demolished movie theater. Who was the star and what was the theater? [The film star was Gloria Swanson and it was the Roxy]

3. As often happens with shows under development, lots of songs came and went during the tryout period for Follies. Which song did the now-classic "I'm Still Here" replace? ["Can That Boy Foxtrot"]

4. Many of the original stars of Follies have passed away, but one of the original leading players is still going strong, and is currently appearing on Broadway in another musical revival. Who is this performer, and which show is he or she performing in? [John McMartin is in Anything Goes. And he's pretty frickin' amazing in it, too.]

5. Sondheim has described most of the songs in Follies as pastiche, i.e. homages to classic songs, or to particular composers and lyricists. For example, "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" was a homage to "The Saga of Jenny" from Lady in the Dark. And Sondheim intended "Losing My Mind" as "a Gershwin tune with a Dorothy Fields lyric." So, what classic theater song is "Beautiful Girls" an homage to? And in which series of shows (hint, hint) did the song originally appear? [The song is "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," and it first appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies.]

The Fine Print: The tickets are good for Tuesday through Thursday performances between August 16th and September 29th. The contest deadline is midnight EST, Thursday, August 11th, 2011.

Comments

[Andy G.]

1. The Girls Upstairs

2. Gloria Swanson in the Roxy

3. Can That Boy Fox-Trot!

4. John McMartin in Anything Goes

5. "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" by Irving Berlin from the Ziegfeld Follies.

[Greg Pike]

1. The Girls Upstairs was the original title. The song is "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs".

2. Gloria Swanson in the Roxy Theater.

3. "Can That Boy Fox Trot!"

4. John McMartin is playing Elisha Whitney in Anything Goes.

5. "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" by Irving Berlin was the theme song to several of the Ziegfeld Follies.

[keithpotts]

1. The original working title of the musical was “The Girls Upstairs.”

2. The photo that supposedly inspired “Follies” was of the fabulous Gloria Swanson in the rubble of New York’s Roxy Theater.

3. “I’m Still Here” replaced the song “Can That Boy Foxtrot!” ...’He hasn’t much that’s plus. You might describe him thus: A false alarm, a broken arm, an imitation Hitler and with littler charm. But oh, can that boy foxtrot!’

4. John McMartin, the original Benjamin Stone, is currently in the Tony award winning revival of “Anything Goes” as Elisha J. Whitney.

5. The song “Beautiful Girls” is an homage to the song “Here’s to the Girls” from “Ziegfeld Follies” (sung oh, so lovingly by Fred Astaire in the film version.)

My apologies for not being technologically advanced enough to put the show titles in italics. :-)

[Sarah]

1. Waiting for the Girls Upstairs

2. Gloria Swanson at the Roxy Theatre

3. Can That Boy Foxtrot!

4. John McMartin who is appearing in Anything Goes.

5. Beautiful Girls is an homage to Irving Berlin's A Pretty Girl Is like a Melody. It appeared in Ziegfield Follies.

[SarahB]

1. "The Girls Upstairs"

2. Gloria Swanson at the Roxy Theatre Movie Palace in 1960

3. "Can that Boy Fox Trot!"

4. John McMartin, the original Ben, is delightfully starring in "Anything Goes"

5. Irving Berlin's "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" from Ziegfeld Follies.

[Kristin Del Rossi]

1.'Waiting for the Girls Upstairs'
2. Gloria Swanson, The Roxy Movie Palace
3. Can That Boy Foxtrot!
4. John McMartin, Anything Goes
5. 'A Pretty Girl is like a Melody' by Irving Berlin, The Ziegfeld Follies

[Matt Tamanini]

1.) "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs"

2.) Gloria Swanson and the Roxy Theater

3.) "Can That Boy Foxtrot"

4.) John McMartin, currently appearing in "Anything Goes"

5.) "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" from the Ziegfeld Follies

[Jonathan Thompson]

1. The Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson
3. Can That Boy Foxtrot!
4. John McMartin, Anything Goes
5. Irving Berlin's "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" from the Ziegfeld Follies

[William June]

1.The Girls Upstairs.
2.Gloria Swanson at the Roxy.
3.Can That Boy Foxtrot.
4. John McMartin, in Anything Goes.
5."A Pretty Girl is like a Melody" From the Ziegfeld Follies.

[Jonathan]

1. The Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson
3. Can That Boy Foxtrot!
4. John McMartin, Anything Goes
5. Irving Berlin's "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" from the Ziegfeld Follies

[Maggi Smith-Dalton]

1. The original working title for Follies remains with the show as the title of one of the show's songs. Which song is it?
Waiting for the Girls Upstairs
2.  Stephen Sondheim and co-director Hal Prince were supposedly inspired to create Follies by a photo of a legendary silent-film star standing amid the wreckage of a demolished movie theater. Who was the star and what was the theater?
"photo by Eliot Elisofon of Gloria Swanson standing in the rubble of the Roxy Theater."
Source--http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/07/19/specials/sondheim-secrest.html

3. As often happens with shows under development, lots of songs came and went during the tryout period for Follies. Which song did the now-classic "I'm Still Here" replace?
"Can That Boy Foxtrot!" (Cut in Boston)
Source: http://www.sondheimguide.com/songs.html

4. Many of the original stars of Follies have passed away, but one of the original leading players is still going storng, and is currently appearing on Broadway in another musical revival. Who is this performer, and which show is he or she performing in?
Original in what production? 1971 ????
please clarify!

5. Sondheim has described most of the songs in Follies as pastiche, i.e. homages to classic songs, or to particular composers and lyricists. For example, "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" was a homage to "The Saga of Jenny" from Lady in the Dark. And Sondheim intended "Losing My Mind" as "a Gershwin tune with a Dorothy Fields lyric." So, what classic theater song is "Beautiful Girls" an homage to? And in which series of shows (hint, hint) did the song originally appear? 
A Pretty Girl is Like A Melody
and...The actual Ziegfeld Follies, I presume.

The Fine Print: The tickets are good for Tuesday through Thursday performances between August 16th and September 29th. The contest deadline is midnight EST, Thursday, August 11th, 2011.

If there's a consolation prize, I'll settle for a copy of "Finishing the Hat!"

[Dan Sullivan]

I just tried to post this and something happened, so I appologize in advance if both go through....

1. "Waiting For The Girls Upstairs"

2. Gloria Swanson in The Roxy

3. "Can That Boy Fffffffoxtrot"

4. John McMartin in Anything Goes

5. "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody" from ZEIGFELD's Follies

[Linda]

1. The Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson, The Roxy Theatre
3. "Can That Boy Foxtrot?"
4. John McMartin, Anything Goes
5. "A Pretty Girl is like a Melody," Ziegfeld Follies

[Joey Haws]

1. Waiting for the Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson at the Roxy
3. Can That Boy Foxtrot!
4. John McMartin (In Anything Goes as Elisha J. Whitney)
5. Beautiful Girls is an homage to " A Pretty Girls is like a Melody" by Irving Berlin written for the Zigfield Follies of 1919.

[Craig]

1. Waiting for the Girls Upstairs

2. Gloria Swanson and the Roxy Theater

3. Can That Boy Foxtrot!

4. John McMartin in Anything Goes

5. Beautiful Girls is an homage to " A Pretty Girls is like a Melody" from the Zeigfeld Follies of 1919 and written by Irvin Berlin!

[Hubert Hsu]

1. The Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson at Roxy Theater
3. "Can That Boy Foxtrot!"
4. John McMartin in Anything Goes
5. Irving Berlin, for the Ziegfeld Follies

[Trey]

Okay!
1. "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs"
2. Gloria Swanson amidst the rubble of the Roxy Theatre.
3. "Can That Boy Foxtrot!"
4. John McMartin, currently in Anything Goes.
5. "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" (I think) from the Zigfeld Follies.

[Kristen McGovern]

sorry if double post...not sure if i did it right.

1. The Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson at the Roxy Theatre
3. Can That Boy Foxtrot!
4. John McMartin - Anything Goes
5. "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" - Irving Berlin from Ziegfeld's Follies of 1919

[Alex]

1. The song is “Waiting for the Girls Upstairs”.
2. The star was Gloria Swanson, and the theater was the Roxy Theater.
3. “I’m Still Here” replaced the song “Can That Boy Foxtrot!”
4. John McMartin is currently performing in the revival of Anything Goes.
5. “Beautiful Girls” is an homage to Irving Berlin’s “A Pretty Girl is Like A Melody” which was written for the Ziegfeld Follies.

[Julie]

1. The Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson at the Roxy Theatre
3. Can That Boy Fox Trot
4. John McMartin, currently appearing in “Anything Goes”
5. “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody” – the series is the Ziegfeld Follies

[Scott Breitbart]

1. The Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson - The Roxy Theatre
3. "Can That Boy Fox Trot"
4. John McMartin
5. "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" - Ziegfeld Follies

[Lori T]

1. The Girls Upstairs
2. Gloria Swanson, The Roxy Theatre
3. "Can That Boy Foxtrot"
4. John McMartin, Anything Goes
5."Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody" , Ziegfeld Follies of 1919

[Robert]

1. The Girls Upstairs (aka Waiting Around for the Girls Upstairs)

4. John McMartin is in Anything Goes right now!

Those are the only two I know :)

[Trey Harrington]

Trey's answers!
1. Waiting for "The Girls Upstairs"
2. Gloria Swanson in the ruins of the Roxy Theatre
3."Can That Boy Foxtrot!"
4. John McMartin who is playing Elisha Whitney in "Anything Goes"
5. Irving Berlin's "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" which was theme for the Ziegfeld Follies.

[Matt Weinstock]

1. original title was "The Girls Upstairs," preserved in the song "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs"

2. Gloria Swanson in the Roxy Theatre

3. "Can That Boy Fox Trot!"

4. John McMartin, in "Anything Goes"

5. "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" from the Ziegfeld Follies