50 Theatre Quiz Questions and Answers

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you

How much do you really know about theatre? It’s time to test your knowledge!

In this ultimate theatre quiz, you will find 5 rounds of questions and answers. This includes elements about famous plays but also popular musicals on Broadway or in the West End.

We will also talk about important plays (yes there is some Shakespeare coming!) and venues.

We wish you good luck! And don’t forget to have fun!

Round 1: Easy Theatre Trivia Questions

1. Which New York City street is synonymous with the city’s musical theatre scene?
2. Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides were all playwrights from which ancient civilisation?
3. ‘Wicked’ is a retelling of which classic children’s story?
4. ‘Two households, both alike in dignity’ is the first line of which play?
5. Which iconic West End play is the longest running theatre production of all time?
6. ‘Mama Mia’ is soundtracked by the music of which band?
7. What is the name of the inspector in ‘An Inspector Calls’?
8. ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead’ is a spin-off of which Shakespeare play?
9. Though he’s called Earnest in London, what name does the main character of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ go by at his country home?
10. Vladimir and Estragon spend an entire play waiting for whom?

Round 1: Easy Theatre Trivia Questions and Answers

1. Which New York City street is synonymous with the city’s musical theatre scene? Broadway
2. Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides were all playwrights from which ancient civilisation? Ancient Greece
3. ‘Wicked’ is a retelling of which classic children’s story? The Wizard of Oz
4. ‘Two households, both alike in dignity’ is the first line of which play? Romeo and Juliet
5. Which iconic West End play is the longest running theatre production of all time? The Mousetrap
6. ‘Mama Mia’ is soundtracked by the music of which band? ABBA
7. What is the name of the inspector in ‘An Inspector Calls’? Inspector Goole
8. ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead’ is a spin-off of which Shakespeare play? Hamlet
9. Though he’s called Earnest in London, what name does the main character of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ go by at his country home? Jack
10. Vladimir and Estragon spend an entire play waiting for whom? Godot

Round 2: Theatre Multiple Choice Questions

1. ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ is set in which city?
   1. New York
   2. San Francisco
   3. Philadelphia
   4. New Orleans
2. ‘Translations’ by Brian Friel is written in English and which other language?
   1. Irish Gaelic 
   2. Welsh
   3. Navajo 
   4. Hindi
3. ‘Doctor Faustus’, ‘The Jew of Malta’ and ‘Dido, Queen of Carthage’ are all plays by which of Shakespeare’s contemporaries?
   1. John Webster
   2. Christopher Marlowe
   3. Ben Jonson
   4. Thomas Dekker
4. ‘Come From Away’ is set during the aftermath of which historical event?
   1. The attack on Pearl Harbour
   2. The building of the Berlin Wall
   3. The fall of the Berlin Wall
   4. 9/11
5. Which of the following plays was not written by Arthur Miller?
   1. The Death of a Salesman
   2. The American Clock
   3. A View From the Bridge
   4. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
6. At the end of ‘Kindertransport,’ which two characters are revealed to be the same person?
   1. Eva and Evelyn
   2. Evelyn and Lil
   3. Lil and Helga
   4. Helga and the Ratcatcher
7. What is an alternative name for ‘Tartuffe’ by Molière?
   1. The Stranger
   2. The Imposter
   3. The Tutor
   4. The Ambassador 
8. What is the name of the light that is left on in an empty theatre auditorium, even when the building is completely empty?
   1. The Dark Light
   2. The Night Light 
   3. The Guide Light
   4. The Ghost Light
9. Which of the following movie-musicals did not start out on the stage?
   1. Dear Evan Hansen 
   2. In the Heights
   3. A Star is Born
   4. West Side Story
10. Though Chekhov was famous for his rule that a gun introduced in the first act of a play must be fired by the end, which of his own plays has a gun that is never fired?
    1. Uncle Vanya
    2. The Cherry Orchard
    3. The Seagull
    4. Three Sisters

Round 2: Theatre Multiple Choice Questions and Answers

1. ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ is set in which city? D. New Orleans
2. ‘Translations’ by Brian Friel is written in English and which other language? A. Irish Gaelic
3. ‘Doctor Faustus’, ‘The Jew of Malta’ and ‘Dido, Queen of Carthage’ are all plays by which of Shakespeare’s contemporaries? B. Christopher Marlowe
4. ‘Come From Away’ is set during the aftermath of which historical event? D. 9/11
5. Which of the following plays was not written by Arthur Miller? D. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
6. At the end of ‘Kindertransport,’ which two characters are revealed to be the same person? A. Eva and Evelyn
7. What is an alternative name for ‘Tartuffe’ by Molière? B. The Imposter
8. What is the name of the light that is left on in an empty theatre auditorium, even when the building is completely empty? D. The Ghost Light
9. Which of the following movie-musicals did not start out on the stage? C. A Star is Born
10. Though Chekhov was famous for his rule that a gun introduced in the first act of a play must be fired by the end, which of his own plays has a gun that is never fired? B. The Cherry Orchard

Round 3: Theatre Quiz – True or False

1. Hamlet has the most lines of any Shakespeare character.
2. Radio City Music Hall is the largest theatre in the world.
3. It’s illegal to shout ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre in the USA.
4. The Globe Theatre is the only building in London permitted to have a thatched roof.
5. The term ‘Off-broadway’ encompasses any American theatre with fewer than 500 seats, wherever they happen to be located.
6. Violent Venable, Catherine Holly and Sister Felicity are all characters in ‘The Glass Menagerie.’
7. The original title of ‘Oedipus Rex’ was ‘Oedipus Tyrannus.’
8. Instead of clapping, Ancient Greek audiences yelled to show their appreciation for a play.
9. Though one of the most famous theatre directors and producers of all time, Konstantin Stanislavski ever wrote any of his own plays.
10. In ‘Six: the musical,’ Catherine of Aragon’s songs are influenced by the music of Beyonce.

Round 3: Theatre Quiz Answers – True or False

1. Hamlet has the most lines of any Shakespeare character. True
2. Radio City Music Hall is the largest theatre in the world. False, that would be the Kabuki-Za in Tokyo.
3. It’s illegal to shout ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre in the USA. False
4. The Globe Theatre is the only building in London permitted to have a thatched roof. True
5. The term ‘Off-broadway’ encompasses any American theatre with fewer than 500 seats, wherever they happen to be located. True
6. Violent Venable, Catherine Holly and Sister Felicity are all characters in ‘The Glass Menagerie.’ False, they’re from ‘Suddenly Last Summer.’ 
7. The original title of ‘Oedipus Rex’ was ‘Oedipus Tyrannus.’ True
8. Instead of clapping, Ancient Greek audiences yelled to show their appreciation for a play. False, they stamped their feet.
9. Though one of the most famous theatre directors and producers of all time, Konstantin Stanislavski ever wrote any of his own plays. True
10. In ‘Six: the musical,’ Catherine of Aragon’s songs are influenced by the music of Beyonce. True

Round 4: Medium Theatre Trivia Questions

1. Which of Shakespeare’s theatres caught fire during a performance of Henry VIII?
2. Which Bertold Brecht play is based on the biblical parable of Soloman and the Baby?
3. Which musical has three main characters all with the same name?
4. ‘Philadelphia, Here I Come’ is entirely set in which country?
5. Nora, Torvald Helmer and Krogstad are all characters in which play?
6. Which play was inspired by the real-life case of Ruth Snyder, a convicted female murder?
7. What is the highest-grossing Broadway musical of all time?
8. How many acts are there in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’
9. Which Arthur Miller play is set during the Salem witch trials?
10. Which musical centres around the old wives tale that twins separated at birth will immediately die if they find out that they’re siblings?

Round 4: Medium Theatre Trivia Questions and Answers

1. Which of Shakespeare’s theatres caught fire during a performance of Henry VIII? The Globe
2. Which Bertold Brecht play is based on the biblical parable of Soloman and the Baby? Caucasian Chalk Circle
3. Which musical has three main characters all with the same name? Heathers
4. ‘Philadelphia, Here I Come’ is entirely set in which country? Ireland 
5. Nora, Torvald Helmer and Krogstad are all characters in which play? A Doll’s House
6. Which play was inspired by the real-life case of Ruth Snyder, a convicted female murder? ‘Machinal’ by Sophia Tradwell
7. What is the highest-grossing Broadway musical of all time? The Lion King
8. How many acts are there in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ Three 
9. Which Arthur Miller play is set during the Salem witch trials? The Crucible
10. Which musical centres around the old wives tale that twins separated at birth will immediately die if they find out that they’re siblings? Blood Brother

Round 5: Hard Theatre Trivia Questions

1. Which West End theatre stands on the site of the Great Beer Flood of 1814?
2. What is Shakespeare’s shortest play?
3. Checkov’s ‘The Seagull’ centres around a love triangle. Semyon loves Masha, and Masha loves Konstantin, but who does Konstantin love?
4. Who played Jean Valjean in the original cast of ‘Les Miserables’?
5. Which production won Best Play at the 2022 Tony Awards?
6. Which Georg Büchner play was published unfinished after the writer’s death?
7. What is the name of the fictional school where ‘The History Boys’ is set?
8. The title for ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ comes from which Langston Hughes poem?
9. Who wrote ‘Trojan Women?’
10. Which play holds the record for the most Olivier Awards?

Round 5: Hard Theatre Trivia Questions and Answers

1. Which West End theatre stands on the site of the Great Beer Flood of 1814? The Dominion Theatre
2. What is Shakespeare’s shortest play? The Comedy of Errors
3. Checkov’s ‘The Seagull’ centres around a love triangle. Semyon loves Masha, and Masha loves Konstantin, but who does Konstantin love? Nina
4. Who played Jean Valjean in the original cast of ‘Les Miserables’? Colm Wilkinson
5. Which production won Best Play at the 2022 Tony Awards? ‘The Lehman Trilogy’
6. Which Georg Büchner play was published unfinished after the writer’s death? Woyzeck
7. What is the name of the fictional school where ‘The History Boys’ is set? Cutlers’ Grammar School
8. The title for ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ comes from which Langston Hughes poem? Harlem
9. Who wrote ‘Trojan Women?’ Euripides
10. Which play holds the record for the most Olivier Awards? Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

You may also be interested in:

• Musicals Quiz: 61 Questions and Answers about Musical Theatre & Movies (inc. Picture Quiz)
• Shakespeare Quiz: 50 Questions and Answers about Shakespeare
• 190 Easy Trivia Questions for adults (+ Answers!)
• Art Quiz: 50 Quiz Questions and Answers about Art