Theater History trivia
More Theater History Trivia
Famous venues (The Globe, Radio City), stage terminology (stage left/right), and production history.
Theater History Mini Quiz
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Which 1938 radio drama, directed by Orson Welles, caused public panic due to its realistic portrayal of an alien invasion?
The panic supposedly caused by the 1938 "War of the Worlds" broadcast was largely exaggerated by newspaper reports at the time.
Many stage actors consider the "eye" pattern on which bird's feathers bad luck?
Theater lore suggests the peacock's eye pattern represents the evil eye, a curse thought to cause stage accidents, forgotten lines, or financial ruin.
Which single bulb stays burning on an empty stage to appease spirits?
Beyond theater lore, the ghost light is a practical safety feature that prevents people from falling into the orchestra pit or tripping over sets in a dark theater.
Performers use which 3-word phrase to wish each other success before a show?
The phrase stems from the theatrical superstition that wishing for good luck will jinx a show. By wishing for a mishap, performers hope to trick fate into granting success.
Actors call which Shakespeare tragedy "The Scottish Play" to avoid a curse?
The superstition stems from the belief that the play's incantations are real. To break the curse, one must exit the theater, spin around three times, spit, and swear.
Sailors working as stagehands used which sound to signal scenery shifts?
Early stagehands were often sailors who used whistles to signal scenery shifts. Whistling backstage is now considered bad luck as it could trigger an accidental cue.