Test your knowledge of the 1918 musical The Girl Behind the Gun with these fascinating trivia facts. How well do you know this show that blends romance, comedy, and intrigue? From its original Broadway debut to its unique historical context, there's much to discover about the musical's characters, score, and legacy in theater history. Dive into these trivia questions to see what you remember about this classic production.
International Productions
- The London West End production of Grand Hotel opened on July 6, 1992, at the Dominion Theatre.
- Grand Hotel was recreated in Berlin in 1991, where it was performed in German.
Musical Composition
- The cast album was released by RCA Victor and included a bonus track of David Carroll's performance from a 1991 cabaret fundraiser.
- When adapting the story into the musical, Maury Yeston was brought in to add fresh songs and lyrics during the Boston run in 1989, contributing seven new songs.
Notable Tours
- A 25th Anniversary Reunion Concert took place in 2015 at nightclub 54 Below in New York City.
Production Facts
- Grand Hotel opened on November 12, 1989, at the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway.
- Cyd Charisse made her Broadway debut in Grand Hotel at age 70.
- The production of Grand Hotel captured 12 Tony nominations and won five, including Best Direction and Choreography.
- David Carroll, while suffering from AIDS, tragically died of a pulmonary embolism in the recording studio.
- Original cast members included Liliane Montevecchi as Elizaveta and David Carroll as Baron Felix Von Gaigern.
- The show completed its run with a total of 1,017 performances, after transferring to the George Gershwin Theatre.
- Grand Hotel was first adapted by Luther Davis, Robert Wright, and George Forrest in 1958 as 'At the Grand', before being reworked into its final form three decades later.
- Legendary director-choreographer Tommy Tune envisioned Grand Hotel as a non-stop theatrical experience with overlapping dialogue, music, and dance routines.
- The 1932 film adaptation of Vicki Baum's book featured notable stars like Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, and Joan Crawford, and won an Academy Award.
- Vicki Baum's 1929 novel, which Grand Hotel is based on, marked the beginning of her career and was first dramatized for the stage in Berlin in the same year.
- Big-name cast replacements such as Cyd Charisse and Zina Bethune were pivotal in helping Grand Hotel become the first American musical since 1985's Big River to surpass 1,000 performances on Broadway.
- The Broadway production of Grand Hotel in 1989 received 12 Tony Award nominations and won five, including awards for best direction and choreography by Tommy Tune.
- Grand Hotel, the musical, is set in 1928 Berlin and combines multiple intersecting stories of guests at an elegant hotel.
- The original setting of 'At the Grand' was changed from Berlin 1928 to contemporary Rome, and the ballerina character was turned into an opera singer modeled after Maria Callas.
