What's Your Theater Gossip I.Q.?

ALL those little quizzes on Facebook can tell you what world capital you were born to live in, which 1930s matinee idol or glamour girl you were in a past life, even how long you'd last as a castaway on some version of "Gilligan's Island." But can they gauge your knowledge of New York theater, on Broadway and off? This quiz can. Maybe.

Give yourself 10 points for each correct answer. Going to IBDB or IMDB, peeking at the answers (far below) or even thinking about a general Google search is cheating.

1. What actress currently starring in a big-deal drama has signed on to do a new Showtime series about cancer?

a. Laura Linney, of "Time Stands Still," in "The Big C"

b. Hallie Foote, of "The Orphans' Home Cycle," in "Cancer, Schmancer"

c. Kerry Washingon, of "Race," in "In Remission"

d. Scarlett Johansson, of "A View From the Bridge," in "From My Lips to God's Ear"


2. In which of these roles and works did Ben Whishaw (above), the sexy 29-year-old co-star of "The Pride," not appear?

a. The hideous remake* of "Brideshead Revisited," as Sebastian Flyte

b. The devastatingly beautiful Jane Campion film "Bright Star," as John Keats

c. The movie "Stoned," as Keith Richards

d. The movie "I'm Not There," as Cate Blanchett

[*Counting the 1981 British mini-series as the original.]

3. Which Broadway diva recently asked her fans to come up with a name for her autobiography?

a. Bernadette Peters

b. Christine Ebersole

c. Patti LuPone

d. Mary Poppins


4. Which Broadway diva recently offered fans a chance to win tickets to her next big show but stipulated, according to The New York Times, that the winner would have to pay for the hotel and airfare?

a. Patti LuPone

b. Patti LuPone

c. Patti LuPone

d. Ebenezer Scrooge LuPone


5. Which two famous film actors are directing on the New York stage this season?

a. Ethan Hawke and Sam Shepard

b. Ethan Hawke and Stanley Tucci

c. Sam Shepard and Stanley Tucci

d. Robert Pattinson and Zac Efron

6. An ad for "Avenue Q" made news recently because of

a. A quote from Lucy the Slut

b. A mention of the song "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist"

c. A lyric from the song "It Sucks to Be Me"

d. Puppet cleavage

7. Which current musical has a book and lyrics by the writer who gave the world "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"?

a. "Fela!"

b. "Memphis"

c. "A Little Night Music"

d. "I Like You Next to Normal"

8. No-longer-so-little Abigail Breslin, who plays Helen Keller in the revival of "A Miracle Worker," is best known for

a. The film "War of the Worlds"

b. The film "Little Miss Sunshine"

c. The film "I Am Sam"

d. For being the biologically impossible love-grandchild of Jimmy Breslin and Norman Mailer

9. Which Broadway actor's performance did Peter Marks, theater critic of The Washington Post, describe as "a prettified portrait of a seriously disturbed human being" and "the rogue ... as Sky Masterson"?

a. Hugh Jackman in "A Steady Rain"

b. Jude Law in "Hamlet"

c. Victor Garber in "Present Laughter"

d. Nathan Lane out-of-town in "The Addams Family"

10. The saddest closing notice this season was for

a. "Finian's Rainbow"

b. "Brighton Beach Memoirs"

c. "Ragtime"

d. The Ohio Theater

ANSWERS

1. a, 2. d (but he did appear in "I'm Not There" as one of the Bob Dylans), 3. c, 4. a, b, c and d are all correct (and extremely annoying), 5. b, 6. d, 7. b (Joe DiPietro), 8. b (a and c were Dakota Fanning), 9. a, 10. Your call. Also, give yourself 10 bonus points for caring.