Feature: Monthly Musical 'Birthday' Salute: TAKE THE QUIZ!

When the calendar page turns, our Birthday Tribute feature typically honors just one musical figure who was born in that month. For a change of pace, for this new month, we present a quiz about numerous people born in August.  The questions are “multiple choice” style, focused on cabaret and theatre folks. The answers are on the bottom.

1—A famous singer with a career that spanned over 70 years and who was born on August 3 will be tributed on August 4 and 7, over at The Green Room 42, when Nelson Aspen and Allyson Briggs continue their joint show. What exciting show business figure is being saluted?

(A): Tony Bennett

(B): Louis Armstrong

(C): Mae West

(D): Mother Teresa

2—On August 19, cabaret veteran, singer-pianist Steve Ross, is doing a salute to someone famous who was born in August. The show will be at Birdland. Who is being tributed?

(A): The man for whom Birdland was named: jazz legend Charlie “Bird” Parker

(B): The man who composed “Lullaby of Birdland: George Shearing

(C) Alfred Hitchcock, director of the film The Birds

(D): Alan Jay Lerner, who wrote lyrics to shows such as Brigadoon, which has the same letters as those in the word “Bird” and several others

3—What Broadway veteran born in August can be found teaching the art of cabaret at the 92nd Street Y?

(A): Patti LuPone

(B): Audra McDonald

(C): Faith Prince 

(D): The elephant from Water for Elephants

4—Who will be blowing out the candles on his birthday cake this month when he turns 100!!?

(A): Lyricist Lee Adams, who’ll have that reason for the song “Happy Birthday” and the lyric he wrote for “Put On a Happy Face” from Bye Bye Birdie

(B): Charles Strouse, composer of Bye Bye Birdie

(C): Dick Van Dyke, star of the Broadway and film versions of Bye Bye Birdie

(D): None of the above

5—Which of these was a singer born in August who gave up a career as a musical performer to become a lawyer?

(A): Eydie Gorme

(B): Lana Cantrell

(C): Dinah Washington

(D): Barack Obama

6—All the singers named below were born in August, too. But which one has done a show featuring the famous songs of the other?

(A): Anita Gillette sang the songs of Helen Morgan

(B): Nicole Henry sang the songs of Whitney Houston

(C): Lea Michele sang the songs of Madonna

(D): Kathie Lee Gifford sang the songs of Coolio

7—Which of these songwriters was born in August?

(A): Carolyn Leigh

(B): Richard Adler

(C): Otto Harbach

(D): Michael Jackson

(E): Jimmy Webb

(F): Leonard Bernstein

(G):Murray Grand

(H): Hugh Martin

(I): All of the above 

AND NOW FOR THE ANSWERS

1—— All were born in August, but the correct answer is Tony Bennett….. 2— All were born in August, but the correct answer is Alan Jay Lerner…. 3—Faith Prince…. 4—Lee Adams (Strouse is only 96 and Van Dyke is only 98.) …. 5— All were born in August, but the correct answer is Lana Cantrell … 6— Nicole sang Whitney …7–All