21+ Avant-Garde Musicals That Will Bend Your Brain
Avant-garde musicals are ones that have typically pushed the boundaries in terms of what’s expected of a show. These musicals are cutting edge, experimental, and a bit out of the ordinary. You’ll find a full list of avant-garde musicals below, sorted alphabetically.
This list is broken down into two categories – “Avant-Garde Musicals” and “Musicals That Mention Avant-Garde Art”. Keep in mind that a few of the following musicals were abstract or avant-garde at the time of their premiere, even though they may be considered more “normal” or conventional today.
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Avant-Garde Musicals
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kyle Jarrow
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Joshua Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Jason Loewith
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn, Richard Stilgoe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Music: Brendan Milburn Lyrics: Valerie Vigoda Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Music: Polly Pen Lyrics: Peggy Harman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Music/Lyrics: Jacques Brel Book: Eric Blau, Mort Shuman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Music/Lyrics: David Bowie Book: Enda Walsh
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Roger O. Hirson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music: Al Carmines Lyrics/Book: María Irene Fornés
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Elizabeth Swados
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alistair Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Richard Stilgoe, David Yazbek, Nick Coler
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Stop the World – I Want to Get Off
Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Music: Nancy Ford Lyrics/Book: Gretchen Cryer
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd
Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Pete Townshend Book: Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Musicals that Mention Avant-Garde Art
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Where It’s Mentioned: In the song “Paris Holds the Key”
Music: David Shire Lyrics: Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Where It’s Mentioned: In the song “Like a Baby”
Music/Lyrics/Book: Pete Townshend Book: Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Where It’s Mentioned: The plot, which follows an avant-garde artist
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: George Furth
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Where It’s Mentioned: In the song “Opening Doors”
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Where It’s Referenced: In the song “The Opera”
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Where It’s Mentioned: In the song “Today 4 U”
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Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.