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/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Music: Polly Pen Lyrics: Peggy Harman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Grace McLean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Music/Lyrics: Jacques Brel Book: Eric Blau, Mort Shuman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age/Revue (1968)
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/Lyrics/Book: Nick Blaemire, Van Hughes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
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/Revue (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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Which of these avant-garde musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above avant-garde musicals? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you like these types of lists, check out the musical database. That’s where you’ll find musicals sorted by composer, theme, setting, and more!
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 has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.