65+ Biography Musicals – The Full List of Shows
Biography musicals bring to life the stories of remarkable individuals, offering audiences a glimpse into their life journeys. Blending historical events with creative storytelling, these shows provide a unique perspective on notable figures. Here’s the full list of bio musicals.
Post Contents:
Autobiographical Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Edward Kleban Book: Linda Kline, Lonny Price
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Edward Kleban
Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: William Finn
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Dick Scanlan, Sherie Rene Scott
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Sherie Rene Scott
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Martin Short, Daniel Goldfarb
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Martin Short
Music/Lyrics: Alicia Keys, Various Book: Kristoffer Diaz
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Alicia Keys
Music/Lyrics/Book: The Bengsons Book: Sarah Gancher
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Abigail and Shaun Bengson
Music/Lyrics: Brian Gari Book: Allan Knee
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Brian Gari
Music/Lyrics: Boy George Music: Kevan Frost, John Themis, Richie Stevens Book: Charles Busch
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Boy George
Music: Albert Hague Lyrics/Book: Allan Sherman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Allan Sherman
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jason Robert Brown
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Jason Robert Brown
Music/Lyrics/Book: Benjamin Scheuer
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Who It’s Based On: Benjamin Scheuer
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Maria von Trapp
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Contemporary (1990/2001)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Jonathan Larson
Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss
Musical Type: Contemporary (2024)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Marlow and Moss
Biographical Musicals
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Michael Stewart Book: Mark Bramble
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Who It’s Based On: P.T. Barnum
Music/Lyrics: Michael Friedman Book: Alex Timbers
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Who It’s Based On: Andrew Jackson
Music/Lyrics/Book: Christopher Curtis Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Who It’s Based On: Charlie Chaplin
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Hodge Book: Michael Hodge
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Who It’s Based On: Bill Clinton
Music: André Previn Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Who It’s Based On: Coco Chanel
Music/Lyrics: David Bryan Lyrics/Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Who It’s Based On: Princess Diana
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Jerome Weidman, George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Who It’s Based On: Fiorello La Guardia
Music/Lyrics: George M. Cohan Lyrics: Mary Cohan Book: Michael Stewart, John Pascal, Francine Pascal
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Who It’s Based On: George M. Cohan
Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Who It’s Based On: “Big” and “Little” Edie Bouvier Beale
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Who It’s Based On: Alexander Hamilton
Music: Barry Manilow Lyrics/Book: Bruce Sussman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Who It’s Based On: The Comedian Harmonists
Music/Lyrics: David Byrne Music: Fatboy Slim
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Who It’s Based On: Imelda Marcos
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Jay Presson Allen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Who It’s Based On: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
Music: Jelly Roll Morton, Luther Henderson Lyrics: Susan Birkenhead Book: George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Who It’s Based On: Jelly Roll Morton
Music/Lyrics: Todd Matshikiza Lyrics: Pat Williams Book: Harry Bloom
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Who It’s Based On: Ezekiel Dlamini, aka “King Kong”
Music/Lyrics: Ellie Greenwich & Friends Book: Anne Beatts
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Who It’s Based On: Ellie Greenwich
Music/Book: Matt Gould Lyrics/Book: Carson Kreitzer
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Who It’s Based On: Tamara de Lempicka
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Gertrude Stein Adaptation: Frank Galati
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Who It’s Based On: Gertrude Stein
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Will Holt, Linda Hopkins
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Who It’s Based On: Bessie Smith
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Who It’s Based On: Annie Edson Taylor
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Sherman Yellen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Who It’s Based On: King Henry VIII
Music: David Pomeranz, David Friedman Lyrics/Book: Kathie Lee Gifford
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Who It’s Based On: Aimee Semple McPherson
Music/Lyrics/Book: Eddie Perfect
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Who It’s Based On: Shane Warne
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics/Book: Bill Russell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Who It’s Based On: Daisy and Violet Hilton
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Simon Lyrics/Book: Derek Walcott
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Who It’s Based On: Salvador Agrón
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Ed Curtis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Who It’s Based On: Faye Treadwell and The Drifters
Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Who It’s Based On: Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein
Semi-Biographical Musicals
Music: Mark Sandrich, Jr. Lyrics/Book: Sidney Michaels Additional Songs: Jerry Herman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Ben Franklin
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Eva Perón
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Isobel Lennart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Fanny Brice
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Gypsy Rose Lee
Music/Lyrics: Bill Jacob, Patti Jacob Book: Melville Shavelson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Jimmy Walker
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Harvey Fierstein, Charles Suppon
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Legs Diamond
Music/Book: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics/Book: Alain Boublil Lyrics: Edward Hardy, Stephen Clark
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Martin Guerre
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Christenson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Edgar Allan Poe
Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: The six wives of Henry VIII
Music/Lyrics: Ray Davies Book: Joe Penhall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: The Kinks
Music/Lyrics: Meredith Willson Book: Richard Morris
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Who It’s Loosely Based On: Margaret Brown
Jukebox Biographies
The following shows make use of popular music and popular songs. These songs are used to form the biographical narrative of stars in the music industry
Music/Lyrics: Neil Diamond Book: Anthony McCarten
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Who It’s Based On: Neil Diamond
Music/Lyrics: Janis Joplin, Various Book: Randy Johnson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Who It’s Based On: Janis Joplin
Music/Lyrics: The Legendary Motown Catalog Book: Dominique Morisseau
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Who It’s Based On: The Temptations
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Floyd Mutrux, Colin Escott
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Who It’s Based On: Florence Greenberg
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Music/Lyrics: Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil Book: Douglas McGrath
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Who It’s Based On: Carole King
Music/Lyrics: Buddy Holly, Various Book: Alan Janes
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Who It’s Based On: Buddy Holly
Music/Lyrics: Fela Kuti Book: Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Who It’s Based On: Fela Kuti
Music/Lyrics: Bob Marley Book: Lee Hall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Who It’s Based On: Bob Marley
Music: Bob Gaudio Lyrics: Bob Crewe Book: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Who It’s Based On: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Francis Essex, Rob Bettinson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Who It’s Based On: Al Jolson
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Colin Escott, Floyd Mutrux
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Who It’s Based On: Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Lynn Nottage
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Who It’s Based On: Michael Jackson
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Berry Gordy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Who It’s Based On: Berry Gordy
Music/Lyrics: Gloria Estefan, Emilio Estefan, Miami Sound Machine Book: Alexander Dinelaris
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Who It’s Based On: Gloria & Emilio Estefan
Music/Lyrics: Johnny Cash Concept/Creation: Bill Meade, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Who It’s Based On: Johnny Cash
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Music/Lyrics: Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Paul Jabara, Various Book: Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Who It’s Based On: Donna Summer
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Nick Enright, Martin Sherman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Who It’s Based On: Peter Allen
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Who It’s Based On: Cher
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, Kees Prins
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Who It’s Based On: Tina Turner
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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 and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
