30+ Blues Musicals – The Full List of Shows
Looking for musicals that capture the raw and expressive sound of the blues? While few musicals feature exclusively blues music, many blend its influence with genres like jazz, gospel, and rock. From classic productions to modern shows, here’s a full list of blues musicals, sorted alphabetically.
Blues Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Janis Joplin, Various Book: Randy Johnson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Music Genres: Blues / Rock / Soul
Music: Thomas “Fats” Waller Lyrics: Various Concept: Murray Horwitz, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz
Music/Lyrics: Various
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz
Music/Lyrics: Various Concept: Sheldon Epps
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz
Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk
Music: Daryl Waters, Zane Mark Music/Lyrics: Ann Duquesnay Lyrics: George C. Wolfe Lyrics/Book: Reg E. Gaines
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Music Genres: Blues / Funk / Hip-Hop
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Loften Mitchell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Tony Kushner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Music Genres: Blues / Musical Theatre / Soul
Music/Lyrics/Book: Melvin Van Peebles
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Music Genres: Blues / Gospel / Jazz
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics/Book: Tom Eyen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Music Genres: Blues / Disco / Gospel / Pop / R&B / Soul
Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens
Music: Janet Hood Lyrics/Book: Bill Russell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music Genres: Blues / Pop-Rock
Music/Lyrics: Louis Jordan Book: Clarke Peters
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Jive
Music: Stuart Brayson Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Bill Oakes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Musical Theatre / Pop-Rock
Music: Larry Grossman Lyrics: Ellen Fitzhugh Book: Fay Kanin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music Genres: Blues / Gospel / Jazz
Music: Rob Bowman Lyrics/Book: David H. Bell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music Genres: Blues / Gospel / Jazz / Scat / Swing
Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen Lyrics/Book: Truman Capote
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Music Genres: Blues / Calypso / Musical Theatre
It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues
Music/Lyrics/Book: Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor, Dan Wheetman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
Music Genres: Blues
Music: Jelly Roll Morton, Luther Henderson Lyrics: Susan Birkenhead Book: George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Swing
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics/Book: Maxwell Anderson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)
Music Genres: Blues / Opera
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Will Holt, Linda Hopkins
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Music Genres: Blues / Gospel / Jazz / Soul
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Alfred Uhry
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Music Genres: Blues / Folk / Jazz / Musical Theatre
Music/Lyrics: Duke Ellington, Various Book: Cheryl West
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Swing
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Libretto: DuBose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward
Musical Type: Opera (1935)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Musical Theatre / Opera
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Bob Merrill
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Musical Theatre / Pop
Music/Lyrics/Book: John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Music Genres: Blues / Country
Music: Judd Woldin Lyrics: Robert Brittan Book: Robert Nemiroff, Charlotte Zaltzberg
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Music Genres: Blues / Gospel / Jazz / Pop
Music/Lyrics: Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle Book: Flournoy Miller, Aubrey Lyles
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1921)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Ragtime
Music: David Martin Lyrics/Book: Langston Hughes
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Music Genres: Blues / Calypso / Jazz / Musical Theatre
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Arna Bontemps, Countee Cullen
Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)
Music Genres: Blues / Musical Theatre
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alistair Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Richard Stilgoe, David Yazbek, Nick Coler
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Music Genres: Blues / Country / Gospel / Pop-Rock / Rap
Music/Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Music Genres: Blues / Soul
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jason Robert Brown
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Music Genres: Blues / Classical / Jazz / Musical Theatre / Pop
Music/Lyrics: John Kander, Fred Ebb Book: David Thompson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Musical Theatre / Ragtime
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa Book: George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz
Music/Lyrics/Book: Andrew Lippa
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Music Genres: Blues / Jazz
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Which of these blues musicals is your favorite?
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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.