50+ of the Most Classic Musicals of All Time
Looking for well-known musicals that have stood the test of time? From beloved Golden Age favorites to Disney classics and groundbreaking Broadway hits, these shows have shaped the world of musical theatre. Here is the full list of classic musicals, each recognized for its lasting impact and popularity.
Classic Musicals
Music: Harry Warren Lyrics: Al Dubin, Johnny Mercer Book: Michael Stewart, Mark Bramble
Musical Type: 1933 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1980)
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics: Edward Kleban Book: James Kirkwood, Nicholas Dante
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Burt Shevelove, Larry Gelbart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Martin Charnin Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Dorothy Fields, Herbert Fields
Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1934)
Music/Book: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Lorenz Hart
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1937)
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joe Masteroff
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1945)
Music/Lyrics: Richard Adler, Jerry Ross Book: George Abbott, Douglass Wallop
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Joseph Stein
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Isobel Lennart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Leo Robin Book: Joseph Fields, Anita Loos
Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Jo Swerling, Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1950)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni, James Rado
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1968)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Bella Spewack, Samuel Spewack
Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)
Music/Lyrics: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alan Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean-Marc Natel
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Music: Mitch Leigh Lyrics: Joe Darion Book: Dale Wasserman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: 1964 Film/Contemporary Musical (2004)
Music/Lyrics: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane Book: Hugh Wheeler
Musical Type: 1944 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1989)
Music: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lionel Bart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Golden Age (1944)
Music: Mary Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Marshall Barer Book: Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: John O’Hara
Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)
Music: Moose Charlap, Jule Styne Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: J.M. Barrie
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Roger O. Hirson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Libretto: DuBose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward
Musical Type: Opera (1935)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Music/Lyrics: Gene de Paul, Al Kasha, Joel Hirschhorn Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Lawrence Kasha, David Landay
Musical Type: 1954 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1982)
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
Music/Lyrics: Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed Book: Adolph Green, Betty Comden
Musical Type: 1952 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1983)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Joshua Logan
Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Hugh Wheeler
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Music/Lyrics: Richard Adler, Jerry Ross Book: George Abbott, Richard Bissell
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Charles Hart Lyrics/Book: Richard Stilgoe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg Music: Herbert Stothart Book: L. Frank Baum, John Kane
Musical Type: 1939 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1987)
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: David Ives, Paul Blake
Musical Type: 1954 Film/Contemporary Musical (2000)
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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.
