43 of the Most Classic Musicals of All Time
Whether you’re auditioning for musicals, setting up your rep book, or simply looking for some older musicals to get into, it’s good to get familiar with what’s out there. And that’s why we’ve put together this list of the most classic musicals of all time for you below, sorted alphabetically.
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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: 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/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/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
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: 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: 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: Sir J.M. Barrie
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Roger O. Hirson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
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: 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: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen, E.Y. 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)
Other blog posts you might like:
• Rodgers and Hammerstein Musicals
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Which of these classic musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the classic musicals above? 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.