101+ Comedic Musicals – The Full List
Whether you’re a musical theatre producer or simply looking for the funniest musicals ever, it’s good to get familiar with what’s out there. Comedy is an art form and there are loads of funny musicals to choose from. And that’s why we’ve put together this list of comedic musicals for you below, sorted by time period.
By the way, I will also be making specific lists for dramedies, parodies, dark comedies, and romantic comedies in the future. The following shows fall into the generic genre of “comedic musicals” and will have you roaring with laughter!
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Contents:
Comedic Jazz Age Musicals
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: Herbert Fields
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
Music: Ray Henderson Lyrics/Book: B.G. DeSylva Lyrics: Lew Brown Book: Laurence Schwab
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1924)
Music: Vincent Youmans Lyrics/Book: Irving Caesar, Otto Harbach, Frank Mandel
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1925)
Music: Eubie Blake Lyrics: Noble Sissle Book: F.E. Miller, Aubrey Lyles
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1921)
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: George Grossmith, P.G. Wodehouse
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1922)
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1925)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1925)
Comedic Golden Age Musicals
Music: Arthur Schwartz Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: George Abbott, Betty Smith
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics: Dan Shapiro Book: Guy Bolton, Eddie Davis
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Music/Lyrics: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane Book: John Cecil Holm
Musical Type: Golden Age (1941)
Music/Book: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Lorenz Hart
Musical Type: Golden Age (1942)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Music: Richard Adler Lyrics: Jerry Ross Book: George Abbott, Douglass Wallop
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Leo Robin Book: Joseph Fields, Anita Loos
Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)
Music: Leroy Anderson Lyrics/Book: Jean Kerr, Walter Kerr, Joan Ford
Musical Type: Golden Age (1958)
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Jo Swerling, Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1950)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Hilliard Book: James H. Street
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Stephen Longstreet, George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields, Dorothy Fields
Musical Type: Golden Age (1944)
Music/Lyrics: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans Book: Al Morgan, José Ferrer
Musical Type: Golden Age (1958)
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: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields, Dorothy Fields
Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Sandy Wilson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Music: Sigmund Romberg Lyrics: Leo Robin Book: Jerome Chodorov, Joseph Fields
Musical Type: Golden Age/Operetta (1954)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson Book: Franklin Lacey
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Music/Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Hy Kraft
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Golden Age/Revue (1951)
Music: Sigmund Romberg Lyrics/Book: Dorothy Fields Book: Herbert Fields
Musical Type: Golden Age (1945)
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Fields, Chodorov
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Comedic 1960s Musicals
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: Milton Schafer Lyrics: Ronny Graham Book: A.J. Russell
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Sandy Wilson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Garson Kanin
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Music: Lee Pockriss Lyrics/Book: Anne Croswell
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Music/Lyrics: Walter Marks Book: Ernest Kinoy
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Music: Elmer Bernstein Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh Book: Max Shulman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Noël Coward
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Music: Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: N. Richard Nash
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Music: Mary Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Larry Siegel Lyrics: Marshall Barer, Steven Vinaver Book: Stan Hart Additional Song: Stephen Sondheim
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age/Revue (1966)
Music: Lee Pockriss Lyrics: Anne Croswell Book: David Shaw
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Music/Lyrics: Hal Hester, Danny Apolinar Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Comedic 1970s Musicals
Music: John Kander Lyrics/Book: Fred Ebb Book: Norman L. Martin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
A Day in Hollywood, a Night in the Ukraine
Music: Frank Lazarus, Various Lyrics/Book: Dick Vosburgh
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1979)
Music/Lyrics: Paul Williams Book: Alan Parker
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Alan Ayckbourn
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics/Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1977)
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Music: Larry Grossman Lyrics: Hal Hackady Book: Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, Michael Grace
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Music/Lyrics: Carol Hall Book: Larry L. King, Peter Masterson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: John Guare Book: Mel Shapiro
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Comedic 1980s Musicals
Music: Elizabeth Swados Lyrics/Book: Gary Trudeau
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Music: Raphael Crystal Lyrics: Richard Engquist Book: Nahma Sandrow
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics: Tom Lehrer Book: Cameron Mackintosh
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1980)
Comedic 1990s Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Laurence O’Keefe Book: Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
Music: Jimmy Roberts Lyrics/Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Robert Schrock
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1999)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: George Keating, Scott Ferguson, Kyle Hall
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Music/Lyrics: Lisa Lambert, Greg Morrison Book: Bob Martin, Don McKellar
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1999)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dick Gallagher, Mark Waldrop, Howard Crabtree
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1996)
Music: Dana P. Rowe Lyrics/Book: John Dempsey
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Comedic 2000s Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx Book: Jeff Whitty
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Music: Adam Schlesinger Lyrics: David Javerbaum Book: Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Music/Lyrics: Andrew Sherman, Tom Kitt, Jonathan Callicut Book: Susan L. Schwartz
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Jeffrey Lane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Martin Short, Daniel Goldfarb
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael Roberts Concept: Eric Krebs
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Scott Brown, Anthony King
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Music/Lyrics: Paul Williams Book: Garry Marshall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Music/Lyrics: Nell Benjamin, Laurence O’Keefe Book: Heather Hach
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Music: John Du Prez Music/Lyrics/Book: Eric Idle
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Music/Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Book: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music/Lyrics: William Finn Book: Rachel Sheinkin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Mel Brooks Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: 1967 Film/Contemporary Musical (2001)
Music/Lyrics: David Bryan Book/Lyrics: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Book: Tim Herlihy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Bowen Book: Hunter Bell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Greg Hollmann, Greg Kotis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Mel Brooks Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Comedic 2010s Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Max Martin, Various Book: David West Read
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2019)
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Music/Lyrics: Steven Lutvak Lyrics/Book: Robert L. Freedman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Rick Compton, Betsy Bennett
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Music/Lyrics: Eddie Perfect Book: Scott Brown, Anthony King
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Blim Book: Matt Lang, Nick Lang
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Woody Allen
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2014)
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin Book: Bob Martin, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Music/Lyrics: Jimmy Buffett Book: Greg Garcia, Mike O’Malley
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2017)
Music/Lyrics: The Go-Go’s Book: Jeff Whitty, James Magruder
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2015)
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Andrew Bergman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Music/Lyrics: Lewis Flinn Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Music: Jeff Richmond Lyrics: Nell Benjamin Book: Tina Fey
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Glen Slater Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Karey Kirkpatrick Music/Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick Book: John O’Farrell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Blim Book: Nick Lang, Matt Lang
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2013)
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2016)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Kyle Jarrow
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Robert Horn
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Comedic 2020s Musicals
Music/Lyrics/Book: Clark Baxtresser
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Keith Harrison, Laura Schein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Karey Kirkpatrick Music/Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick Book: John O’Farrell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Other blog posts you might like:
• Musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstein
• How to Get Cheap Theatre Tickets
Want a weekly list of stagey surprises?!
Which of these comedic musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musical comedies? 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.