101+ Comedic Musicals – The Full List
Whether you’re auditioning for musicals, setting up your rep book, or simply looking for the funniest musicals ever, it’s good to get familiar with what’s out there. And that’s why we’ve put together this list of comedic musicals for you below, sorted by time period.
By the way, there are lots of other musical comedies out there that are not on the following list. But that’s because I will be making specific lists for dramedies, parodies, and romantic comedies. The following shows fall into the generic genre of “comedic musicals”.
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Comedic Jazz Age Musicals
A Connecticut Yankee
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: Herbert Fields
Good News!
Music: Ray Henderson Lyrics: B.G. DeSylva, Lew Brown Book: Schwab, DeSylva
Lady, Be Good
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson
No, No Nanette
Music: Vincent Youmans Lyrics/Book: Irving Caesar, Otto Harbach, Frank Mandel
Shuffle Along
Music: Eubie Blake Lyrics: Noble Sissle Book: F.E. Miller, Aubrey Lyles
The Cabaret Girl
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: George Grossmith, P.G. Wodehouse
The Cocoanuts
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
Tip-Toes
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson
Comedic Golden Age Musicals
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Music: Arthur Schwartz Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: George Abbott, Betty Smith
Ankles Aweigh
Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics: Dan Shapiro Book: Guy Bolton, Eddie Davis
Best Foot Forward
Music/Lyrics: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane Book: John Cecil Holm
By Jupiter
Music/Book: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Lorenz Hart
Can-Can
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Abe Burrows
Damn Yankees
Music: Richard Adler Lyrics: Jerry Ross Book: George Abbott, Douglass Wallop
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Leo Robin Book: Joseph Fields, Anita Loos
Goldilocks
Music: Leroy Anderson Lyrics/Book: Jean Kerr, Walter Kerr, Joan Ford
Guys and Dolls
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Jo Swerling, Abe Burrows
Hazel Flagg
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Hilliard Book: James H. Street
High Button Shoes
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Stephen Longstreet, George Abbott
Mexican Hayride
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields, Dorothy Fields
Oh, Captain!
Music/Lyrics: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans Book: Al Morgan, José Ferrer
On the Town
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Paint Your Wagon
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Something for the Boys
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields, Dorothy Fields
The Boy Friend
Music/Lyrics/Book: Sandy Wilson
The Girl in Pink Tights
Music: Sigmund Romberg Lyrics: Leo Robin Book: Jerome Chodorov, Joseph Fields
The Music Man
Music/Lyrics: Meredith Willson Book: Franklin Lacey, Wilson
Top Banana
Music/Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Hy Kraft
Two on the Aisle
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Up in Central Park
Music: Sigmund Romberg Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: Herbert Fields, Dorothy Fields
Wonderful Town
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Fields, Chodorov
Comedic Post-Golden Age Musicals
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Burt Shevelove, Larry Gelbart
Bravo Giovanni
Music: Milton Schafer Lyrics: Ronny Graham Book: A.J. Russell
Divorce Me, Darling!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Sandy Wilson
Do Re Mi
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Garson Kanin
Ernest in Love
Music: Lee Pockriss Lyrics/Book: Anne Croswell
Fade Out – Fade In
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Golden Rainbow
Music/Lyrics: Walter Marks Book: Ernest Kinoy
How Now, Dow Jones
Music: Elmer Bernstein Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh Book: Max Shulman
Little Me
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh Book: Neil Simon
Sail Away
Music/Lyrics/Book: Noël Coward
Skyscraper
Music: Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Peter Stone
Subways Are For Sleeping
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
The Happy Time
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: N. Richard Nash
The Mad Show
Music: Mary Rodgers Lyrics: Marshall Barer, Steven Vinaver, Stephen Sondheim
Tovarich
Music: Lee Pockriss Lyrics: Anne Croswell Book: David Shaw
Your Own Thing
Music/Lyrics: Hal Hester, Danny Apolinar Book: Donald Driver
Comedic 1970s Musicals
70, Girls, 70
Music: John Kander Lyrics/Book: Fred Ebb Book: Norman L. Martin
Bugsy Malone
Music/Lyrics: Paul Williams Book: Alan Parker
By Jeeves
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Alan Ayckbourn
I Love My Wife
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics/Book: Michael Stewart
Snoopy!!!
Music: Larry Grossman Lyrics: Hal Hackady Book: Lockhart, Whitelaw, Grac
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Music/Lyrics: Carol Hall Book: Larry L. King, Peter Masterson
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics: John Guare Book: John Guare, Mel Shapiro
Comedic 1980s Musicals
Doonesbury
Music: Elizabeth Swados Lyrics/Book: Gary Trudeau
Little Shop of Horrors
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Nunsense
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Comedic 1990s Musicals
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
Music: Jimmy Roberts Lyrics/Book: Joe DiPietro
Nuncrackers
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Nunsense A-Men!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Schoolhouse Rock Live!
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Keating, Ferguson, Hall
The Marvelous Wonderettes
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
Zombie Prom
Music: Dana P. Rowe Lyrics/Book: John Dempsey
Comedic 2000s Musicals
Cry-Baby
Music: Adam Schlesinger Lyrics: David Javerbaum Book: Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan
Debbie Does Dallas
Music/Lyrics: Andrew Sherman, Tom Kitt, Jonathan Callicut Book: Susan L. Schwartz
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Jeffrey Lane
Golf: The Musical
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael Roberts Concept: Eric Krebs
Gutenberg! The Musical!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Scott Brown, Anthony King
Happy Days
Music/Lyrics: Paul Williams Book: Garry Marshall
Legally Blonde
Music/Lyrics: Nell Benjamin, Laurence O’Keefe Book: Heather Hach
The Addams Family
Music/Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Book: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music/Lyrics: William Finn Book: Rachel Sheinkin
The Full Monty
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Terrence McNally
The Producers
Music/Lyrics: Mel Brooks Book: Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan
The Wedding Singer
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin Book: Beguelin, Tim Herlihy
Title of Show
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Bowen Book: Hunter Bell
Urinetown
Music/Lyrics/Book: Greg Hollmann, Greg Kotis
Young Frankenstein
Music/Lyrics: Mel Brooks Book: Brooks, Thomas Meehan
Comedic 2010s Musicals
& Juliet
Music/Lyrics: Max Martin, Various Book: David West Read
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Music: Steven Lutvak Lyrics: Freedman, Lutvak Book: Robert Freedman
Assisted Living
Music/Lyrics/Book: Rick Compton, Betsy Bennett
Beetlejuice
Music/Lyrics: Eddie Perfect Book: Scott Brown, Anthony King
Bullets Over Broadway
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Woody Allen
Elf
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin Book: Bob Martin, Thomas Meehan
Escape to Margaritaville
Music/Lyrics: Jimmy Buffett Book: Greg Garcia, Mike O’Malley
Head Over Heels
Music/Lyrics: The Go-Go’s Book: Jeff Whitty, James Magruder
Honeymoon in Vegas
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Andrew Bergman
Lysistrata Jones
Music/Lyrics: Lewis Flinn Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Mean Girls
Music: Jeff Richmond Lyrics: Nell Benjamin Book: Tina Fey
School of Rock
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Glen Slater Book: Julian Fellowes
Something Rotten!
Music/Lyrics: Karey & Wayne Kirkpatrick Book: K. Kirkpatrick, J. O’Farrell
The Book of Mormon
Music/Lyrics/Book: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone
The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Blim Book: Nick Lang, Matt Lang
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
The SpongeBob Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Kyle Jarrow
Tootsie
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Robert Horn
Comedic 2020s Musicals
A VHS Christmas Carol
Music/Lyrics/Book: Clark Baxtresser
Emojiland
Music/Lyrics/Book: Keith Harrison, Laura Schein
Mrs. Doubtfire
Music/Lyrics: Karey Kirkpatrick, Wayne Kirkpatrick Book: K. Kirkpatrick, John O’Farrell
Other blog posts you might like:
• Musicals with Animals in Them
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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.
