21+ Epic Musicals – The Full List of Shows
Epic musicals are known for their sweeping narratives and larger-than-life plot lines, often tackling big themes like revolution, war, and personal sacrifice. Here’s the full list of the most iconic epic musicals to date, sorted alphabetically.
Here are some key characteristics of epic musicals:
- Large-scale narratives that often span generations or political movements
- Themes of revolution, war, societal change, or personal sacrifice
- Storylines that aim to make the audience think critically
You can learn more about epic musicals at the bottom of the page.
Epic Musicals
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jay Kuo Book: Marc Acito, Lorenzo Thione
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Genre: Drama
Music: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Richard Nelson, Danny Strong
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Genre: Drama
Music: Lucy Simon Lyrics: Michael Korie, Amy Powers Book: Michael Weller
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Genre: Drama
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Genre: Semi-Biography
Music: Mark Baron Lyrics/Book: Jeffrey Jackson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Genre: Horror
Music/Lyrics: Michael John LaChiusa Book: Sybille Pearson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Genre: Biography
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Genre: Religious Drama
Music/Lyrics: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alan Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean-Marc Natel
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Genre: Drama
Music: Michel Legrand Lyrics: Herbert Kretzmer Lyrics/Book: Alain Boublil Book: Claude-Michel Schönberg, Jonathan Kent
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Genre: Drama
Music/Book: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics/Book: Alain Boublil Lyrics: Edward Hardy, Stephen Clark
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Genre: Semi-Biography
Music: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Charles Chilton, Theatre Workshop, Inc.
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Genre: Satire
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Genre: Drama
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics/Book: Shaina Taub
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Genre: Historical
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Jack Murphy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Shapera
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Genre: Science Fiction
Music: Elton John Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Roger Allers, Irene Mecchi
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Genre: Dramedy
Music/Book: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: John Dempsey Lyrics/Book: Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Genre: Adventure
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Philip LaZebnik
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Genre: Religious Drama
The Rothschilds / Rothschild & Sons
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Sherman Yellen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Genre: Drama
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Nan Knighton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Genre: Drama
Key Questions
What is the origin of epic musicals?
Epic theatre was a form pioneered by Bertolt Brecht in the early 20th century. Brecht’s goal was to create theatre that would keep the audience actively thinking about the societal and political themes being presented.
As outlined in Studying Musical Theatre➝ by Millie Taylor and Dominic Symonds, epic theatre sought to “keep its audience alert and critically engaged; [it] presented stories about people affected by their situations, and [it] emphasized how lives could be changed through cause and effect” (Taylor & Symonds, 2014, p. 56).
Brecht’s influence extended to musical theatre, inspiring large-scale productions that tackle social and political issues while challenging the audience to think and reflect.
Are there other types of epic musicals?
If we broaden our interpretation to align with the modern colloquial use of the term “epic,” we might classify musicals that are impressive or remarkable in some way as epic as well.
For example, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark could be categorized as an epic musical under this definition, given its ambitious staging, special effects, and larger-than-life production values. Yet, this approach to defining epic musicals introduces a degree of subjectivity, as what one person finds impressive might differ from another’s perspective.
What is Epic: The Musical and how does it fit into the genre of epic musicals?
Epic: The Musical is a series of concept albums created by Jorge Rivera-Herrans➝, with its development documented on his TikTok. This multi-saga concept musical offers a fresh take on Homer’s Odyssey, presenting a modern interpretation of the epic musical genre. However, you won’t find it listed in Theatre Trip’s database, as hasn’t yet been staged.
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Which of these epic musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above epic musicals? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you enjoy exploring these lists, check out the musical database, where you can discover musicals organized by composer, theme, setting, and much 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 holds a BA in theatre and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
