75+ Fantasy Musicals – A Full List of Shows
Whether you’re auditioning for musicals, setting up your rep book, or simply looking for some new 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 notable fantasy musicals for you below.
This list is broken down into the following subgenres – “Dream World Fantasies”, “Fairy Tale Musicals”, “General Fantasy Musicals”, “Paranormal Fantasy”, “Mythic Fantasy”, “Sci-Fi Musicals” and “Superhero Musicals”. Each subgenre is sorted alphabetically.
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Dream World Fantasies
The following musicals primarily take place in a character’s dream or imaginary visions, often concluding with the character waking up or returning to reality.
Music: Duncan Sheik Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater Book: Jessie Nelson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Type of Fantasy: Dream World Fantasy
Music/Lyrics: Gary Barlow, Eliot Kennedy Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Allan Knee, James Graham
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Type of Fantasy: Dream World Fantasy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Richard Thomas, Stewart Lee
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Type of Fantasy: Dream World Fantasy
Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg Music: Herbert Stothart Book: L. Frank Baum, John Kane
Musical Type: 1939 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1987)
Type of Fantasy: Dream World Fantasy
Music: Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: E.Y. Harburg, Tim Rice Book: Jeremy Sams
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Type of Fantasy: Dream World Fantasy
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Jack Murphy Book: Gregory Boyd
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Type of Fantasy: Dream World Fantasy
Fairy Tale Musicals
The following musicals enchant with magical worlds, mythical creatures, and captivating stories that embody good versus evil, love, and moral lessons.
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Lyrics: Tim Rice, Howard Ashman
Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: David Zippel Book: Emerald Fennell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Tim Rice Book: Linda Woolverton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: 1957 Film/Contemporary Musical (2013)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics/Book: E.Y. Harburg Book: Fred Saidy
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez Book: Jennifer Lee
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Polly Pen Lyrics: Peggy Harman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: John Fearnley, Beverly Cross, Tommy Steele
Musical Type: Golden Age (1952)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Jim Fortune Lyrics: Rufus Norris Book: Tanya Ronder
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Mary Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Marshall Barer Book: Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: David Lindsay-Abaire
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael Webborn, Daniel Finn
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music/Lyrics: Tori Amos Lyrics/Book: Samuel Adamson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Glenn Slater Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: 1989 Film/Contemporary Musical (2007)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: Robert Waldman Lyrics/Book: Alfred Uhry
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
Music/Lyrics/Book: Tim Acito Book/Lyrics: Alexander Dinelaris
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Type of Fantasy: Fairy Tale
General Fantasy Musicals
The following musicals transport audiences to unearthly worlds filled with magic while sharing stories that ignite the imagination.
Music/Lyrics/Book: Joshua Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Jason Loewith
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Michel Legrand Lyrics/Book: Didier van Cauwelaert, Jeremy Sams
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: David Shire Lyrics: Richard Maltby, Jr. Book: John Weidman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Book: John August
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics/Book: Robert J. Sherman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Vernon Duke Lyrics: John Latouche Book: Lynn Root
Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn, Richard Stilgoe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Type of Fantasy: General
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: David Greig
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman Adaptations: Jeremy Sams, Ray Roderick
Musical Type: 1968 Film/Contemporary Musical (2002)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Peter Stone, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Various Lyrics/Book: Nick Blaemire Adaptation: Madeline Smith
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin Book: Bob Martin, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Brendan Milburn Lyrics: Valerie Vigoda Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: James Goldman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez Book: Lindsay Anderson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Burton Lane Lyrics/Book: E.Y. Harburg Book: Fred Saidy
Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Stuart Ross
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics: Brian Yorkey Book: Bridget Carpenter
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics/Book: Frank Loesser Book: Lesser Samuels
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Tim Minchin Book: Danny Rubin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Justin Paul Lyrics: Benj Pasek Book: Timothy Allen McDonald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Gene De Paul Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics/Book: Robert J. Sherman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: 1964 Film/Contemporary Musical (2004)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Tim Minchin Book: Dennis Kelly
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics/Book: Ogden Nash Book: S.J. Perelman
Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Moose Charlap, Jule Styne Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Sir J.M. Barrie
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Type of Fantasy: General
Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure
Music: George Stiles Lyrics: Anthony Drewe Book: Willis Hall
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics/Book: Julian Slade Lyrics/Book: Dorothy Reynolds
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Book: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: John Du Prez Music/Lyrics/Book: Eric Idle
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alistair Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Richard Stilgoe, David Yazbek, Nick Coler
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: A.R. Rahman, Christopher Nightingale, Värttinä Lyrics/Book: Matthew Warchus, Shaun McKenna
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Type of Fantasy: General
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Music: Leon Carr Lyrics: Earl Shuman Book: Joe Manchester
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Dana P. Rowe Lyrics/Book: John Dempsey
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Charlie Smalls Book: William F. Brown
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Ralph Blane Book: Charles O’Neal, Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1952)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen Book: Claudia Shear, Tim Federle
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Type of Fantasy: General
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Winnie Holzman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Type of Fantasy: General
Mythic Fantasy
The following musicals transport audiences to ancient realms of gods and heroes, exploring epic quests and the clash between mortals and deities.
Music/Lyrics: Richard Adler, Jerry Ross Book: George Abbott, Douglass Wallop
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Type of Fantasy: Mythic
Music/Lyrics/Book: Melvin Van Peebles
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Type of Fantasy: Mythic
Music/Lyrics/Book: Anaïs Mitchell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Type of Fantasy: Mythic
Music/Lyrics: Ryan Scott Oliver Book: Hunter Foster
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Type of Fantasy: Mythic
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Dwight Taylor, Reginald Lawrence
Musical Type: Golden Age (1950)
Type of Fantasy: Mythic
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Burt Shevelove, Nathan Lane
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Type of Fantasy: Mythic
Music/Lyrics: Rob Rokicki Book: Joe Tracz
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Type of Fantasy: Mythic
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Lynne, John Farrar Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Type of Fantasy: Mythic
Paranormal Fantasy
The following musicals feature events that are unexplainable/beyond normal scientific understanding. This type of fantasy often spotlights ghosts, monsters, vampires, and other fantastical creatures.
Music/Lyrics: Laurence O’Keefe Book: Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics: Jack Murphy Book: Ivan Menchell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Don Black, Christopher Hampton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music/Lyrics/Book: George Reinblatt Music: Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: James Goldman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music/Lyrics: Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard Lyrics/Book: Bruce Joel Rubin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music/Lyrics/Book: Hugh Martin, Timothy Gray
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music: Elton John Lyrics: Bernie Taupin Book: Linda Woolverton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music: John Kander Lyrics/Book: Greg Pierce
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Music/Lyrics: David Bryan Lyrics/Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Type of Fantasy: Paranormal
Science Fiction Musicals
These musicals transport audiences to futuristic realms, exploring topics such as technology, space, and other thought-provoking ideas.
Music/Lyrics: Alan Silvestri, Glen Ballard Book: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jim Steinman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics: Joe Iconis Book: Joe Tracz
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics/Book: Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics: David Bowie Book: Enda Walsh
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
Music/Lyrics/Book: Andrew R. Butler
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Return to the Forbidden Planet
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Bob Carlton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics/Book: Barry Keating Book: Stuart Ross
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Shapera
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics/Book: Richard O’Brien
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics: Matt Sax Lyrics/Book: Eric Rosen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music/Lyrics: Queen Book: Ben Elton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: David Spencer Book: Alan Brennert
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Type of Fantasy: Sci-Fi
Superhero Musicals
These musicals tend to showcase thrilling action scenes and courageous individuals with extraordinary powers who triumph over adversity.
Music: Brad Alexander Lyrics/Book: Kevin Del Aguila
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Type of Fantasy: Superhero
Music/Lyrics/Book: Ben Adams, Chris Wilkins
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Type of Fantasy: Superhero
It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: David Newman, Robert Benton
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Type of Fantasy: Superhero
Music/Lyrics/Book: Justin Huertas
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Type of Fantasy: Superhero
Music/Lyrics: Bono, The Edge Book: Julie Taymor, Glen Berger, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Type of Fantasy: Superhero
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Which of these fantasy musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above fantasy musicals? 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 holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.