35+ Folk Musicals – The Full List of Shows
Rooted in storytelling and rich melodies, folk musicals bring an earthy, intimate quality to the stage. Whether inspired by traditional folk music or incorporating acoustic, singer-songwriter elements, these shows capture the raw emotion and simplicity of the genre. Here’s a full list of folk musicals (or musicals with folk influences), sorted alphabetically.
Folk Musicals
Music: Duncan Sheik Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater Book: Jessie Nelson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Music Genres: Folk / Pop-Rock
Music/Lyrics: Tom Kitt Lyrics/Book: Cameron Crowe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Music Genres: Folk / Musical Theatre / Rock
Music/Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Book: John August
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Music Genres: Folk / Musical Theatre
Music: John Hawkins, Richard Hill Lyrics/Book: Nevill Coghill Book: Martin Starkie
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock / Musical Theatre
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Music Genres: Folk / Musical Theatre / Soul
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Peter Duchan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Music Genres: Folk / Musical Theatre / Pop-Rock
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Music Genres: Country / Folk-Rock / Soul
Music: Brendan Milburn Lyrics: Valerie Vigoda Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Music Genres: Bluegrass / Electronic / Folk / Musical Theatre
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Music Genre: Folk
Music/Lyrics: Michael John LaChiusa Book: Sybille Pearson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Music Genres: Folk / Musical Theatre
Music/Lyrics: Bob Dylan Book: Conor McPherson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: John-Michael Tebelak
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Music Genres: Folk / Gospel
Music/Lyrics/Book: Anaïs Mitchell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Music Genre: Folk
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni, James Rado
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock
Music/Lyrics/Book: The Bengsons Book: Sarah Gancher
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Music Genres: Folk-Punk
I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road
Music: Nancy Ford Lyrics/Book: Gretchen Cryer
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Music Genre: Folk
Music: Helen Miller Lyrics: Eve Merriam
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Music Genres: Folk-Rock / Soul
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Music/Lyrics: Jacques Brel Book: Eric Blau, Mort Shuman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Music Genres: Chanson / Folk / Pop
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock
Music: Heitor Villa-Lobos Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest Book: Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, Homer Curran
Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)
Music Genre: Folk Operetta / Musical Theatre
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Music Genres: Classical / Folk / Musical Theatre / Pop
Music/Lyrics: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová Book: Enda Walsh
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Alfred Uhry
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Music Genres: Blues / Folk / Jazz / Musical Theatre
Music: Al Carmines Lyrics/Book: María Irene Fornés
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Music Genres: Folk / Musical Theatre / Operetta
Music: Gary Geld Lyrics/Book: Peter Udell Book: Ossie Davis, Philip Rose
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Music Genres: Disco / Folk / Funk / Gospel
Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
Music/Lyrics/Book: Andrew R. Butler
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Music Genre: Folk
Music/Lyrics/Book: Elizabeth Swados
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Music Genre: Folk
Music/Lyrics: The Avett Brothers Book: John Logan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Music Genre: Bluegrass / Folk
Music: Albert Hague Lyrics/Book: Allan Sherman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Music Genres: Folk / Musical Theatre
Music: Galt MacDermot Libretto: William Dumaresq
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Music Genres: Folk / Gospel / Pop-Rock
Music/Lyrics: Sting Book: Brian Yorkey, John Logan, Lorne Campbell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Music Genres: Celtic / Folk-Rock / Pop
Music: Nancy Ford Lyrics/Book: Gretchen Cryer
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock
Music/Lyrics/Book: Benjamin Scheuer
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock
Music/Lyrics: Ingrid Michaelson Book: Bekah Brunstetter
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Music Genres: Folk / Musical Theatre
Music/Lyrics/Book: Justin Levine Music/Lyrics: Jonathan Clay, Zach Chance Book: Adam Rapp
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Music Genres: Country / Folk / Rock & Roll
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2024)
Music Genres: Classical / Folk / Musical Theatre / Pop
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Adaptation: John Guare Adaptation: Mel Shapiro
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock
Music/Lyrics: Sara Bareilles Book: Jessie Nelson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music Genres: Country / Folk / Musical Theatre
Music/Lyrics: PigPen Theatre Co. Book: Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Music Genres: Bluegrass / Country / Folk / Jazz / Musical Theatre
Music/Lyrics/Adaptation: Stephen Schwartz Music/Lyrics: Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers, Susan Birkenhead, James Taylor Adaptation: Nina Faso
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1977)
Music Genres: Country / Folk / Latin / Musical Theatre / Pop / Soul
Music/Lyrics: Hal Hester, Danny Apolinar Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Music Genre: Folk-Rock
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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.