Musical Lists

75 LGBTQ+ Musicals – The Full List of Shows

Looking for a musical that brings LGBTQ+ stories to life? From journeys of self-discovery to the fight for equality, these shows celebrate the resilience, joy, and spirit of the queer community. Here’s the full list of LGBTQ+ musicals, sorted by time period.


Contents:

Pre-1970s LGBTQ+ Musicals

1970s LGBTQ+ Musicals

1980s LGBTQ+ Musicals

1990s LGBTQ+ Musicals

2000s LGBTQ+ Musicals

2010s LGBTQ+ Musicals

2020s LGBTQ+ Musicals



Cabaret

Music: John Kander  Lyrics: Fred Ebb  Book: Joe Masteroff

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)

Genre: Drama


Nymph Errant

Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter  Book: Romney Brent, Steve Mackes, Michael Whaley

Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


The Fantasticks

Music: Harvey Schmidt  Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)

Genre: Romantic Dramedy



A Chorus Line

Music: Marvin Hamlisch  Lyrics: Edward Kleban  Book: James Kirkwood, Nicholas Dante

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)

Genre: Dramedy


Applause

Music: Charles Strouse  Lyrics: Lee Adams  Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)

Genre: Dramedy


In Trousers

Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)

Genre: Dramedy


The Rocky Horror Show

Music/Lyrics/Book: Richard O’Brien

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)

Genre: Comedic Horror / Spoof



Aspects of Love

Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: Don Black, Charles Hart

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)

Genre: Drama


Dance a Little Closer

Music: Charles Strouse  Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)

Genre: Drama


Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens

Music: Janet Hood  Lyrics/Book: Bill Russell

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)

Genre: Song Cycle


La Cage aux Folles

Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman  Book: Harvey Fierstein

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)

Genre: Dramedy


March of the Falsettos

Music: Michel Legrand  Lyrics: Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer  Book: Schönberg, Kent, Boublil

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)

Genre: Drama



A New Brain

Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn  Book: James Lapine

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)

Genre: Semi-Autobiography


Falsettoland

Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn  Book: James Lapine

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)

Genre: Drama


Falsettos

Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn  Book: James Lapine

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)

Genre: Drama


Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Trask  Book: John Cameron Mitchell

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)

Genre: Drama


Hello Again

Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)

Genre: Romance


Kiss of the Spider Woman

Music: John Kander  Lyrics: Fred Ebb  Book: Terrence McNally

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)

Genre: Drama


Naked Boys Singing!

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Robert Schrock

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)

Genre: Comedic Revue


Rent

Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)

Genre: Drama


The Boy From Oz

Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen  Book: Nick Enright, Martin Sherman

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)

Genre: Biography


The Wild Party

Music/Lyrics/Book: Andrew Lippa

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)

Genre: Drama


Victor/Victoria

Music: Henry Mancini, Frank Wildhorn  Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse  Book: Blake Edwards

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


When Pigs Fly

Music: Dick Gallagher  Book/Lyrics/Concept: Mark Waldrop  Concept: Howard Crabtree

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)

Genre: Comedic Revue


Whoop-Dee-Doo!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Howard Crabtree, Charles Cantanese, Mark Waldrop, Dick Gallagher, Phillip George, Peter Morris

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)

Genre: Revue



A Man of No Importance

Music: Stephen Flaherty  Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens  Book: Terrence McNally

Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)

Genre: Drama


Altar Boyz

Music/Lyrics: Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker  Book: Kevin Del Aguila

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Genre: Satire


Avenue Q

Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx  Book: Jeff Whitty

Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)

Genre: Comedy / Parody


Bad Girls

Music/Lyrics: Kath Gotts  Book: Maureen Chadwick, Ann McManus

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Drama


Bare

Music/Book: Damon Intrabartolo  Lyrics/Book: Jon Hartmere

Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)

Genre: Drama


Closer to Heaven

Music/Lyrics: Pet Shop Boys  Book: Jonathan Harvey

Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)

Genre: Drama


Glory Days

Music/Lyrics: Nick Blaemire  Book: James Gardiner

Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)

Genre: Drama


Loving Repeating

Music: Stephen Flaherty  Lyrics: Gertrude Stein  AdaptationFrank Galati

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Biography


My Life with Albertine

Music/Lyrics: Ricky Ian Gordon  Lyrics/Book: Richard Nelson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)

Genre: Romantic Drama


Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Stephan Elliott, Allan Scott

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Dramedy


Road Show

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: John Weidman

Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)

Genre: Drama


SHOUT! The Mod Musical

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Phillip George, David Lowenstein

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Dramedy


Spamalot

Music: John Du Prez  Music/Lyrics/Book: Eric Idle

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


Spring Awakening

Music: Duncan Sheik  Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Drama


Taboo

Music/Lyrics: Boy George  Music: Kevan Frost, John Themis, Richie Stevens  Book: Charles Busch

Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)

Genre: Semi-Autobiography


The Color Purple

Music/Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray  Book: Marsha Norman

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Genre: Drama


The Full Monty

Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek  Book: Terrence McNally

Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)

Genre: Comedy


The Producers

Music/Lyrics/Book: Mel Brooks  Book: Thomas Meehan

Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)

Genre: Comedy


The Wild Party

Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa  Book: George C. Wolfe

Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)

Genre: Drama


Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Contemporary (1990/2001)

Genre: Semi-Autobiography


Yank!

Music: Joseph Zellnik  Lyrics/Book: David Zellnik

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Genre: Drama



& Juliet

Music/Lyrics: Max Martin, Various  Book: David West Read

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


A Strange Loop

Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael R. Jackson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Dramedy


Bring It On

Music: Tom Kitt  Music/Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda  Lyrics: Amanda Green  Book: Jeff Whitty

Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)

Genre: Dramedy


Come From Away

Music/Lyrics/Book: Irene Sankoff, David Hein

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Genre: Drama


Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

Music: Dan Gillespie Sells  Lyrics/Book: Tom MacRae

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Genre: Dramedy


Far From Heaven

Music: Scott Frankel  Lyrics: Michael Korie  Book: Richard Greenberg

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Genre: Drama


Firebringer

Music/Lyrics: Meredith Stepien, Mark Swiderski  Book: Matt Lang, Nick Lang, Brian Holden

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Genre: Dramedy


From Here to Eternity

Music: Stuart Brayson  Lyrics: Tim Rice  Book: Bill Oakes

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Genre: Drama


Fun Home

Music: Jeanine Tesori  Lyrics/Book: Lisa Kron

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Genre: Drama


Head Over Heels

Music/Lyrics: The Go-Go’s  Book: Jeff Whitty, James Magruder

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Comedy


Home Street Home

Music/Lyrics/Book: Fat Mike, Soma Snakeoil, Jeff Marx  Book: David Goldsmith

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Drama


If/Then

Music: Tom Kitt  Lyrics/Book: Brian Yorkey

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Genre: Romantic Drama


In Transit

Music/Lyrics/Book: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan, Sara Wordsworth

Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)

Genre: Dramedy


It Shoulda Been You

Music: Barbara Anselmi  Lyrics/Book: Brian Hargrove

Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


Jagged Little Pill

Music/Lyrics: Alanis Morissette  Music: Glen Ballard, Guy Sigsworth, Michael Farrell  Book: Diablo Cody

Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)

Genre: Drama


Kinky Boots

Music/Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper  Book: Harvey Fierstein

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Genre: Dramedy


Lempicka

Music/Book: Matt Gould  Lyrics/Book: Carson Kreitzer

Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)

Genre: Biography


Lizard Boy

Music/Lyrics/Book: Justin Huertas

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Fantasy


Love in Hate Nation

Music/Lyrics/Book: Joe Iconis

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Romantic Drama


Ride the Cyclone

Music/Lyrics/Book: Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Dark Comedy / Horror


Soho Cinders

Music: George Stiles  Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe  Book: Elliot Davis

Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)

Genre: Satire


The Landing

Music: John Kander  Lyrics/Book: Greg Pierce

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Genre: Drama / Fantasy


The Prom

Music: Matthew Sklar  Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin  Book: Bob Martin

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Genre: Dramedy


The View UpStairs

Music/Lyrics/Book: Max Vernon

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Genre: Drama


We Are the Tigers

Music/Lyrics/Book: Preston Max Allen

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Comedic Horror / Murder Mystery


Witness Uganda

Music/Lyrics/Book: Matt Gould, Griffin Matthews

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Genre: Documentary



Bad Cinderella

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: David Zippel  Book: Emerald Fennell

Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)

Genre: Fairy Tale


Mean Girls

Music: Jeff Richmond  Lyrics: Nell Benjamin  Book: Tina Fey

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Genre: Comedy


Redwood

Music/Lyrics: Kate Diaz Lyrics/Book: Tina Landau

Musical Type: Contemporary (2024)

Genre: Drama


Some Like It Hot

Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman  Lyrics: Scott Wittman  Book: Matthew López, Amber Ruffin

Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)

Genre: Comedy


Three Houses

Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy

Musical Type: Contemporary (2024)

Genre: Chamber


Trevor

Music: Julianne Wick Davis  Lyrics/Book: Dan Collins

Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)

Genre: Dramedy


White Girl in Danger

Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael R. Jackson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)

Genre: Satire


Why Am I So Single?

Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss

Musical Type: Contemporary (2024)

Genre: Comedy


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Which of these LGBTQ+ musicals is your favorite?

Or have you ever played a role in any of the above LGBTQ+ 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 ListShe holds a BA in theatre and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.

Photo of Stacy Karyn

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