LGBTQ+ 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 LGBTQ+ musicals for you below, all great to listen to during pride month!
The following musicals either have LGBTQ+ themes in the plot and/or LGBTQ+ characters. The list is organized by time period, and then alphabetically within each category.
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1930s LGBTQ+ Musicals
Nymph Errant
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Romney Brent
1960s LGBTQ+ Musicals
Cabaret
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joe Masteroff
1970s LGBTQ+ Musicals
A Chorus Line
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics: Edward Kleban Book: James Kirkwood Jr., Nicholas Dante
Applause
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
The Rocky Horror Show
Music/Lyrics/Book: Richard O’Brien
1980s LGBTQ+ Musicals
Dance a Little Closer
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens
Music: Janet Hood Lyrics/Book: Bill Russell
La Cage aux Folles
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Harvey Fierstein
March of the Falsettos
Music: Michel Legrand Lyrics: Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer Book: Schönberg, Kent, Boublil
Ten Percent Revue
Music/Lyrics: Tom Wilson Weinberg
1990s LGBTQ+ Musicals
A New Brain
Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn Book: James Lapine
Falsettoland
Music/Lyrics: William Finn Book: James Lapine
Falsettos
Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn Book: James Lapine
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Trask Book: John Cameron Mitchell
Hello Again
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Terrence McNally
Naked Boys Singing!
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Robert Schrock
Rent
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
The Boy from Oz
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Nick Enright, Martin Sherman
The Wild Party
Music/Lyrics/Book: Andrew Lippa
Victor/Victoria
Music: Henry Mancini, Frank Wildhorn Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse, Wildhorn Book: Blake Edwards
When Pigs Fly
Music/Lyrics: Dick Gallagher, Mark Waldrop Book: Howard Crabtree, Waldrop
Whoop Dee Doo!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Crabtree, Cantanese, Waldrop, Gallagher, George, Morris
2000s LGBTQ+ Musicals
A Man of No Importance
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Avenue Q
Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx Book: Jeff Whitty
Bad Girls
Music/Lyrics: Kath Gotts Book: Maureen Chadwick, Ann McManus
Bare
Music/Book: Damon Intrabartolo Lyrics/Book: Jon Hartmere
Closer to Heaven
Music/Lyrics: Pet Shop Boys Book: Jonathan Harvey
Glory Days
Music/Lyrics: Nick Blaemire Book: James Gardiner
My Life with Albertine
Music/Lyrics: Ricky Ian Gordon Lyrics/Book: Richard Nelson
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Stephan Elliott, Allan Scott
Road Show
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: John Weidman
Spring Awakening
Music: Duncan Sheik Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater
Taboo
Music/Lyrics: B. George Lyrics: K. Frost, J. Themis, R. Stevens Book: M. Markham, C. Busch
The Color Purple
Music/Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray Book: Marsha Norman
The Full Monty
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Terrence McNally
The Producers
Music/Lyrics: Mel Brooks Book: Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan
The Wild Party
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa Book: George C. Wolfe
Tick, Tick… BOOM!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
Yank!
Music: Joseph Zellnik Lyrics/Book: David Zellnik
Zanna, Don’t!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Tim Acito, Alexander Dinelaris
2010s LGBTQ+ Musicals
& Juliet
Music/Lyrics: Max Martin, Various Book: David West Read
A Strange Loop
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael R. Jackson
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Music: Dan Gillespie Sells Lyrics/Book: Tom MacRae
Firebringer
Music/Lyrics: Meredith Stepien, Mark Swiderski Book: Matt Lang, Nick Lang, Brian Holden
From Here to Eternity
Music: Stuart Brayson Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Bill Oakes
Fun Home
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Lisa Kron
Head Over Heels
Music/Lyrics: The Go-Go’s Book: Jeff Whitty, James Magruder
Home Street Home
Music/Lyrics/Book: Fat Mike, Jeff Marx, Soma Snakeoil, David Goldsmith
If/Then
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics/Book: Brian Yorkey
In Transit
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lopez, Ford, Kaplan, Wordsworth
It Shoulda Been You
Music: Barbara Anselmi Lyrics/Book: Brian Hargrove
Jagged Little Pill
Music/Lyrics/Book: Alanis Morissette, Ballard, Farrell, Sigsworth, Cody
Kinky Boots
Music/Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper Book: Harvey Fierstein
Lizard Boy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Justin Huertas
Ride the Cyclone
Music/Lyrics/Book: Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond
Soho Cinders
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe Book: Elliot Davis
The Prom
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin Book: Bob Martin, Beguelin
The View UpStairs
Music/Lyrics/Book: Max Vernon
We Are the Tigers
Music/Lyrics/Book: Preston Max Allen
Witness Uganda
Music/Lyrics/Book: Matt Gould, Griffin Matthews
2020s LGBTQ+ Musicals
Cinderella (ALW)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: David Zippel Book: Emerald Fennell
Frankie!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Elise Marra
In Pieces
Music/Lyrics: Joey Contrera
Want a weekly list of stagey surprises?!
Which of these LGBTQ+ musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above 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 has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
