Musical Lists

41+ Musicals About Musicals – The Full List of Shows

Last Updated: May 20, 2025

Looking for a musical that captures the magic and mayhem of theatre life? Whether it’s a story about musical theatre, straight plays, or one that breaks the fourth wall, these shows celebrate the world of the stage. Here’s the full list of musicals about musicals.


Post Contents:

Musicals About Musicals

Musicals About Theatre

Musicals That Break the Fourth Wall


These shows feature musical theatre in the plot or a fictional musical within the narrative.


42nd Street

Music: Harry Warren  Lyrics: Al Dubin, Johnny Mercer  Book: Michael Stewart, Mark Bramble

Musical Type: 1933 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1980)

Genre: Comedy


A Chorus Line

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

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)

Genre: Dramedy


A Class Act

Music/Lyrics: Edward Kleban  Book: Linda Kline, Lonny Price

Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)

Genre: Semi-Autobiographical


A Strange Loop

Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael R. Jackson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Dramedy


Anything Can Happen in the Theater

Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston  Concept: Gerard Alessandrini

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Revue


Broadway Bounty Hunter

Music/Lyrics/Book: Joe Iconis  Book: Lance Rubin, Jason SweetTooth Williams

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Comedy


Copacabana

Music/Book: Barry Manilow  Lyrics/Book: Bruce Sussman, Jack Feldman

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)

Genre: Romantic Dramedy


Curtains

Music/Lyrics: John Kander  Lyrics: Fred Ebb  Lyrics/Book: Rupert Holmes

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Murder Mystery


Dames at Sea

Music: Jim Wise  Lyrics/Book: George Haimsohn, Robin Miller

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


Dog Man: The Musical

Music: Brad Alexander  Lyrics/Book: Kevin Del Aguila

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Theatre for Young Audiences


Face the Music

Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Moss Hart

Musical Type: Jazz Age (1932)

Genre: Satire


Forbidden Broadway

Music: Various  Lyrics/Book: Gerard Alessandrini

Musical Type: Series (1980s-2020s)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


Gutenberg! The Musical!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Scott Brown, Anthony King

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


High School Musical

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: David Simpatico

Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)

Genre: Dramedy


Infinite Joy

Music/Lyrics: William Finn

Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)

Genre: Revue


Jerome Robbins’ Broadway

Music/Lyrics: Various

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)

Genre: Revue


Jerry’s Girls

Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman  Concept: Larry Alford, Wayne Cilento

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)

Genre: Revue


Kiss Me, Kate

Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter  Book: Bella Spewack, Samuel Spewack

Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


LoveMusik

Music: Kurt Weill  Lyrics: Various  Book: Alfred Uhry

Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)

Genre: Drama


Me and Juliet

Music: Richard Rodgers  Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II

Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


Merrily We Roll Along

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: George Furth

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)

Genre: Dramedy


Meshuggah-Nuns!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin

Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)

Genre: Comedy


Moby Dick

Music/Lyrics/Book: Robert Longden, Hereward Kaye

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)

Genre: Comedy


Nativity!

Music/Lyrics: Nicky Ager  Lyrics/Book: Debbie Isitt

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Genre: Comedy


Nunset Boulevard

Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin

Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)

Genre: Comedy


Parade

Music/Lyrics/Book: Jerry Herman

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)

Genre: Revue


Prince of Broadway

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: David Thompson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Revue


Ruthless!

Music: Marvin Laird  Lyrics/Book: Joel Paley

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)

Genre: Dark Comedy


Say, Darling

Music: Jule Styne  Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green  Book: Abe Burrows, Marian & Richard Bissell

Musical Type: Golden Age (1958)

Genre: Dramedy


Singin’ in the Rain

Music/Lyrics: Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed  Book: Adolph Green, Betty Comden

Musical Type: 1952 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1983)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


Smash

Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman  Lyrics: Scott Wittman  Book: Rick Elice, Bob Martin

Musical Type: Contemporary (2025)

Genre: Comedy


Soft Power

Music/Lyrics: Jeanine Tesori  Lyrics/Book: David Henry Hwang

Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)

Genre: Metamusical


Something Rotten!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Karey Kirkpatrick  Music/Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick  Book: John O’Farrell

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Comedy


Spamalot

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

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


Spamilton

Music: Various  Lyrics/Book: Gerard Alessandrini

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Genre: Comedy / Parody


The Drowsy Chaperone

Music/Lyrics: Lisa Lambert, Greg Morrison  Book: Bob Martin, Don McKellar

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals

Music/Lyrics: Jeff Blim  Book: Nick Lang, Matt Lang

Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)

Genre: Comedic Horror


The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)

Music/Book: Eric Rockwell  Lyrics/Book: Joanne Bogart

Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes

Music: Michael Kooman  Lyrics/Book: Christopher Dimond

Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


The Producers

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

Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)

Genre: Comedy


The Prom

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

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Genre: Dramedy


The Show Goes On

Music: Harvey Schmidt  Lyrics: Tom Jones

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)

Genre: Revue


Tick, Tick…BOOM!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson

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

Genre: Semi-Autobiography


[title of show]

Music/Lyrics: Jeff Bowen  Book: Hunter Bell

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Comedy


Tootsie

Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek  Book: Robert Horn

Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)

Genre: Comedy


Two on the Aisle

Music: Jule Styne  Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)

Genre: Comedy / Revue


When Pigs Fly

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

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)

Genre: Comedy / 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


Why Am I So Single?

Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss

Musical Type: Contemporary (2024)

Genre: Comedy


These musicals feature theatre in the plot or intertwine a play within the musical’s narrative.


1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Music: Leonard Bernstein  Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)

Genre: Historical


A Killer Party

Music: Jason Howland  Lyrics: Nathan Tysen  Book: Rachel Axler, Kait Kerrigan

Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)

Genre: Murder Mystery


A Man of No Importance

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

Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)

Genre: Drama


Applause

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

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)

Genre: Dramedy


Babes in Arms

Music/Book: Richard Rodgers  Lyrics/Book: Lorenz Hart

Musical Type: Jazz Age (1937)

Genre: Comedy


Be More Chill

Music/Lyrics: Joe Iconis  Book: Joe Tracz

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Science Fiction


Bells Are Ringing

Music: Jule Styne  Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


Birds of Paradise

Music/Book: David Evans  Lyrics/Book: Winnie Holzman

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)

Genre: Dramedy


BKLYN: The Musical

Music/Lyrics/Book: Mark Schoenfeld, Barri McPherson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Genre: Dramedy


Bullets Over Broadway

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Woody Allen

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Genre: Comedy


Crazy for You

Music: George Gershwin  Lyrics: Ira Gershwin  Book: Ken Ludwig

Musical Type: Jazz Age/Pre-Contemporary (1992)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


Death Becomes Her

Music/Lyrics: Julia Mattison, Noel Carey  Book: Marco Pennette

Musical Type: Contemporary (2024)

Genre: Comedy / Fantasy


Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”

Music: Deborah Wicks La Puma  Lyrics/Book: Mo Willems

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Genre: Theatre for Young Audiences


Fame

Music: Steve Margoshes  Lyrics: Jacques Levy  Book: José Fernandez

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)

Genre: Dramedy


Fame Becomes Me

Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman  Lyrics: Scott Wittman  Book: Martin Short, Daniel Goldfarb

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Comedy / Semi-Autobiography / Spoof


Fancy Nancy

Music/Lyrics: Danny Abosch  Lyrics/Book: Susan DiLallo

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Genre: Theatre for Young Audiences


Finding Neverland

Music/Lyrics: Gary Barlow, Eliot Kennedy  Music: Scott Frankel  Lyrics: Michael Korie  Book: Allan Knee, James Graham

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Genre: Drama / Fantasy


Follies

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: James Goldman

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)

Genre: Drama / Fantasy


Funny Girl

Music: Jule Styne  Lyrics: Bob Merrill  Book: Isobel Lennart

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)

Genre: Semi-Biography


Goosebumps

Music/Lyrics: Danny Abosch  Lyrics/Book: John Maclay

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Genre: Theatre for Young Audiences


Jennie

Music/Lyrics: Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz  Book: Arnold Schulman

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)

Genre: Romantic Drama


Kean

Music/Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest  Book: Peter Stone

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)

Genre: Romantic Drama


Love Birds

Music/Lyrics/Book: Robert J. Sherman

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Genre: Fantasy


Man of La Mancha

Music: Mitch Leigh  Lyrics: Joe Darion  Book: Dale Wasserman

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)

Genre: Dramedy


On the Twentieth Century

Music: Cy Coleman  Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)

Genre: Comedy


Phantom

Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston  Book: Arthur Kopit

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)

Genre: Drama


Show Boat

Music: Jerome Kern  Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II

Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)

Genre: Drama


The Big One-Oh!

Music: Doug Besterman  Lyrics: Dean Pitchford  Book: Timothy Allen McDonald

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Theatre for Young Audiences


The Frogs

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: Burt Shevelove, Nathan Lane

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)

Genre: Fantasy / Satire


The Girl in Pink Tights

Music: Sigmund Romberg  Lyrics: Leo Robin  Book: Jerome Chodorov, Joseph Fields

Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)

Genre: Comedy


The Glorious Ones

Music: Stephen Flaherty  Lyrics/Books: Lynn Ahrens

Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)

Genre: Dramedy


The King and I

Music: Richard Rodgers  Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II

Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)

Genre: Romantic Drama


The Phantom of the Opera

Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: Charles Hart  Lyrics/Book: Richard Stilgoe

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)

Genre: Mystery / Thriller


Two’s Company

Music: Vernon Duke  Lyrics: Ogden Nash, Sammy Cahn  Sketches: Charles Sherman, Peter DeVries

Musical Type: Golden Age (1952)

Genre: Revue


These shows feature audience engagement or directly acknowledge that they are musicals.


70, Girls, 70

Music: John Kander  Lyrics/Book: Fred Ebb  Book: Norman L. Martin

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)

Genre: Comedy


A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: Burt Shevelove, Larry Gelbart

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)

Genre: Comedy


A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

Music/Lyrics: Steven Lutvak  Lyrics/Book: Robert L. Freedman

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Genre: Comedy


Altar Boyz

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

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Genre: Satire


Anyone Can Whistle

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: Arthur Laurents

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)

Genre: Satire


Anything Goes

Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter  Book: Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse

Musical Type: Jazz Age (1934)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


Avenue Q

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

Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)

Genre: Comedy / Parody


By Jeeves

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics/Book: Alan Ayckbourn

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)

Genre: Comedy


Diana

Music/Lyrics: David Bryan  Lyrics/Book: Joe DiPietro

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Genre: Biography


Ernest Shackleton Loves Me

Music: Brendan Milburn  Lyrics: Valerie Vigoda  Book: Joe DiPietro

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Genre: Fantasy / Romantic Dramedy


Evil Dead

Music/Lyrics/Book: George Reinblatt  Music: Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris

Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)

Genre: Comedic Horror / Parody


Follies

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: James Goldman

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)

Genre: Drama / Fantasy


Forever Plaid

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Stuart Ross

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)

Genre: Revue


Hadestown

Music/Lyrics/Book: Anaïs Mitchell

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Genre: Mythic Fantasy


Hair

Music: Galt MacDermot  Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni, James Rado

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)

Genre: Dramedy


Here Lies Love

Music/Lyrics: David Byrne  Music: Fatboy Slim

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Genre: Biography


Here We Are

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: David Ives

Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)

Genre: Satire


Holiday Inn

Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin  Book: Gordon Greenberg, Chad Hodge

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Genre: Romantic Comedy


Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: Tim Rice

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1968)

Genre: Dramedy


Mr. Saturday Night

Music: Jason Robert Brown  Lyrics: Amanda Green  Book: Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel

Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)

Genre: Comedy


Murder Ballad

Music/Lyrics: Juliana Nash  Lyrics/Book: Julia Jordan

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Genre: Romantic Drama


Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Genre: Drama


Nunsense

Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)

Genre: Comedy


Nunsense II

Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)

Genre: Comedy


Peter Pan

Music: Moose Charlap, Jule Styne  Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, Adolph Green  Book: J.M. Barrie

Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)

Genre: Fantasy


Pippin

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz  Book: Roger O. Hirson

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)

Genre: Dramedy


Putting It Together

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)

Genre: Revue


Return to the Forbidden Planet

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Bob Carlton

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)

Genre: Science Fiction


Roadside

Music: Harvey Schmidt  Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones

Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)

Genre: Dramedy / Western


Shucked

Music/Lyrics: Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally  Book: Robert Horn

Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)

Genre: Comedy


Six

Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Genre: Semi-Biography


Spamalot

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

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Genre: Comedy / Spoof


Stop the World – I Want to Get Off

Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)

Genre: Dramedy


Sweeney Todd

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: Hugh Wheeler

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)

Genre: Horror


The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Music/Lyrics: William Finn  Book: Rachel Sheinkin

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Genre: Comedy


The Fig Leaves Are Falling

Music: Albert Hague  Lyrics/Book: Allan Sherman

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)

Genre: Romantic Dramedy


The Frogs

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: Burt Shevelove, Nathan Lane

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)

Genre: Fantasy / Satire


The Great American Trailer Park Musical

Music/Lyrics: David Nehls  Book: Betsy Kelso

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Genre: Comedy


The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Music/Lyrics/Book: Rupert Holmes

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)

Genre: Murder Mystery


The Trail to Oregon!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Jeff Blim  Book: Matt Lang, Nick Lang

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Genre: Comedy / Parody / Western


The Will Rogers Follies

Music: Cy Coleman  Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green  Book: Peter Stone

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)

Genre: Comedy


Urinetown

Music/Lyrics: Mark Hollmann  Lyrics/Book: Greg Kotis

Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)

Genre: Comedy / Satire



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Which of the above musicals about musicals are your favorite?

Have you ever played a role in one of the above musicals about musicals? What’s your favorite 4th wall breaking moment in musical theatre? 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 ListShe holds a BA in theatre and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.

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