100+ Musicals Based on Books to Add to Your Reading List
Due to life events, finances, location, or lack of time, live theatre isn’t always available to us. But the good news is that there are tons of amazing musical-related books and novels that we can enjoy in the meantime. Here’s the full list of musicals based on books, along with where to access the books they’re based on.
Please note that musical adaptations that are inspired by both a book and a film (e.g., Shrek) have been left off the list for now. Happy reading!
Please note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a purchase through one of the following links, we may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.
Contents:
Musicals Based on Out-of-Print Books
Jazz Age Musicals (1920-1939)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: Herbert Fields
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
Book It’s Based On: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court➝ by Mark Twain
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Libretto: DuBose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward
Musical Type: Opera (1935)
Book It’s Based On: Porgy➝ by DuBose Heyward
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
Book It’s Based On: Show Boat➝ by Edna Ferber
Golden Age Musicals (1940-1959)
Music: Arthur Schwartz Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: George Abbott, Betty Smith
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Book It’s Based On: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn➝ by Betty Smith
Music/Lyrics: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Richard Wilbur, John Latouche, Stephen Sondheim*, Dorothy Parker Book: John Caird*, Hugh Wheeler*, Lillian Hellman
* Writers who worked on the 1974/1999 revivals of the show
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Book It’s Based On: Candide➝ by Voltaire
Music/Lyrics: Richard Adler, Jerry Ross Book: George Abbott, Douglass Wallop
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Book It’s Based On: The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant➝ by Douglass Wallop
Music/Lyrics: George Weiss, Robert Goldman, Glenn Paxton Book: Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Book It’s Based On: Pride and Prejudice➝ by Jane Austen
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: David Henry Hwang, Joseph Fields
Musical Type: Golden Age (1958)
Book It’s Based On: The Flower Drum Song➝ by C.Y. Lee
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Leo Robin Book: Joseph Fields, Anita Loos
Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)
Book It’s Based On: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes➝ by Anita Loos
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Book It’s Based On: Gypsy: A Memoir➝ by Gypsy Rose Lee
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics/Book: Maxwell Anderson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)
Book It’s Based On: Cry, the Beloved Country➝ by Alan Paton
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics/Book: Ogden Nash Book: S.J. Perelman
Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)
Novella It’s Based On: The Tinted Venus➝ by Thomas Anstey Guthrie
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: John O’Hara
Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)
Book It’s Based On: Pal Joey➝ by John O’Hara
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Book It’s Based On: Sweet Thursday➝ by John Steinbeck
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Morton DaCosta
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Book It’s Based On: Saratoga Trunk➝ by Edna Ferber
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Abe Burrows, Marian & Richard Bissell
Musical Type: Golden Age (1958)
Book It’s Based On: Say, Darling➝ by Richard Bissell
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Joshua Logan
Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)
Book It’s Based On: Tales of the South Pacific➝ by James A. Michener
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Book It’s Based On: Anna and the King of Siam➝ by Margaret Landon
Music/Lyrics: Richard Adler, Jerry Ross Book: George Abbott, Richard Bissell
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Book It’s Based On: 7 1/2 Cents➝ by Richard Bissell
Music/Lyrics: Ralph Blane Book: Charles O’Neal, Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1952)
Book It’s Based On: Three Wishes for Jamie➝ by Charles O’Neal
Post-Golden Age Musicals (1960s)
Music/Lyrics: Norman Campbell Lyrics/Book: Donald Harron, Elaine Campbell, Mavor Moore
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Book It’s Based On: Anne of Green Gables➝ by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Music: Nancy Ford Lyrics/Book: Gretchen Cryer
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Book It’s Based On: Anne of Green Gables➝ by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joe Masteroff
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Book It’s Based On: Goodbye to Berlin➝ by Christopher Isherwood
* Cabaret is also partially based on the play I Am a Camera➝
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Book It’s Based On: The Once and Future King➝ by T.H. White
Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster Book: Pearl S. Buck, Charles K. Peck, Jr.
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Book It’s Based On: My Indian Family➝ by Hilda Wernher
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: E.Y. Harburg Book: Nunnally Johnson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Book It’s Based On: Buried Alive➝ by Arnold Bennett
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Joseph Stein
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Book It’s Based On: Tevye the Dairyman and the Railroad Stories➝ by Sholem Aleichem
Music/Lyrics/Book: Frank Loesser Book: Lesser Samuels
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Book It’s Based On: Greenwillow➝ by B.J. Chute
Music/Lyrics: David Heneker Book: Beverley Cross
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Book It’s Based On: Kipps➝ by H.G. Wells
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, Willie Gilbert
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Book It’s Based On: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying➝ by Shepherd Mead
I Can Get It for You Wholesale
Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Book: Jerome Weidman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Book It’s Based On: I Can Get It for You Wholesale➝ by Jerome Weidman
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Book It’s Based On: Little Me➝ by Patrick Dennis
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. Lee
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Book It’s Based On: Auntie Mame➝ by Patrick Dennis
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lionel Bart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Book It’s Based On: Oliver Twist➝ by Charles Dickens
Music: Walter Kent Lyrics: Kim Gannon Book: Sally Benson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Book It’s Based On: Seventeen➝ by Booth Tarkington
Music/Lyrics: Ervin Drake Book: Budd Schulberg, Stuart Schulberg
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Book It’s Based On: What Makes Sammy Run?➝ by Budd Schulberg
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joseph Stein
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Book It’s Based On: Zorba the Greek➝ by Nikos Kazantzakis
1970s Musicals
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Novella It’s Based On: Gigi➝ by Colette
Music: Claibe Richardson Lyrics/Book: Kenward Elmslie
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Novella It’s Based On: The Grass Harp➝ by Truman Capote
* The musical is also partially based on the play The Grass Harp➝
Music: Robert Waldman Lyrics/Book: Alfred Uhry
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Book It’s Based On: The Robber Bridegroom➝ by Eudora Welty
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Sherman Yellen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Book It’s Based On: The Rothschilds: A Family Portrait➝ by Frederic Morton
Music/Lyrics: Charlie Smalls Book: William F. Brown
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Book It’s Based On: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz➝ by L. Frank Baum
Songs: Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers, Susan Birkenhead, James Taylor Songs/Adaptation: Stephen Schwartz Adaptation: Nina Faso
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1977)
Book It’s Based On: Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day➝ by Studs Terkel
1980s Musicals
Music: Harry Warren Lyrics: Al Dubin, Johnny Mercer Book: Michael Stewart, Mark Bramble
Musical Type: 1933 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1980)
Book It’s Based On: 42nd Street➝ by Bradford Ropes
Music/Lyrics: Roger Miller Book: William Hauptman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Book It’s Based On: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn➝ by Mark Twain
Music: Michael Gore Lyrics: Dean Pitchford Book: Lawrence D. Cohen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Book It’s Based On: Carrie➝ by Stephen King
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn, Richard Stilgoe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Book It’s Based On: Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats➝ by T.S. Eliot
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Book It’s Based On: Just So Stories➝ by Rudyard Kipling
Music/Lyrics: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alan Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean-Marc Natel
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Book It’s Based On: Les Misérables➝ by Victor Hugo
Music: Galt MacDermot Libretto: William Dumaresq
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Book It’s Based On: The Human Comedy➝ by William Saroyan
Music/Lyrics/Book: Rupert Holmes
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Book It’s Based On: The Mystery of Edwin Drood➝ by Charles Dickens
Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Charles Hart Lyrics/Book: Richard Stilgoe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Book It’s Based On: The Phantom of the Opera➝ by Gaston Leroux
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics: Robert Lorick Book: Charles Blackwell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Book It’s Based On: Nobody’s Family is Going to Change➝ by Louise Fitzhugh
1990s Musicals
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens Book: Mike Ockrent
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Book It’s Based On: A Christmas Carol➝ by Charles Dickens
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Scott Goodman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
Book It’s Based On: Bright Lights, Big City➝ by Jay McInerney
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Music: Mel Marvin Lyrics/Book: Timothy Mason
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Book It’s Based On: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!➝ by Dr. Seuss
Music/Lyrics: Paul Gordon Lyrics/Book: John Caird
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Book It’s Based On: Jane Eyre➝ by Charlotte Brontë
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
Book It’s Based On: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde➝ by Robert Louis Stevenson
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Book It’s Based On: Kiss of the Spider Woman➝ by Manuel Puig
Music: George Stiles Lyrics: Paul Leigh Book: Claire Luckham
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Book It’s Based On: Moll Flanders➝ by Daniel Defoe
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Richard Maltby, Jr. Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Book It’s Based On: The Thin Man➝ by Dashiell Hammett
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
Book It’s Based On: My Love, My Love: or The Peasant Girl➝ by Rosa Guy
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Arthur Kopit
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Book It’s Based On: The Phantom of the Opera➝ by Gaston Leroux
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Book It’s Based On: Ragtime➝ by E.L. Doctorow
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Nan Knighton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Book It’s Based On: The Scarlet Pimpernel➝ by Baroness Orczy
Music: Lucy Simon Lyrics/Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Book It’s Based On: The Secret Garden➝ by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Music/Lyrics/Book: Bernard J. Taylor
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Book It’s Based On: Wuthering Heights➝ by Emily Brontë
2000s Musicals
Music: Andrew Lippa Lyrics/Book: Brian Crawley
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Book It’s Based On: A Little Princess➝ by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jill Santoriello
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Book It’s Based On: A Tale of Two Cities➝ by Charles Dickens
Music: Robert Reale Lyrics/Book: Willie Reale
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Books Based On: The Frog and Toad Collection➝
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Anthony Stein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Book It’s Based On: The Trip➝ by Ezra Jack Keats
Music/Lyrics: Paul Gordon Book: John Caird
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Book It’s Based On: Daddy-Long-Legs➝ by Jean Webster
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Book It’s Based On: Dessa Rose➝ by Sherley A Williams
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Don Black, Christopher Hampton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Book It’s Based On: Dracula➝ by Bram Stoker
Music: Mark Baron Lyrics/Book: Jeffrey Jackson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Book It’s Based On: Frankenstein➝ by Mary Shelley
Music/Lyrics: Michael John LaChiusa Book: Sybille Pearson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Book It’s Based On: Giant➝ by Edna Ferber
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics: Amanda Green Book: David Lindsay-Abaire
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Book It’s Based On: High Fidelity➝ by Nick Hornby
Music: Joshua Salzman Lyrics: Ryan Cunningham
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Book It’s Based On: Pride and Prejudice➝ by Jane Austen
Music: Jason Howland Lyrics: Mindi Dickstein Book: Allan Knee
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Book It’s Based On: Little Women➝ by Louisa May Alcott
Music: Zina Goldrich Lyrics/Book: Marcy Heisler
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Books Based On: The Junie B. Jones Books➝
Music: Michel Legrand Lyrics: Herbert Kretzmer Lyrics/Book: Alain Boublil Book: Claude-Michel Schönberg, Jonathan Kent
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Book It’s Based On: La Dame aux Camélias➝ by Alexandre Dumas fils
Music/Lyrics: John Gregor Lyrics/Book: Victoria Kann, Elizabeth Kann
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Book It’s Based On: Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann
Music/Book: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Books Based On: The Dr. Seuss Books➝
Music/Lyrics: David Kirshenbaum Book: Hunter Foster
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Book It’s Based On: Summer of ’42➝ by Herman Raucher
* This musical is also based on the movie, Summer of ’42➝
Music/Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Book It’s Based On: The Color Purple➝ by Alice Walker
* This musical is also partially based on the film.
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Jack Murphy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Book It’s Based On: The Count of Monte Cristo➝ by Alexandre Dumas
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Books: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Book It’s Based On: The Glorious Ones➝ by Francine Prose
Music/Lyrics: Adam Guettel Book: Craig Lucas
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Book It’s Based On: The Light in the Piazza➝ by Elizabeth Spencer
Music: A.R. Rahman, Christopher Nightingale, Värttinä Lyrics/Book: Matthew Warchus, Shaun McKenna
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Book It’s Based On: The Lord of the Rings➝ by J.R.R. Tolkien
Music/Book: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: John Dempsey Lyrics/Book: Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Book It’s Based On: Grania: She-King of the Irish Seas➝ by Morgan Llywelyn
Music: Dana P. Rowe Lyrics/Book: John Dempsey
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Book It’s Based On: The Witches of Eastwick➝ by John Updike
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: David Zippel Book: Charlotte Jones
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Book It’s Based On: The Woman in White➝ by Wilkie Collins
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Winnie Holzman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Book It’s Based On: Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of the West➝ by Gregory Maguire
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics/Book: Jack Murphy Book: Gregory Boyd
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Books Based On: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass➝ by Lewis Carroll
Music: Gipsy Kings, John Cameron Lyrics/Book: Stephen Clark Book: Helen Edmundson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Book It’s Based On: Zorro➝ by Isabel Allende
2010s Musicals
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Music/Lyrics: Steven Lutvak Lyrics/Book: Robert L. Freedman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Book It’s Based On: Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal➝ by Roy Horniman
Music: Duncan Sheik Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater Book: Jessie Nelson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Book It’s Based On: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland➝ by Lewis Carroll
Music/Lyrics: Duncan Sheik Book: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Book It’s Based On: American Psycho➝ by Bret Easton Ellis
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: David Greig
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Book It’s Based On: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory➝ by Roald Dahl
Music: Lucy Simon Lyrics: Michael Korie, Amy Powers Book: Michael Weller
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Book It’s Based On: Doctor Zhivago➝ by Boris Pasternak
Music: Brad Alexander Lyrics/Book: Kevin Del Aguila
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Books Based On: The Dog Man Book Series➝
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Music: Deborah Wicks La Puma Lyrics/Book: Mo Willems Book: Mr. Warburton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Book It’s Based On: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus➝
Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are in a Play”
Music: Deborah Wicks La Puma Lyrics/Book: Mo Willems
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Books Based On: The Elephant & Piggie Books➝
Music/Lyrics: Danny Abosch Lyrics/Book: Susan DiLallo
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Books Based On: The Fancy Nancy Books➝
Music/Lyrics: Richard Taylor Book: Rachel Wagstaff
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Book It’s Based On: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris➝ by Paul Gallico
Music/Lyrics/Book: Gary Kupper Book: Rose Caiola
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Book It’s Based On: Freckleface Strawberry➝ by Julianne Moore
Music: Stuart Brayson Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Bill Oakes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Book It’s Based On: From Here to Eternity➝ by James Jones
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Lisa Kron
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Book It’s Based On: Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic➝ by Alison Bechdel
Music/Lyrics: Danny Abosch Lyrics/Book: John Maclay
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Book It’s Based On: Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium➝ by R.L. Stine
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Book It’s Based On: Alexander Hamilton➝ by Ron Chernow
Music: Justin Paul Lyrics: Benj Pasek Book: Timothy Allen McDonald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Book It’s Based On: James and the Giant Peach➝ by Roald Dahl
Music/Lyrics: Tim Minchin Book: Dennis Kelly
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Book It’s Based On: Matilda➝ by Roald Dahl
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Book It’s Based On: War and Peace➝ by Leo Tolstoy
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Book It’s Based On: The Bridges of Madison County➝ by Robert James Waller
Music/Lyrics: Rob Rokicki Book: Joe Tracz
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Book It’s Based On: The Lightning Thief➝ by Rick Riordan
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4
Music/Lyrics: Pippa Cleary Lyrics/Book: Jake Brunger
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Book It’s Based On: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾➝ by Sue Townsend
Music: George Stiles Lyrics: Anthony Drewe Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Book It’s Based On: The Wind in the Willows➝ by Kenneth Grahame
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen Book: Claudia Shear, Tim Federle
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Book It’s Based On: Tuck Everlasting➝ by Natalie Babbit
2020s Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Clark Baxtresser
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Book It’s Based On: A Christmas Carol➝ by Charles Dickens
Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World
Music/Lyrics: Miranda Cooper Music: Jennifer Decilveo Lyrics: Chris Bush
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Book It’s Based On: Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World➝ by Kate Pankhurst
Musicals Based on Out-of-Print Books
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Mel Brooks
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Book It’s Based On: Professor Fodorski by Robert Lewis Taylor
Music: Milton Schafer Lyrics: Ronny Graham Book: A.J. Russell
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Book It’s Based On: The Crime of Giovanni Venturi by Howard Shaw
Music/Lyrics: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Lyrics/Book: Rupert Holmes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Book It’s Based On: Curtains by Peter Stone
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: George Abbott, Robert Russell, David Thompson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Book It’s Based On: Love is Just Around the Corner by Lester Atwell
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Stephen Longstreet
Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)
Book It’s Based On: The Sisters Liked Them Handsome by Stephen Longstreet
Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen Lyrics/Book: Truman Capote
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Novella It’s Based On: House of Flowers by Truman Capote
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Book It’s Based On: The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo by Michael Butterworth
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Romney Brent, Steve Mackes, Michael Whaley
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)
Book It’s Based On: Nymph Errant by James Laver
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Otto Harbach
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)
Book It’s Based On: Gowns by Roberta by Alice Duer Miller
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Arna Bontemps, Countee Cullen
Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)
Book It’s Based On: God Sends Sunday by Arna Bontemps
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: George Abbott, Jerome Weidman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Book It’s Based On: Tenderloin by Samuel Hopkins Adams
Other Post You Might Like
• Musicals about New York City
• Musicals Based on True Stories
Want a weekly list of stagey surprises?!
Do you know of any other great musicals based on books?
Or have you read any of the musicals based on novels above? Feel free to share your favorite musical adaptation 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.