100+ Musicals Based on Plays – The Full List of Shows
Looking for musicals that bring the magic of the stage full circle? These musicals take inspiration from classic, contemporary, and out-of-print plays, transforming dramatic works into song-filled stories. From Shakespearean comedies to modern masterpieces, here’s the full list of musicals based on plays, sorted by time period.
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Contents:
Pre-Golden Age Musicals (1910s–1930s)
Golden/Post-Golden Age Musicals (1940s–1960s)
Late 20th Century Musicals (1970s–1990s)
Contemporary Musicals (2000s–Current)
Pre–Golden Age Musicals
Music: Harry Tierney Lyrics: Joseph McCarthy Book: James Montgomery, Joseph Stein, Hugh Wheeler
Musical Type: Pre-Jazz Age (1919)
Play It’s Based On: Irene O’Dare by James Montgomery
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse
Musical Type: Pre-Jazz Age (1917)
Play It’s Based On: The College Widow by George Ade
Music: Vincent Youmans Lyrics: Irving Caesar Lyrics/Book: Otto Harbach Book: Frank Mandel
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1925)
Play It’s Based On: My Lady Friends by Emil Nyitray and Frank Mandel
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1926)
Play It’s Based On: La Presidente by Maurice Hanniquin and Pierre Veber
Music/Lyrics: Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle Book: Flournoy Miller, Aubrey Lyles
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1921)
Play It’s Based On: The Mayor of Dixie by Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: George Abbott
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1938)
Play It’s Based On: The Comedy of Errors➝ by William Shakespeare
Music: Vincent Youmans Lyrics: Edward Heyman Book: Brian Hooker
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1932)
Play It’s Based On: Smilin’ Through➝ by Allan Langdon Martin
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics: Schuyler Green Book: Philip Bartholomae, Guy Bolton
Musical Type: Pre-Jazz Age (1915)
Play It’s Based On: Over Night by Philip Bartholomae
Golden/Post–Golden Age Musicals
Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics: Tom Jones Book: N. Richard Nash
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Play It’s Based On: The Rainmaker➝ by N. Richard Nash
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)
Plays Based On: The works of Plautus
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Yip Harburg Book: Sig Herzig, Fred Saidy
Musical Type: Golden Age (1944)
Play It’s Based On: Bloomer Girl by Lilith and Daniel Lewis James
Music/Book: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Lorenz Hart
Musical Type: Golden Age (1942)
Play It’s Based On: The Warrior’s Husband➝ by Julien Thompson
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joe Masteroff
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Play It’s Based On: I Am a Camera➝ by John Van Druten
* This musical is also based on the book, Goodbye to Berlin➝ by Christopher Isherwood.
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1945)
Play It’s Based On: Liliom➝ by Ferenc Molnar
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. Lee
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Play It’s Based On: The Madwoman of Chaillot➝ by Jean Giraudoux
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Play It’s Based On: The Time of the Cuckoo➝ by Arthur Laurents
Music: Lee Pockriss Lyrics/Book: Anne Croswell
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Play It’s Based On: The Importance of Being Earnest➝ by Oscar Wilde
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Clifford Odets, William Gibson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Play It’s Based On: Golden Boy➝ by Clifford Odets
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Play It’s Based On: The Matchmaker➝ by Thorton Wilder
Music/Lyrics/Book: Hugh Martin, Timothy Gray
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Play It’s Based On: Blithe Spirit➝ by Noël Coward
Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Play It’s Based On: The Fourposter➝ by Jan de Hartog
Music/Lyrics: Marc Blitzstein Book: Joseph Stein
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Play It’s Based On: Juno and the Paycock➝ by Sean O’Casey
Music: Alexander Borodin Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest Book: Charles Lederer, Luther Davis
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Play It’s Based On: Kismet➝ by Edward Knoblock
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Bella Spewack, Samuel Spewack
Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)
Play It’s Based On: The Taming of the Shrew➝ by William Shakespeare
Music/Lyrics: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans Book: Abram S. Ginnes
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Play It’s Based On: Three Men on a Horse➝ by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott
Music: Laurie Johnson Lyrics: Lionel Bart Book: Bernard Miles
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Play It’s Based On: The Coffee-House Politician➝ by Henry Fielding
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Play It’s Based On: Pygmalion➝ by George Bernard Shaw
Music/Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Play It’s Based On: Anna Christie➝ by Eugene O’Neill
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)
Play It’s Based On: Green Grow the Lilacs➝ by Lynn Riggs
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Music: Burton Lane Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Play It’s Based On: Berkeley Square by John L. Balderston
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Dwight Taylor, Reginald Lawrence
Musical Type: Golden Age (1950)
Play It’s Based On: Amphitryon➝ by Plautus
Music: Moose Charlap, Jule Styne Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: J.M. Barrie
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Play It’s Based On: Peter Pan➝ by J.M. Barrie
Music: Ron Grainer Lyrics/Book: Ronald Millar
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Play It’s Based On: The Barretts of Wimpole Street➝ by Rudolf Besier
* This musical is also based on the unproduced musical, The Third Kiss.
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Julius J. Epstein
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955) / Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Play It’s Based On: Front Porch in Flatbush by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein
Music: Victor Young Lyrics/Book: Stella Unger Book: Victor Wolfson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Play It’s Based On: Seventh Heaven➝ by Austin Strong
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Joe Masteroff
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Play It’s Based On: Parfumerie by Miklós László
Music: James Van Heusen Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Play It’s Based On: Dream Girl➝ by Elmer Rice
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics: Langston Hughes Book: Elmer Rice
Musical Type: Opera (1947)
Play It’s Based On: Street Scene➝ by Elmer Rice
Music/Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Joseph Stein, Robert Russell
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Play It’s Based On: Ah, Wilderness!➝ by Eugene O’Neill
Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Play It’s Based On: Les Romanesques by Edmond Rostand
Music/Lyrics: Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz Book: Fay Kanin, Michael Kanin
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Play It’s Based On: Seven plays by Arthur Schnitzler
Music/Lyrics: Noël Coward Book: Harry Kurnitz
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Play It’s Based On: The Sleeping Prince➝ by Terence Rattigan
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: N. Richard Nash
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Play It’s Based On: The Happy Time➝ by Samuel A. Taylor
Music/Lyrics/Book: Frank Loesser
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Play It’s Based On: They Knew What They Wanted➝ by Sidney Howard
Music: Lee Pockriss Lyrics: Anne Croswell Book: David Shaw
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Play It’s Based On: Tovarich➝ by Jacques Deval and Robert E. Sherwood
Music: James Van Heusen Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Roger O. Hirson, Ketti Frings
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Play It’s Based On: Hobson’s Choice➝ by Harold Brighouse
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Play It’s Based On: Romeo and Juliet➝ by William Shakespeare
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)
Play It’s Based On: Charley’s Aunt➝ by Brandon Thomas
Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Book: Arthur Kober, Joshua Logan
Musical Type: Golden Age (1952)
Play It’s Based On: Having Wonderful Time by Arthur Kober
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Joseph Fields, Jerome Chodorov
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Play It’s Based On: My Sister Eileen➝ by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov
Music/Lyrics: Hal Hester, Danny Apolinar Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Play It’s Based On: Twelfth Night➝ by William Shakespeare
Late 20th Century Musicals
Music: John Kander Lyrics/Book: Fred Ebb Book: Norman L. Martin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Play It’s Based On: Breath of Spring➝ by Peter Coke
A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine
Music: Frank Lazarus, Various Lyrics/Book: Dick Vosburgh
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Play It’s Based On: The Bear➝ by Anton Chekhov
Music: John Kander Lyrics/Book: Fred Ebb Book: Bob Fosse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Play It’s Based On: Chicago➝ by Maurine Watkins
Music: Michael J. Lewis Lyrics/Book: Anthony Burgess
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Play It’s Based On: Cyrano de Bergerac➝ by Edmond Rostand
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Play It’s Based On: Idiot’s Delight➝ by Robert E. Sherwood
Music/Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest, Maury Yeston Book: Luther Davis
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Play It’s Based On: Menschen im Hotel by Vicki Baum
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Play It’s Based On: La Ronde➝ by Arthur Schnitzler
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics/Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1977)
Play It’s Based On: Viens chez moi, j’habite chez une copine by Luis Rego
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Play It’s Based On: La Cage aux Folles by Jean Poiret
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
Play It’s Based On: Medea➝ by Euripides
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: George Furth
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Play It’s Based On: Merrily We Roll Along➝ by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
Music: Michael Valenti Lyrics/Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Play It’s Based On: The Comedy of Errors➝ by William Shakespeare
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Play It’s Based On: Twentieth Century by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur
* This musical is also based on the film, Twentieth Century➝
Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure
Music: George Stiles Lyrics: Anthony Drewe Book: Willis Hall
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Play It’s Based On: Peter Pan➝ by J.M. Barrie
Music/Lyrics: Duke Ellington, Various Book: Cheryl West
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Play It’s Based On: Twelfth Night➝ by William Shakespeare
Music: Gary Geld Lyrics/Book: Peter Udell Book: Ossie Davis, Philip Rose
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Play It’s Based On: Purlie Victorious➝ by Ossie Davis
Music: Judd Woldin Lyrics: Robert Brittan Book: Robert Nemiroff, Charlotte Zaltzberg
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Play It’s Based On: A Raisin in the Sun➝ by Lorraine Hansberry
Return to the Forbidden Planet
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Bob Carlton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Play It’s Based On: The Tempest➝ by William Shakespeare
* This musical is also based on the film, Forbidden Planet➝
Music: Keith Herrmann Lyrics/Book: Barry Harman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Play It’s Based On: Le pain de ménage by Jules Renard
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: Michael Bennett
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Play It’s Based On: Two for the Seesaw➝ by William Gibson
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Hugh Wheeler
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Play It’s Based On: Sweeney Todd➝ by Christopher Bond
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Burt Shevelove, Nathan Lane
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Play It’s Based On: The Frogs➝ by Aristophanes
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Michael Stewart, Mark Bramble
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Play It’s Based On: Jacobowsky and the Colonel by S.N. Behrman
Music: Claibe Richardson Lyrics/Book: Kenward Elmslie
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Play It’s Based On: The Grass Harp➝ by Truman Capote
Music: Jeffrey Stock Lyrics: Susan Birkenhead Book: James Magruder
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Play It’s Based On: Le Triomphe de l’Amour by Pierre de Marivaux
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Martin Charnin Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Play It’s Based On: The Flowering Peach➝ by Clifford Odets
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Adaptation: John Guare Adaptation: Mel Shapiro
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Play It’s Based On: Two Gentlemen of Verona➝ by William Shakespeare
Music: Jeffrey Lunden Lyrics/Book: Arthur Perlman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Play It’s Based On: Wings➝ by Arthur Kopit
Contemporary Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Max Martin, Various Book: David West Read
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Play It’s Based On: Romeo and Juliet➝ by William Shakespeare
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Chazz Palminteri
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Play It’s Based On: A Bronx Tale➝ by Chazz Palminteri
Music/Lyrics: John Bucchino Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Play It’s Based On: The Catered Affair by Paddy Chayefsky
* This musical is also based on the film, The Catered Affair➝
Music: Joshua Schmidt Lyrics: Jan Levy Tranen Book: Austin Pendleton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Play It’s Based On: Candida➝ by George Bernard Shaw
Music/Lyrics/Book: Joshua Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Jason Loewith
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Play It’s Based On: The Adding Machine➝ by Elmer Rice
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Play It’s Based On: The House of Bernarda Alba➝ by Federico Garcia Lorca
Music/Lyrics/Book: Barry Wyner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Play It’s Based On: Cyrano de Bergerac➝ by Edmond Rostand
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Peter Stone, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Play It’s Based On: La Morte in Vacanza by Alberto Casella
Music: David Friedman Lyrics/Book: Peter Kellogg
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Play It’s Based On: Measure for Measure➝ by William Shakespeare
Music/Lyrics/Book: Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Play It’s Based On: A Midsummer Night’s Dream➝ by William Shakespeare
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: David Lindsay-Abaire
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Play It’s Based On: Kimberly Akimbo➝ by David Lindsay-Abaire
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Frank Galati
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Play It’s Based On: A Death in the Family➝ by James Agee
Music: Brad Carroll Lyrics/Book: Peter Sham
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Play It’s Based On: Lend Me a Tenor➝ by Ken Ludwig
Music/Lyrics: Michael Friedman Book: Alex Timbers
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Play It’s Based On: Love’s Labour’s Lost➝ by William Shakespeare
Music/Lyrics: Lewis Flinn Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Play It’s Based On: Lysistrata➝ by Aristophanes
Music/Lyrics: Joy Huerta, Benjamin Velez Book: Lisa Loomer, Nell Benjamin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Play It’s Based On: Real Women Have Curves➝ by Josefina López
Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Play It’s Based On: Roadside by Lynn Riggs
Music: Duncan Sheik Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Play It’s Based On: Spring Awakening➝ by Frank Wedekind
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music/Lyrics: William Finn Book: Rachel Sheinkin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Play It’s Based On: C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E by The Farm
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Play It’s Based On: The Visit➝ by Friedrich Durrenmatt
Music/Lyrics/Concept: Shaina Taub Concept: Kwame Kwei-Armah
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Play It’s Based On: Twelfth Night➝ by William Shakespeare
Music/Lyrics: Matt Sax Lyrics/Book: Eric Rosen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Play It’s Based On: Othello➝ by William Shakespeare
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Which of these musicals based on plays is your favorite?
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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.
