Musicals Based on Shakespeare – The Complete List
Last Updated: May 6, 2025
The following list includes 21+ stage musicals based on Shakespeare, adapted from his dramatic works. Additional musical lists are available in the musical database.
On This Page:
Musicals That Reference Shakespeare
Musicals Based on Shakespeare
Music/Lyrics: Max Martin, Various Book: David West Read
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Play Based On: Romeo and Juliet
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Plays Based On: Shakespearean Comedies
Music: David Friedman Lyrics/Book: Peter Kellogg
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Play Based On: Measure for Measure
Music/Lyrics/Book: Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Play Based On: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Bella Spewack, Samuel Spewack
Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)
Play Based On: The Taming of the Shrew
Music/Lyrics: Michael Friedman Book: Alex Timbers
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Play Based On: Love’s Labour’s Lost
Music: Michael Valenti Lyrics/Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1981)
Play Based On: The Comedy of Errors
Music/Lyrics: Duke Ellington, Various Book: Cheryl West
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1996)
Play Based On: Twelfth Night
Return to the Forbidden Planet
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Bob Carlton
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1983)
Play Based On: The Tempest
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: George Abbott
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1938)
Play Based On: The Comedy of Errors
Music: Elton John Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Roger Allers, Irene Mecchi
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)
Play Loosely Based On: Hamlet
Music/Lyrics/Concept: Shaina Taub Concept: Kwame Kwei-Armah
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Play Based On: Twelfth Night
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Adaptation: John Guare Adaptation: Mel Shapiro
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1971)
Play Based On: Two Gentlemen of Verona
Music/Lyrics: Matt Sax Lyrics/Book: Eric Rosen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Play Loosely Based On: Othello
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Play Based On: Romeo and Juliet
Music/Lyrics: Hal Hester, Danny Apolinar Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Play Based On: Twelfth Night
Musicals That Reference Shakespeare
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1934)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “You’re the Top”
Music/Book: Damon Intrabartolo Lyrics/Book: Jon Hartmere
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Pilgrim’s Hands”, “Queen Mab”
Music/Lyrics: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Richard Wilbur, John La Touche, Stephen Sondheim, Dorothy Parker Book: John Caird, Hugh Wheeler, Lillian Hellman
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Words, Words, Words”
Music/Lyrics: William Finn
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Joe Papp”
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni, James Rado
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “What a Piece of Work Is Man”
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Take a Break”
Music/Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Songs Referencing Shakespeare: “Apology”, “Elena”
Music/Lyrics: Nell Benjamin, Laurence O’Keefe Book: Heather Hach
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Find My Way”
Music/Lyrics: Tim Minchin Book: Dennis Kelly
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Telly”
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Robert Schrock
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1999)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Gratuitous”
Music/Book: Dan Studney Lyrics/Book: Kevin Murphy
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1998)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Romeo and Juliet”
Music/Lyrics: Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed Book: Adolph Green, Betty Comden
Musical Type: 1952 Film/Late 20th Century Musical (1983)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Make ‘Em Laugh”
Music/Lyrics/Book: Karey Kirkpatrick Music/Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick Book: John O’Farrell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “God, I Hate Shakespeare”
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Burt Shevelove, Nathan Lane
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1974)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Fear No More”
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Songs Referencing Shakespeare: “My White Knight”, “Piano Lesson”
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Dick Scanlan Book: Richard Morris
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Songs Referencing Shakespeare: “Gimme, Gimme”, “They Don’t Know”
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Bowen Book: Hunter Bell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Die Vampire, Die!”
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Joseph Fields, Jerome Chodorov
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “What a Waste”