21+ Musicals Based on Shakespeare – The Full List
Last Updated: May 6, 2025
Looking for musicals that reimagine the timeless works of Shakespeare? From classic tragedies to comedic adaptations, these shows bring the Bard’s iconic stories back to life on stage. Here’s the full list of musicals based on Shakespeare and ones that reference his plays.
Post Contents:
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: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Play Based On: The Comedy of Errors
Music/Lyrics: Duke Ellington, Various Book: Cheryl West
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Play Based On: Twelfth Night
Return to the Forbidden Planet
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Bob Carlton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (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: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Play Loosely Based On: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Music: Elton John Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Roger Allers, Irene Mecchi
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (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: Pre-Contemporary (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: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Gratuitous”
Music/Book: Dan Studney Lyrics/Book: Kevin Murphy
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Song Referencing Shakespeare: “Romeo and Juliet”
Music/Lyrics: Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed Book: Adolph Green, Betty Comden
Musical Type: 1952 Film/Pre-Contemporary 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: Pre-Contemporary (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”
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Which of these musicals about Shakespeare is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals about Shakespeare? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you enjoy exploring these lists, check out the musical database, where you can discover musicals organized by composer, theme, setting, and much 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 and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
