25+ Perfect Musicals for College Productions
Last Updated: May 6, 2025
Looking for the perfect musical to bring to your college stage? Whether you’re aiming for a classic, a modern hit, or something completely unique, these shows feature young adults prominently in the cast or incorporate a college campus into the setting. Here’s our full curated list of musicals for college productions.
Musicals for College
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics: Edward Kleban Book: James Kirkwood, Nicholas Dante
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Cast Size: 26
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Mel Brooks
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Cast Size: 12+
Music: Green Day Lyrics/Book: Billie Joe Armstrong Book: Michael Mayer
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Cast Size: 10+
Music/Lyrics: Walter Marks Book: Ernest Kinoy
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Cinco Paul Book: Ken Daurio
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Cast Size: 10+
Music/Lyrics: Buddy Holly, Various Book: Alan Janes
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Adam Schlesinger, David Javerbaum Book: Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Cast Size: 12+
Music/Lyrics: Paul Gordon Book: John Caird
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Cast Size: 2
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Peter Duchan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Cast Size: 10+
Music: Elizabeth Swados Lyrics/Book: Garry Trudeau
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Cast Size: 11
Music/Lyrics: Nick Blaemire Book: James Gardiner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Cast Size: 4
Music: Ray Henderson Lyrics/Book: Buddy DeSylva Lyrics: Lew Brown Book: Laurence Schwab
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
Cast Size: 15+
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni, James Rado
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse
Musical Type: Pre-Jazz Age (1917)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Nell Benjamin, Laurence O’Keefe Book: Heather Hach
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Cast Size: 15+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Justin Huertas
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 3
Music/Lyrics: Michael Friedman Book: Alex Timbers
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 17+
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Gertrude Stein Adaptation: Frank Galati
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Cast Size: 3+
Music/Lyrics: Lewis Flinn Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Cast Size: 12+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Cast Size: 13+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kait Kerrigan, Bree Lowdermilk
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Cast Size: 4
Music/Lyrics: Neil Bartram Book: Brian Hill
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Cast Size: 8, 13, or 16
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics/Book: Brian Yorkey Book: Kwame Kwei-Armah
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Cast Size: 10+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Contemporary (1990/2001)
Cast Size: 3
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)
Cast Size: 12+
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Winnie Holzman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Cast Size: 21+
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Which of these musicals for college is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals for college productions? Feel free to tell us all about it 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.
