Musical Lists

30+ Musicals for People Who Don’t Like Musicals

Looking for a totally free gift to give that special someone in your life? Give them the gift of a possible shared passion! There are still so many people who don’t like musicals, but have they really listened to all of the thousands of them? Are they claiming that they do not like music in general? Because there are quite a few amazing musicals that don’t sound like musicals.

I’ve broken down the following list into categories for people who like certain genres of music. And if they still don’t like musicals after giving a few of these a try, I guess we’ll just have to accept that!


Quick Links:

Musicals for People Who Like Bluegrass/Country

Musicals for People Who Like Classical Music

Musicals for People Who Like Disney

Musicals for People Who Like Electronic Music

Musicals for People Who Like Folk Music

Musicals for People Who Like Jazz

Musicals for People Who Like Pop Music

Musicals for People Who Like Pop-Rock Music

Musicals for People Who Like Rap

Musicals for People Who Like Rock

Musicals for People Who Like Other Types of Music


People Who Like Bluegrass/Country

Bright Star

Music/Book: Steve Martin  Music/Lyrics: Edie Brickell

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Music Genre: Bluegrass


Floyd Collins

Music/Lyrics: Adam Guettel  Book: Tina Landau

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)

Music Genre: Bluegrass/Legit


The Burnt Part Boys

Music: Chris Miller  Lyrics: Nathan Tysen  Book: Mariana Elder

Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)

Music Genre: Bluegrass


The Robber Bridegroom

Music: Robert Waldman  Lyrics/Book: Alfred Uhry

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)

Music Genre: Bluegrass


People Who Like Classical Music

Preludes

Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Music Genre: Classical/Experimental


The Light in the Piazza

Music/Lyrics: Adam Guettel  Book: Craig Lucas

Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)

Music Genre: Classical/Legit


People Who Like Disney

Aladdin

Music: Alan Menken  Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin  LyricsTim Rice, Howard Ashman

Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)

Music Genre: Disney


The Lion King

Music: Elton John  Lyrics: Tim Rice  Book: Rodger Allers, Irene Mecchi

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)

Music Genre: Disney


Twisted

Music: A.J. Holmes  Lyrics: Kaley McMahon  Book: Matt Lang, Nick Lang, Eric Kahn Gale

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Music Genre: Disney/Parody


People Who Like Electronic Music

American Psycho

Music/Lyrics: Duncan Sheik  Book: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Music Genre: Electronic Pop


Closer to Heaven

Music/Lyrics: Pet Shop Boys  Book: Jonathan Harvey

Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)

Music Genre: Electronic Pop


Here Lies Love

Music: Fatboy Slim  Music/Lyrics: David Byrne

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Music Genre: Electronic Pop


People Who Like Folk Music

Hadestown

Music/Lyrics/Book: Anaïs Mitchell

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Music Genre: Folk


Hundred Days

Music/Lyrics/Book: The Bengsons  Book: Sarah Gancher

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Music Genre: Folk/Punk


Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future

Music/Lyrics/Book: Andrew R. Butler

Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)

Music Genre: Folk


The Last Ship

Music/Lyrics: Sting  Book: Lorne Campbell, John Logan, Brian Yorkey

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Music Genre: Folk Rock/Pop/Celtic


Waitress

Music/Lyrics: Sara Bareilles  Book: Jessie Nelson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Music Genre: Folk/Country/Musical Theatre


People Who Like Jazz

Black and Blue

Music/Lyrics: Various

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)

Music Genre: Jazz/Blues


Sweet Smell of Success

Music: Marvin Hamlisch  Lyrics: Craig Carnelia  Book: John Guare

Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)

Music Genre: Jazz


People Who Like Pop Music

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

Music: Dan Gillespie Sells  Lyrics/Book: Tom MacRae

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Music Genre: Pop


Fangirls

Music/Lyrics/Book: Yve Blake

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Music Genre: Pop


Ride the Cyclone

Music/Lyrics/Book: Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Music Genre: Pop/Mixed


Six

Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Music Genre: Pop


People Who Like Pop-Rock Music

Spring Awakening

Music: Duncan Sheik  Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Music Genre: Pop-Rock


The View UpStairs

Music/Lyrics/Book: Max Vernon

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Music Genre: Pop-Rock/Disco


People Who Like Rap

21 Chump Street

Music/Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Music Genre: Rap/Pop


Hamilton

Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Music Genre: Rap/Pop/R&B


People Who Like Rock Music

American Idiot

Music: Green Day  Lyrics/Book: Billie Joe Armstrong  Book: Michael Mayer

Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)

Music Genre: Rock


Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Trask  Book: John Cameron Mitchell

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)

Music Genre: Glam Rock


Passing Strange

Music/Lyrics/Book: Stew  Music: Heidi Rodewald

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Music Genre: Rock


Rent

Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)

Music Genre: Rock


People Who Like Other Types of Music

Fela!

Music/Lyrics: Fela Kuti  Book: Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis

Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)

Music Genre: Afrobeat


The Dolls of New Albion

Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Shapera

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Music Genre: Steampunk


The Capeman

Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Simon  Lyrics/Book: Derek Walcott

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)

Music Genre: Latin/Doo-Wop


The Lord of the Rings

Music: A.R. Rahman, Christopher Nightingale, Värttinä  Lyrics/Book: Matthew Warchus, Shaun McKenna

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Music Genre: Celtic


Other blog posts you might like:

Classical Musicals

Country Musicals

Disco Musicals

Folk Musicals

Gospel Musicals

Pop Musicals

Pop/Rock Musicals

Rock Musicals


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Which of these musicals for people who don’t like musicals is your favorite?

Have you ever changed someone’s mind about musicals with any of the above? We would be excited to hear all about it in the comments below!


Stacy Karyn, Author of Musicals for People Who Don't Like Musicals.
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.


 

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