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
Music/Book: Steve Martin Music/Lyrics: Edie Brickell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Music Genre: Bluegrass
Music/Lyrics: Adam Guettel Book: Tina Landau
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Music Genre: Bluegrass/Legit
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen Book: Mariana Elder
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Music Genre: Bluegrass
Music: Robert Waldman Lyrics/Book: Alfred Uhry
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Music Genre: Bluegrass
People Who Like Classical Music
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music Genre: Classical/Experimental
Music/Lyrics: Adam Guettel Book: Craig Lucas
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Music Genre: Classical/Legit
People Who Like Disney
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Lyrics: Tim Rice, Howard Ashman
Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Music Genre: Disney
Music: Elton John Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Rodger Allers, Irene Mecchi
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Music Genre: Disney
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
Music/Lyrics: Duncan Sheik Book: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Music Genre: Electronic Pop
Music/Lyrics: Pet Shop Boys Book: Jonathan Harvey
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Music Genre: Electronic Pop
Music: Fatboy Slim Music/Lyrics: David Byrne
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Music Genre: Electronic Pop
People Who Like Folk Music
Music/Lyrics/Book: Anaïs Mitchell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Music Genre: Folk
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
Music/Lyrics: Sting Book: Lorne Campbell, John Logan, Brian Yorkey
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Music Genre: Folk Rock/Pop/Celtic
Music/Lyrics: Sara Bareilles Book: Jessie Nelson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music Genre: Folk/Country/Musical Theatre
People Who Like Jazz
Music/Lyrics: Various
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music Genre: Jazz/Blues
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
Music/Lyrics/Book: Yve Blake
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Music Genre: Pop
Music/Lyrics/Book: Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music Genre: Pop/Mixed
Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Music Genre: Pop
People Who Like Pop-Rock Music
Music: Duncan Sheik Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Music Genre: Pop-Rock
Music/Lyrics/Book: Max Vernon
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Music Genre: Pop-Rock/Disco
People Who Like Rap
Music/Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Music Genre: Rap/Pop
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music Genre: Rap/Pop/R&B
Music/Lyrics/Book: Shaina Taub
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Music Genres: Musical Theatre / R&B / Rap
People Who Like Rock Music
Music: Green Day Lyrics/Book: Billie Joe Armstrong Book: Michael Mayer
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Music Genre: Rock
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Trask Book: John Cameron Mitchell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Music Genre: Glam Rock
Music/Lyrics/Book: Stew Music: Heidi Rodewald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Music Genre: Rock
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Music Genre: Rock
People Who Like Other Types of Music
Music/Lyrics: Fela Kuti Book: Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Music Genre: Afrobeat
Music/Lyrics: Alicia Keys, Various Book: Kristoffer Diaz
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Music Genre: R&B
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Shapera
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Music Genre: Steampunk
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Simon Lyrics/Book: Derek Walcott
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Music Genre: Latin/Doo-Wop
Music: A.R. Rahman, Christopher Nightingale, Värttinä Lyrics/Book: Matthew Warchus, Shaun McKenna
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Music Genre: Celtic
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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!
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.