Musicals of the 1930s – A Complete Ordered List
The musicals of the 1930s boasted glamorous showgirls, light-hearted shows, complex plots, and larger-than-life dance numbers. A few of the popular trends at the time included jazz, Gershwin, Cole Porter, romantic comedies, movie musicals, and flirtatious themes.
The 1930s marked the end of the “jazz age” of musical theatre. And the most notable musicals of the decade are included below.
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1930 Musicals
Fine and Dandy (1930)
Music: Kay Swift Lyrics: Paul James Book: Donald Ogden Stewart
Girl Crazy (1930)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Guy Bolton, John McGowan
The New Yorkers (1930)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields
1931 Musicals
Of Thee I Sing (1931)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
The Band Wagon (1931)
Music: Arthur Schwartz Lyrics/Book: Howard Dietz Book: George S. Kaufman
1932 Musicals
Face the Music (1932)
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Moss Hart
Through the Years (1932)
Music: Vincent Youmans Lyrics: Edward Heyman Book: Brian Hooker
1933 Musicals
As Thousands Cheer (1933)
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Moss Hart
Let ‘Em Eat Cake (1933)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: George S. Kaufman
Nymph Errant (1933)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Romney Brent
Pardon My English (1933)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Herbert Fields, Morrie Ryskind
Roberta (1933)
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Otto Harbach
1934 Musicals
Anything Goes (1934)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse
Life Begins at 8:40 (1934)
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Ira Gershwin, E.Y. Harburg
1935 Musicals
Jubilee (1935)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Moss Hart
Jumbo (1935)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur
Porgy and Bess (1935)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Libretto: DuBose Heyward
1936 Musicals
On Your Toes (1936)
Music/Book: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Lorenz Hart Book: George Abbott
1937 Musicals
Babes in Arms (1937)
Music/Book: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Lorenz Hart
Me and My Girl (1937)
Music: Noel Gay Lyrics/Book: Douglas Furber, L. Arthur Rose
Pins and Needles (1937)
Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Book: Various
1938 Musicals
I Married an Angel (1938)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart
Knickerbocker Holiday (1938)
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics/Book: Maxwell Anderson
Leave It To Me! (1938)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Samuel & Bella Spewack
The Boys from Syracuse (1938)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: George Abbott
The Cradle Will Rock (1938)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Marc Blitzstein
You Never Know (1938)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter, Robert Katscher Book: Rowland Leigh
1939 Musicals
Very Warm for May (1939)
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Other Decades
• Musicals of the 1930s → You are here!
• Golden Age Musicals (1940 – 1959)
• Post-Golden Age Musicals (1960 – 1969)
Want a weekly list of stagey surprises?!
Which of these musicals of the 1930s is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of these 1930s musicals? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you like these types of lists, check out the musical database. That’s where you’ll find musicals sorted by composer, theme, setting, and 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 has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
