Musicals of the 1940s – The Full List of Shows

Last Updated: May 6, 2025

Musicals of the 1940s were a defining part of popular culture, with romantic comedies, lively dance numbers, and feel-good plots dominating the stage. This decade marked the start of the Golden Age of musical theatre. This page lists musicals that premiered during this era.

1940 Musicals

Cabin in the Sky

Music: Vernon Duke Lyrics: John La Touche Book: Lynn Root

Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)

Louisiana Purchase

Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Morrie Ryskind

Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)

Pal Joey

Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: John O’Hara

Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)

Panama Hattie

Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields, Buddy DeSylva

Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)

1941 Musicals

Best Foot Forward

Music/Lyrics: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane Book: John Cecil Holm

Musical Type: Golden Age (1941)

Lady in the Dark

Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Moss Hart

Musical Type: Golden Age (1941)

1942 Musicals

By Jupiter

Music/Book: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Lorenz Hart

Musical Type: Golden Age (1942)

This Is the Army

Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin

Musical Type: Golden Age (1942)

1943 Musicals

Carmen Jones

Music: Georges Bizet Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II

Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)

Oklahoma!

Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II

Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)

One Touch of Venus

Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics/Book: Ogden Nash Book: S.J. Perelman

Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)

Something for the Boys

Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields, Dorothy Fields

Musical Type: Golden Age (1943)

1944 Musicals

Bloomer Girl

Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Yip Harburg Book: Sig Herzig, Fred Saidy

Musical Type: Golden Age (1944)

Mexican Hayride

Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields, Dorothy Fields

Musical Type: Golden Age (1944)

On the Town

Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Musical Type: Golden Age (1944)

Song of Norway

Music: Edvard Grieg Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest Book: Milton Lazarus

Musical Type: Golden Age (1944)

1945 Musicals

Carousel

Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II

Musical Type: Golden Age (1945)

1946 Musicals

Annie Get Your Gun

Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Dorothy Fields, Herbert Fields

Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)

Call Me Mister

Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Sketches: Arnold Auerbach

Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)

Pacific 1860

Music/Lyrics/Book: Noël Coward

Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)

St. Louis Woman

Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Arna Bontemps, Countee Cullen

Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)

1947 Musicals

Allegro

Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II

Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)

Brigadoon

Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner

Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)

Finian’s Rainbow

Music: Burton Lane Lyrics/Book: Yip Harburg Book: Fred Saidy

Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)

High Button Shoes

Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Stephen Longstreet

Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)

Street Scene

Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics: Langston Hughes Book: Elmer Rice

Musical Type: Opera (1947)

1948 Musicals

Kiss Me, Kate

Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Bella Spewack, Samuel Spewack

Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)

Look Ma, I’m Dancin’!

Music/Lyrics: Hugh Martin Book: Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. Lee

Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)

Magdalena

Music: Heitor Villa-Lobos Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest Book: Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, Homer Curran

Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)

Where’s Charley?

Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: George Abbott

Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)