Musicals of the 1980s – A Complete Ordered List
The musicals of the 1980s were a bit grander and more ambitious than those of the previous decade. Popular trends at the time included dramatic storylines, the rise of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s shows, romantic love stories, productions set in the 19th century, and continued cultural diversity.
The 1980s mark the middle of the pre-contemporary musical theatre time period. Here’s the full list of musicals that premiered during the decade. And to enhance your researching experience, you can pop on Theatre Trip’s Spotify playlist while scrolling – “The Best Musical Songs of the 1980s”➝.
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Contents:
1980 Musicals
Music: Harry Warren Lyrics: Al Dubin, Johnny Mercer Book: Michael Stewart, Mark Bramble
Musical Type: 1933 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1980)
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Michael Stewart Book: Mark Bramble
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Music/Lyrics: Various Concept: Sheldon Epps
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Music/Lyrics: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alan Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean-Marc Natel
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Concept: Craig Lucas, Norman Rene
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Music/Lyrics: David Heneker Lyrics/Book: Warner Brown
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Music/Lyrics: Tom Lehrer Adaptation: Cameron Mackintosh, Robin Ray
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
1981 Musicals
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn, Richard Stilgoe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics/Book: Tom Eyen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: George Furth
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Music/Lyrics/Book: John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
1982 Musicals
Music: Larry Grossman Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Music: Gerald Jay Markoe Lyrics: Michael Colby
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Is There Life After High School?
Music/Lyrics: Craig Carnelia Book: Jeffrey Kindley
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Arthur Kopit
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Music/Lyrics: Gene de Paul, Al Kasha, Joel Hirschhorn Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Lawrence Kasha, David Landay
Musical Type: 1954 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1982)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Don Black, Richard Maltby Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
1983 Musicals
Music: David Shire Lyrics: Richard Maltby, Jr. Book: Sybille Pearson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Willy Russell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Music: Elizabeth Swados Lyrics/Book: Garry Trudeau
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Peter Stone, Timothy S. Mayer
Musical Type: Jazz Age/Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Return to the Forbidden Planet
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Bob Carlton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1983)
Music/Lyrics: Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed Book: Adolph Green, Betty Comden
Musical Type: 1952 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1983)
Music: Galt MacDermot Libretto: William Dumaresq
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics: Robert Lorick Book: Charles Blackwell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
1984 Musicals
Music: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Richard Nelson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Music/Lyrics/Book: John Forster Book: Delia Ephron, Judith Kahan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Music: Raphael Crystal Lyrics: Richard Engquist Book: Nahma Sandrow
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Music/Lyrics: Ellie Greenwich & Friends Book: Anne Beatts
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1984)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alistair Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Richard Stilgoe, David Yazbek, Nick Coler
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Sunday in the Park with George
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Music: Howard Marren Lyrics: Susan Birkenhead Book: Jeffrey Sweet
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
1985 Musicals
3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down
Music: Michael Rupert Lyrics/Book: Jerry Colker
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Larry Gallagher
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics: Roger Miller Book: William Hauptman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics: Various
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music: Polly Pen Lyrics: Peggy Harman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music: Larry Grossman Lyrics: Ellen Fitzhugh Book: Fay Kanin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics: Charles Strouse Book: Warren Leight
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Rupert Holmes
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Music: Michael Cohen Lyrics/Book: Enid Futterman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
1986 Musicals
Music: Rob Bowman Lyrics/Book: David H. Bell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics: Various Book: Dick Vosburgh
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music: Grant Sturiale Lyrics/Book: Barry Harman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Joseph Stein, David Thompson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Charles Hart Lyrics/Book: Richard Stilgoe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
1987 Musicals
Music/Book: David Evans Lyrics/Book: Winnie Holzman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Music/Lyrics: Brian Gari Book: Allan Knee
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Douglas J. Cohen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Music: Keith Herrmann Lyrics/Book: Barry Harman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Mbongeni Ngema Music/Lyrics: Hugh Masekela
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Barry Keating Book: Stuart Ross
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Music/Lyrics: Tom Wilson Weinberg
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg Music: Herbert Stothart Book: L. Frank Baum, John Kane
Musical Type: 1939 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1987)
1988 Musicals
Music: Michael Gore Lyrics: Dean Pitchford Book: Lawrence D. Cohen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Music: Steve Margoshes Lyrics: Jacques Levy Book: José Fernandez
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Harvey Fierstein, Charles Suppon
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
1989 Musicals
Music/Lyrics/Book: The Heather Brothers
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Don Black, Charles Hart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music/Lyrics: Buddy Holly, Various Book: Alan Janes
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1989)
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: David Zippel Book: Larry Gelbart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music: David Shire Lyrics: Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens
Music: Janet Hood Lyrics/Book: Bill Russell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Stuart Ross
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music/Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest, Maury Yeston Book: Luther Davis
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music/Lyrics: Various
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music/Lyrics: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane Book: Hugh Wheeler
Musical Type: 1944 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1989)
Music: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Other Decades
• Golden Age Musicals (1940 – 1959)
• Post-Golden Age Musicals (1960 – 1969)
• Musicals of the 1980s → You are here!
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Which of these musicals of the 1980s is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of these 1980s 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 holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.