Musical Lists

19 Musicals Set in Africa – The Full List of Shows

Last Updated: May 6, 2025

From the streets of Morocco to the heart of Uganda, Africa has been the setting for several musicals over the years. Whether a show is fully set in an African country or partially takes place there, you’ll find it below. Here’s a full list of musicals set in Africa.


Post Contents:

Musicals Fully Set in Africa

Musicals Partially Set in Africa

Musicals Set in Egypt



Fela!

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

Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)

Setting: Africa (Nigeria)


Kat and the Kings

Music: Taliep Petersen  Lyrics/Book: David Kramer

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)

Setting: Africa (South Africa)


King Kong

Music/Lyrics: Todd Matshikiza  Lyrics: Pat Williams  Book: Harry Bloom

Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)

Setting: Africa (South Africa)


Lost in the Stars

Music: Kurt Weill  Lyrics/Book: Maxwell Anderson

Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)

Setting: Africa (South Africa)


Sarafina!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Mbongeni Ngema  Additional Songs: Hugh Masekela

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)

Setting: Africa (South Africa)


Tarzan

Music/Lyrics: Phil Collins  Book: David Henry Hwang

Musical Type: 1999 Film/Contemporary Musical (2006)

Setting: Africa


The Desert Song

Music: Sigmund Romberg  Lyrics/Book: Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel

Musical Type: Jazz Age (1926)

Setting: Africa (Northern)


The Lion King

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

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)

Setting: Africa


The Zulu and the Zayda

Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome  Book: Howard Da Silva, Felix Leon

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)

Setting: Africa (South Africa)



A Little Princess

Music: Andrew Lippa  Lyrics/Book: Brian Crawley

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Setting: Africa, England (London)


Amazing Grace

Music/Lyrics/Book: Christopher Smith  Book: Arthur Giron

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Setting: Africa, England


Ankles Aweigh

Music: Sammy Fain  Lyrics: Dan Shapiro  Book: Guy Bolton, Eddie Davis

Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)

Setting: Africa (Morocco), Italy, At Sea


My One and Only

Music: George Gershwin  Lyrics: Ira Gershwin  Book: Peter Stone, Timothy S. Mayer

Musical Type: Jazz Age/Pre-Contemporary (1983)

Setting: Africa (Morocco), USA (NYC)


The Book of Mormon

Music/Lyrics/Book: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone

Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)

Setting: Africa (Uganda), USA (Utah)


The Color Purple

Music/Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray  Book: Marsha Norman

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Setting: Africa, USA (Georgia, Tennessee)


Witness Uganda

Music/Lyrics/Book: Matt Gould, Griffin Matthews

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Setting: Africa (Uganda), USA (NYC)



Aida

Music: Elton John  Lyrics: Tim Rice  Book: Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, David Henry Hwang

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)

Setting: Egypt


Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: Tim Rice

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1968)

Setting: Canaan, Egypt


The Prince of Egypt

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz  Book: Philip LaZebnik

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Setting: Egypt


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Which of these musicals set in Africa is your favorite?

Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals set in Africa? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you enjoy exploring these lists, check out the musical database, where you can discover musicals organized by composer, theme, setting, and much 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 ListShe holds a BA in theatre and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.

Photo of Stacy Karyn

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