40+ Musicals Set in California – The Full List of Shows
Whether you’re doing some research, putting on a show, or simply looking for new musicals to get into, it’s good to get familiar with what’s out there. And that’s why we’ve put together this list for you! A full list of musicals set in California are included below.
This list is broken down into two categories – “Musicals Fully Set in California” and “Musicals Partially Set in California”. Each category is sorted alphabetically.
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Musicals Fully Set in California
Music/Lyrics: Alan Silvestri, Glen Ballard Book: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Setting: California (Hill Valley)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Cinco Paul Book: Ken Daurio
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Setting: California
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: David Zippel Book: Larry Gelbart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Setting: California (Los Angeles)
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Peter Duchan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Setting: California (San Francisco)
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Setting: California (Hollywood)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: David Henry Hwang, Joseph Fields
Musical Type: Golden Age (1958)
Setting: California (San Francisco)
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Martin Charnin, Raymond Jessel Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Setting: California (San Francisco)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Karey Kirkpatrick Music/Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick Book: John O’Farrell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Setting: California (San Francisco)
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Richard Maltby, Jr. Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Setting: California (Hollywood)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Setting: California (Hollywood)
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
Setting: California
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Setting: California (Monterey)
Music/Lyrics: Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance Book: Garry Marshall, J.F. Lawton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Setting: California (Hollywood, Los Angeles)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Chris D’Arienzo
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Setting: California (Hollywood)
Music/Lyrics: Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed Book: Adolph Green, Betty Comden
Musical Type: 1952 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1983)
Setting: California (Hollywood)
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Setting: California (Santa Rosa)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics/Book: Don Black, Christopher Hampton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Setting: California (Los Angeles)
Music: Galt MacDermot Libretto: William Dumaresq
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Setting: California
Music/Lyrics/Book: Frank Loesser
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Setting: California (Napa, San Francisco)
Musicals Partially Set in California
3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down
Music: Michael Rupert Lyrics/Book: Jerry Colker
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Setting: USA (California, NYC)
A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine
Music: Frank Lazarus, Various Lyrics/Book: Dick Vosburgh
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Setting: USA (California) / Ukraine
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Patrik Komljenović
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Setting: Asia, England, USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Christopher Curtis Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Setting: England (London) / USA (California)
Music/Lyrics: Michael John La Chiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Setting: USA (California, Maine, Washington D.C.)
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Setting: USA (California, Connecticut, Washington, D.C.)
Music: Barry Manilow Lyrics/Book: Bruce Sussman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Setting: Denmark, Germany, USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics: William Finn Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Setting: USA (California, New Mexico)
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics: Various Book: Alfred Uhry
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Setting: Europe (Germany) / USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Setting: USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: George Furth
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Setting: USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Stew Music: Heidi Rodewald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Setting: Germany (Berlin) / Netherlands (Amsterdam) / USA (California)
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: John Weidman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Setting: USA (California, Florida, NYC)
Music: David Pomeranz, David Friedman Lyrics/Book: Kathie Lee Gifford
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Setting: Canada / China / USA (California)
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Matthew López, Amber Ruffin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Setting: Mexico / USA (California, Illinois)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Don Black, Richard Maltby Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Setting: USA (California, NYC)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Don Black
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Setting: USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics: David Heneker Lyrics/Book: Warner Brown
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Setting: USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics: Rob Rokicki Book: Joe Tracz
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Setting: USA (California, New Jersey, NYC) / Fictional
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics: Carole Bayer Sager Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Setting: USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics: Ervin Drake Book: Budd Schulberg, Stuart Schulberg
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Setting: USA (California, NYC)
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Lynne, John Farrar Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Setting: USA (California) / Fictional
Music: Joseph Zellnik Lyrics/Book: David Zellnik
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Setting: USA (California, Midwest)
Music: Gipsy Kings, John Cameron Lyrics/Book: Stephen Clark Book: Helen Edmundson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Setting: Spain / USA (California)
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Which of these musicals set in California is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals set in California? 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.