Musicals Set in the 1910s – A Full List
Whether you’re auditioning for musicals, setting up your rep book, or simply looking for some 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! The most notable musicals set in the 1910s are included below.
The following list is broken down into two categories – “Musicals Fully Set in the 1910s” and “Musicals Partially Set in the 1910s”. Each category is sorted alphabetically.
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Musicals Fully Set in the 1910s
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Music: Steven Lutvak Lyrics: Freedman, Lutvak Book: Robert Freedman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Music/Lyrics: The Sherman Brothers Book: Jeremy Sams
Musical Type: 1968 Film/Contemporary Musical (2002)
Hello, Dolly!
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
High Button Shoes
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Stephen Longstreet, George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)
I Remember Mama
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Martin Charnin, Raymond Jessel Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Irene
Music: Harry Tierney Lyrics: Joseph McCarthy Book: James Montgomery, Joseph Stein
Musical Type: Pre-Jazz Age (1919)
Mary Poppins
Music/Lyrics: The Sherman Brothers, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age/Contemporary (1964/2004)
My Fair Lady
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Oh, What a Lovely War!
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Joan Littlewood
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Parade
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Alfred Uhry
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Rags
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Joseph Stein, David Thompson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
The Fields of Ambrosia
Music: Martin Silvestri Lyrics/Book: Joel Higgins
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
The Girl Who Came to Supper
Music/Lyrics: Noël Coward Book: Harry Kurnitz
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
The Hello Girls
Music/Lyrics/Book: Peter C. Mills Book: Cara Reichel
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
The Music Man
Music/Lyrics: Meredith Willson Book: Franklin Lacey, Wilson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Titanic
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Very Good Eddie
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics: Schuyler Greene Book: Philip Bartholomae, Guy Bolton
Musical Type: Pre-Jazz Age (1915)
We Won’t Sleep
Music/Lyrics: Ari Afsar Book: Lauren M. Gunderson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Wildcat
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh Book: N. Richard Nash
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Musicals Partially Set in the 1910s
A Minister’s Wife
Music: Joshua Schmidt Lyrics: Jan Levy-Tranen Book: Austin Pendleton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Allegro
Music: Richard Rodgers Book/Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)
Anastasia
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Anne of Green Gables
Music: Norman Campbell Lyrics/Book: Don Harron, Campbell, Elaine Campbell, Mavor Moore
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Black and Blue
Music: W.C. Handy, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Eubie Blake, Big Maybelle
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Chaplin
Music/Lyrics: Christopher Curtis Book: Thomas Meehan, Curtis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Daddy Long Legs
Music/Lyrics: Paul Gordon Book: John Caird
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Doctor Zhivago
Music: Lucy Simon Lyrics: Michael Korie, Amy Powers
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Fiorello
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Jerome Weidman, George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Funny Girl
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Isobel Lennart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
George M!
Music/Lyrics: George M. Cohan Lyrics: Mary Cohan Book: Michael Stewart, John Pascal, Francine Pascal
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Gigi
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Hallelujah, Baby!
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Adolph Green, Betty Comden Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Jelly’s Last Jam
Music: Jelly Roll Morton, Luther Henderson Lyrics: Susan Birkenhead Book: George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Little Mary Sunshine
Music/Lyrics/Book: Rick Besoyan
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Love Never Dies
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Glen Slater Book: Webber, Elton, Slater, Forsyth
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Mack & Mabel
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Minnie’s Boys
Music: Larry Grossman Lyrics: Hal Hackady Book: Arthur Marx, Robert Fisher
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Miss Littlewood
Music/Lyrics/Book: Sam Kenyon
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
New Girl in Town
Music/Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Phantom
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Arthur Kopit
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Queen of the Mist
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Ragtime
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Road Show
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: John Weidman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Scandalous
Music: David Pomeranz, David Friedman Lyrics/Book: Kathie Lee Gifford
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Show Boat
Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
The Biograph Girl
Music/Lyrics/Book: David Heneker, Warner Brown
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
The Color Purple
Music/Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
The Golden Apple
Music: Jerome Moross Lyrics/Book: John Treville Latouche
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
The Will Rogers Follies
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Through the Years
Music: Vincent Youmans Lyrics: Edward Heyman Book: Brian Hooker
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1932)
Tintypes
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Mel Marvin, Gary Pearle
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1979)
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Which of these musicals set in the 1910s is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals set in the 1910s? Feel free to share in the comments! 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.
