Musicals Set in the 1960s – 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 1960s are included below.
The following list is broken down into three categories – “Musicals Fully Set in the 1960s”, “Musicals Partially Set in the 1960s”, and “Musicals Set Around the 1960s”. Each category is sorted alphabetically.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a purchase through one of the following links, we may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.
Musicals Fully Set in the 1960s
A Bronx Tale
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Chazz Palminteri
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
A Man of No Importance
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Baby It’s You!
Music: Various Lyrics: Various Book: Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2009)
Beehive: The 60’s Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Larry Gallagher
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1985)
Carnival!
Music: Bob Merrill Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1961)
Caroline, or Change
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics: Tony Kushner Book: Tony Kushner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Catch Me If You Can
Music: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Dirty Dancing
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Eleanor Bergstein
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2004)
Do I Hear a Waltz?
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1965)
Do Re Mi
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Garson Kanin
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Dogfight
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Peter Duchan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Evie May
Music/Lyrics: Naomi Livingston Lyrics/Book: Hugo Chiarella
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Fly by Night
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kim Rosenstock, Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Golden Boy
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Odets, Gibson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Golden Rainbow
Music/Lyrics: Walter Marks Book: Ernest Kinoy
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Hair
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni, James Rado
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1967)
Hairspray
Music: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman, Shaiman Book: Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
High Spirits
Music/Lyrics/Book: Hugh Martin, Timothy Gray
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Illya Darling
Music: Manos Hadjidakis Lyrics: Joe Darion Book: Jules Dassin
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Newman, Benton
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Jersey Boys
Music: Bob Gaudio Lyrics: Bob Crewe Book: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2004)
Leader of the Pack
Music/Lyrics: Ellie Greenwich Lyrics: Barry, Spector, Morton, Kent, Foley Book: Anne Beatts
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1984)
Let It Be
Music/Lyrics: The Beatles
Musical Type: Contemporary/Revue (2012)
Little Shop of Horrors
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Love in Hate Nation
Music/Lyrics/Book: Joe Iconis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Milk and Honey
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Don Appell
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1961)
Made in Dagenham
Music: David Arnold Lyrics: Richard Thomas Book: Richard Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Miracle on 34th Street / Here’s Love
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Wilson
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1963)
Movin’ Out
Music/Lyrics: Billy Joel
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2002)
Mr. President
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1962)
Nine
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Arthur Kopit
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
No Strings
Music/Lyrics: Richard Rodgers Book: Samuel A. Taylor
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1962)
Now Is the Time for All Good Men
Music: Nancy Ford Lyrics/Book: Gretchen Cryer
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Promises, Promises
Music: Burt Bacharach Lyrics: Hal David Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1968)
Sail Away
Music/Lyrics/Book: Noël Coward
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Skyscraper
Music: Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Spend Spend Spend
Music/Lyrics/Book: Steve Brown, Justin Greene
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Stephen Ward
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics/Book: Don Black, Christopher Hampton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Sunny Afternoon
Music/Lyrics: Ray Davies Book: Joe Penhall
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2014)
Sweet Charity
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1966)
The Bridges of Madison County
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
The Burnt Part Boys
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen Book: Mariana Elder
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Music: Leon Carr Lyrics: Earl Shuman Book: Joe Manchester
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
The Zulu and the Zayda
Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Book: Howard De Silva, Felix Leon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Violet
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Brian Crawley
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Winter Wonderettes
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2016)
Woman of the Year
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Your Own Thing
Music/Lyrics: Hal Hester, Danny Apolinar Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Musicals Partially Set in the 1960s
A Class Act
Music/Lyrics: Edward Kleban Book: Linda Kline, Lonny Price
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Ain’t Too Proud
Music/Lyrics: The Temptations Book: Dominique Morisseau
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2017)
Allegiance
Music/Lyrics: Jay Kuo Book: Marc Acito, Jay Kuo
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Aspects of Love
Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Don Black, Charles Hart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Music: Various Lyrics: Various Book: Douglas McGrath
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2013)
Blood Brothers
Music/Lyrics/Book: Willy Russell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
Broadbend, Arkansas
Music/Lyrics: Ted Shen Book: Ellen Fitzhugh, Harrison David Rivers
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Chaplin
Music/Lyrics: Christopher Curtis Book: Thomas Meehan, Curtis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Chess
Music: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus Lyrics: Tim Rice, Ulvaeus Book: Richard Nelson, Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Dreamgirls
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics/Book: Tom Eyen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Grey Gardens
Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Hallelujah, Baby!
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Adolph Green, Betty Comden Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
John & Jen
Music/Book: Andrew Lippa Lyrics/Book: Tom Greenwald
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Merrily We Roll Along
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: George Furth
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Miss Littlewood
Music/Lyrics/Book: Sam Kenyon
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
MJ: The Musical
Music/Lyrics: Michael Jackson, Various Book: Lynn Nottage
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2022)
Motown: The Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Berry Gordy
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2013)
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Music: Burton Lane Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Shout! The Mod Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Phillip George, David Lowenstein
Musical Type: Contemporary/Revue (2006)
Space Dogs
Music/Lyrics/Book: Nick Blaemire, Van Hughes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Spies Are Forever
Music/Lyrics: Clark Baxtresser, Pierce Siebers Book: Corey Lubowich, Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2017)
The Beautiful Game
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics/Book: Ben Elton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
The Boy from Oz
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Nick Enright, Martin Sherman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1998)
The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kirsten Childs
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
The Cher Show
Music: Various Lyrics: Various Book: Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2018)
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1999)
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2016)
The Who’s Tommy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Pete Townshend Book: Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, Kees Prins
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2018)
Vanities
Music/Lyrics: David Kirshenbaum Book: Jack Heifner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
War Paint
Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Musicals Set Around the 1960s
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Burrows, Weinstock, Gilbert
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Ruthless!
Music: Marvin Laird Lyrics/Book: Joel Paley
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Related Posts:
• Musicals set in the 1960s → You are here!
Want a weekly list of stagey surprises?!
Which of these musicals set in the 1960s is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals set in the 1960s? 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 has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
