Musicals Set in the 1960s – The Full List of Shows
Last Updated: May 25, 2025
Amid political upheaval and a wave of cultural change, musicals set in the 1960s reflect themes of revolution, self-expression, and breaking tradition. These shows capture the vibrant spirit of a transformative decade. Here’s the full list of musicals set in the 1960s.
Post Contents:
Musicals Fully Set in the 1960s
Musicals Partially Set in the 1960s
Musicals Fully Set in the 1960s
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Chazz Palminteri
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: James Goldman, John Kander, William Goldman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: The Heather Brothers
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Mel Brooks
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Floyd Mutrux, Colin Escott
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Larry Gallagher
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Burton Lane Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner Book: Joseph Stein
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Tony Kushner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: David Heneker, John Taylor Book: Hugh Williams, Margaret Vyner, Ray Cooney
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster Book: Pearl S. Buck, Charles K. Peck, Jr.
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Eleanor Bergstein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Garson Kanin
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Peter Duchan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kim Rosenstock, Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Dennis Green Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Clifford Odets, William Gibson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Walter Marks Book: Ernest Kinoy
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni, James Rado
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Nunnally Johnson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Hugh Martin, Timothy Gray
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Elmer Bernstein Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh Book: Max Shulman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Jack Lawrence, Stan Freeman Book: Jerome Chodorov
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Manos Hadjidakis Lyrics: Joe Darion Book: Jules Dassin
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: David Newman, Robert Benton
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Bob Gaudio Lyrics: Bob Crewe Book: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: The Beatles
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans Book: Abram S. Ginnes
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Joe Iconis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: David Arnold Lyrics: Richard Thomas Book: Richard Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Don Appell
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Miracle on 34th Street (Here’s Love)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Billy Joel Concept: Twyla Tharp
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Arthur Kopit
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Richard Rodgers Book: Samuel Taylor
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Now Is the Time for All Good Men
Music: Nancy Ford Lyrics/Book: Gretchen Cryer
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Bob Merrill
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Burt Bacharach Lyrics: Hal David Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Noël Coward
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: James Van Heusen Lyrics: Sammy Cahn Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Steve Brown Lyrics/Book: Justin Greene
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics/Book: Don Black, Christopher Hampton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Ray Davies Book: Joe Penhall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Albert Hague Lyrics/Book: Allan Sherman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Justin Levine Music/Lyrics: Jonathan Clay, Zach Chance Book: Adam Rapp
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd
Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Music: Leon Carr Lyrics: Earl Shuman Book: Joe Manchester
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Book: Howard Da Silva, Felix Leon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Brian Crawley
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Hal Hester, Danny Apolinar Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
When It’s Set: The 1960s
Musicals Partially Set in the 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Neil Diamond Book: Anthony McCarten
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1990s
Music/Lyrics: Edward Kleban Book: Linda Kline, Lonny Price
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1980s
Music/Lyrics: The Legendary Motown Catalog Book: Dominique Morisseau
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1970s
Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Don Black, Charles Hart
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
When It’s Set: 1940s-1960s
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Music/Lyrics: Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil Book: Douglas McGrath
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1970s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Willy Russell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1980s
Music/Lyrics: Buena Vista Social Club Book: Marco Ramirez
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1990s
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics/Book: Tom Eyen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1970s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Stuart Ross
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1960s
Music/Lyrics: Bob Marley Book: Lee Hall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1980s
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Adolph Green, Betty Comden Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
When It’s Set: 1910s-1960s
Music/Lyrics: David Byrne Music: Fatboy Slim
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
When It’s Set: 1930s-1980s
Music/Book: Andrew Lippa Lyrics/Book: Tommy Greenwald
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1990s
Music/Lyrics: Ellie Greenwich & Friends Book: Anne Beatts
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
When It’s Set: 1960s, 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: George Furth
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1970s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Berry Gordy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
When It’s Set: 1930s, 1950s-1980s
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Music: Burton Lane Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
When It’s Set: 1700s, 1960s
Music/Lyrics: Gloria Estefan, Emilio Estefan, Miami Sound Machine Book: Alexander Dinelaris
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1990s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Phillip George, David Lowenstein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1970s
Music/Lyrics: Clark Baxtresser, Pierce Siebers Book: Corey Lubowich, Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1960s
Music/Lyrics: Richard Hawley Book: Chris Bush
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
When It’s Set: 1960s, 1980s, 2010s
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Music/Lyrics: Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Paul Jabara, Various Book: Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1980s
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics/Book: Ben Elton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1970s
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Nick Enright, Martin Sherman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1990s
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen Book: Mariana Elder
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1960s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Simon Lyrics/Book: Derek Walcott
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1970s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1990s
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Music/Lyrics: Darren Clark Lyrics/Book: Jethro Compton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
When It’s Set: 1910s-1980s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Ed Curtis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1960s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1960s
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1960s
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1970s
Music/Lyrics: Ingrid Michaelson Book: Bekah Brunstetter
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
When It’s Set: 1960s, 1970s, 2020s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Pete Townshend Book: Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
When It’s Set: 1940s-1960s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, Kees Prins
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1980s
Music/Lyrics: David Kirshenbaum Book: Jack Heifner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1970s
Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
When It’s Set: 1930s-1960s
Musicals Set Around the 1960s
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, Willie Gilbert
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
When It’s Set: Around the 1950s-1960s
Music: Gary Geld Lyrics/Book: Peter Udell Book: Ossie Davis, Philip Rose
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
When It’s Set: Around the 1950s-1960s
Music: Marvin Laird Lyrics/Book: Joel Paley
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
When It’s Set: Around the 1950s-1960s
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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 and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
