Musicals Set in the 1980s – The Full List of Shows
Last Updated: May 25, 2025
With economic shifts and the rise of pop culture icons, musicals set in the 1980s reflect the decade’s energy, excess, and larger-than-life personalities. These shows capture the bold and ambitious spirit of the era. Here’s the full list of musicals set in the 1980s.
Post Contents:
Musicals Fully Set in the 1980s
Musicals Partially Set in the 1980s
Musicals Fully Set in the 1980s
3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down
Music: Michael Rupert Lyrics/Book: Jerry Colker
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Clark Baxtresser
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Duncan Sheik Book: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Elton John Lyrics/Book: Lee Hall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Scott Goodman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Elizabeth Swados Lyrics/Book: Garry Trudeau
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Ben Adams, Chris Wilkins
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Steve Margoshes Lyrics: Jacques Levy Book: José Fernandez
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Robbie Roth Lyrics/Book: Robert Cary Book: Tom Hedley
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Laurence O’Keefe, Kevin Murphy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Trask Book: John Cameron Mitchell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Charles Strouse Book: Warren Leight
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Michael Valenti Lyrics/Book: Donald Driver
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Whitehouse, Jim Sullivan Music: John Sullivan, Chas Hodges
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Madness Book: Tim Firth
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance Book: Garry Marshall, J.F. Lawton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Joy Huerta, Benjamin Velez Book: Lisa Loomer, Nell Benjamin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Chris D’Arienzo
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Gary Clark, John Carney Book: Enda Walsh
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Boy George Music: Kevan Frost, John Themis, Richie Stevens Book: Charles Busch
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Huey Lewis and the News, Various Book: Jonathan A. Abrams, Tyler Mitchell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Sting Book: Brian Yorkey, John Logan, Lorne Campbell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Book: Cy Coleman Lyrics/Book: Ira Gasman Book: David Newman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾
Music/Lyrics: Pippa Cleary Lyrics/Book: Jake Brunger
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics: Robert Lorick Book: Charles Blackwell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Book: Tim Herlihy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music: Julianne Wick Davis Lyrics/Book: Dan Collins
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Jeffrey Lane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Lynne, John Farrar Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
When It’s Set: The 1980s
Musicals Partially Set in the 1980s
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: Alan Silvestri, Glen Ballard Book: Bob Gale
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
When It’s Set: 1950s, 1980s
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: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Richard Nelson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
When It’s Set: 1950s, 1980s
Music/Lyrics: David Bryan Lyrics/Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
When It’s Set: 1980s-1990s
Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
When It’s Set: 1970s-1980s
Music/Lyrics: Michael John La Chiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
When It’s Set: 1970s, 1980s, 2000s
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Lisa Kron
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
When It’s Set: 1970s, 1980s, Present
Music/Lyrics: Bob Marley Book: Lee Hall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1980s
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: Various Book: Berry Gordy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
When It’s Set: 1930s, 1950s-1980s
Music/Lyrics: Gloria Estefan, Emilio Estefan, Miami Sound Machine Book: Alexander Dinelaris
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1990s
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
When It’s Set: 1980s-1990s
Music: Keith Herrmann Lyrics/Book: Barry Harman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
When It’s Set: 1800s, 1980s
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
Sunday in the Park with George
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: James Lapine
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
When It’s Set: 1800s, 1980s
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Nick Enright, Martin Sherman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
When It’s Set: 1960s-1990s
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
The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Music/Lyrics: David Nehls Book: Betsy Kelso
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
When It’s Set: 1980s, 2000s
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, Kees Prins
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
When It’s Set: 1950s-1980s
More Musicals by Setting
• Musicals Set in the 1980s → You are here!
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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.
