Musicals with Animals in Them – The Complete List

The following list includes 55+ musicals with animals in them, focusing on works featuring live or symbolic animals. Additional musical lists are available in the musical database.

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On This Page:

Musicals Featuring Live Animals

Musicals with Performers in Animal Costumes

Musicals with Scenic, Prop, or Puppet Animals

Musicals with Implied / Symbolic Animals

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Musicals Featuring Live Animals

Animals in these productions may be portrayed live or represented through props, puppetry, or other staging techniques.

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A Christmas Story

Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul  Book: Joseph Robinette

Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)

Live Animals: The Bumpus Hounds

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Annie

Music: Charles Strouse  Lyrics: Martin Charnin  Book: Thomas Meehan

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1976)

Live Animal: Sandy the Dog

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As Thousands Cheer

Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin  Book: Moss Hart

Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)

Live Animal: Gertrude the Pomeranian

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Bullets Over Broadway

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Woody Allen

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Live Animal: Mr. Woofles the Dog

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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman  Adaptations: Jeremy Sams, Ray Roderick

Musical Type: 1968 Film/Contemporary Musical (2002)

Live Animals: A Pack of Dogs

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Gypsy

Music: Jule Styne  Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: Arthur Laurents

Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)

Live Animals: Chowsie the Dog and a Baby Lamb

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Legally Blonde

Music/Lyrics: Nell Benjamin, Laurence O’Keefe  Book: Heather Hach

Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)

Live Animals: Bruiser and Rufus the Dogs

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Oliver!

Music/Lyrics/Book: Lionel Bart

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)

Live Animal: Bullseye the Dog

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Once on This Island

Music: Stephen Flaherty  Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1990)

Live Animal: A Goat

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The Will Rogers Follies

Music: Cy Coleman  Lyrics: Betty Comden, Adolph Green  Book: Peter Stone

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1991)

Live Animals: Wild West Show Dogs

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The Wiz

Music/Lyrics: Charlie Smalls  Book: William F. Brown

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1974)

Live Animal: Toto the Dog

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The Wizard of Oz

Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg  Music: Herbert Stothart  Book: L. Frank Baum, John Kane

Musical Type: 1939 Film/Late 20th Century Musical (1987)

Live Animal: Toto the Dog

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The Wizard of Oz (ALW)

Music: Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart  Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: Yip Harburg, Tim Rice  Book: Jeremy Sams

Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)

Live Animal: Toto the Dog

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Musicals with Performers in Animal Costumes

These musicals feature animal roles portrayed by actors, dancers, or puppeteers in costume.

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A Year with Frog and Toad

Music: Robert Reale  Lyrics/Book: Willie Reale

Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)

Animal Roles: Frog and Toad

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Aladdin

Music: Alan Menken  Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin  Lyrics: Tim Rice, Howard Ashman

Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)

Animal Role: Iago

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Alice by Heart

Music: Duncan Sheik  Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater  Book: Jessie Nelson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Animal Roles: Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, Others

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Amélie

Music/Lyrics: Daniel Messé  Lyrics: Nathan Tysen  Book: Craig Lucas

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Animal Role: Fluffy the Goldfish

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Bat Boy

Music/Lyrics: Laurence O’Keefe  Book: Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)

Animal Roles: Bat Boy, Various Animals

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Beauty and the Beast

Music: Alan Menken  Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Tim Rice  Book: Linda Woolverton

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1994)

Animal Roles: Wolves

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Between the Lines

Music/Lyrics: Elyssa Samsel, Kate Anderson  Book: Timothy Allen McDonald

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Animal Role: Frump

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Birds of Paradise

Music/Book: David Evans  Lyrics/Book: Winnie Holzman

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1987)

Animal Roles: Andy, Hope, and Dave in Penguin Suits

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Boop! The Musical

Music: David Foster  Lyrics: Susan Birkenhead  Book: Bob Martin

Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)

Animal Roles: Pudgy the Dog

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Bumblescratch

Music/Lyrics/Book: Robert J. Sherman

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Animal Roles: Multiple Rats

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Candide

Music/Lyrics: Leonard Bernstein  Lyrics: Richard Wilbur, John La Touche, Stephen Sondheim, Dorothy Parker  Book: John Caird, Hugh Wheeler, Lillian Hellman

Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)

Animal Roles: Two Pink Sheep

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Captain Louie

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz  Book: Anthony Stein

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Animal Role: The Cat

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Cats

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn, Richard Stilgoe

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1981)

Animal Roles: Multiple Cats

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Children of Eden

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz  Book: John Caird

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1991)

Animal Roles: Animals (Storytellers)

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Doctor Dolittle

Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1998)

Animal Roles: Polynesia the Parrot, Misc. Animals

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Dog Man: The Musical

Music: Brad Alexander  Lyrics/Book: Kevin Del Aguila

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Animal Roles: Dog Man, Flippy the Fish, Lil Petey, Petey the Cat

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Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Music: Deborah Wicks La Puma  Lyrics/Book: Mo Willems  Book: Mr. Warburton

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Animal Roles: The Pigeon, Puppy, Ducklings

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Elephant and Piggie’s “We are in a Play!”

Music: Deborah Wicks La Puma  Lyrics/Book: Mo Willems

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Animal Roles: Gerald, Piggie, Squirrels, Dog, Penguin

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Finding Nemo

Music/Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez  Book: Lindsay Anderson

Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)

Animal Roles: Multiple Fish and Sea Life

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Frozen

Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez  Book: Jennifer Lee

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Animal Role: Sven the Reindeer

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Music: George Stiles  Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Animal Roles: Baby Bear, Father Bear, Mother Bear, Puppet Bird

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Hello, Dolly!

Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman  Book: Michael Stewart

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)

Animal Role: Horse

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Henry and Mudge

Music: Bree Lowdermilk  Lyrics/Book: Kait Kerrigan

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Animal Role: Mudge the Dog

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Honk!

Music: George Stiles  Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1993)

Animal Roles: Multiple Farm Animals

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Into the Woods

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: James Lapine

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1986)

Animal Role: Wolf

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James and the Giant Peach

Music: Justin Paul  Lyrics: Benj Pasek  Book: Timothy Allen McDonald

Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)

Animal Roles: Grasshopper, Spider, Centipede, Earthworm, Ladybug, Seagulls

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Just So

Music: George Stiles  Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1984)

Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals

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Lizard Boy

Music/Lyrics/Book: Justin Huertas

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Animal Role: Lizard Boy

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Love Birds

Music/Lyrics/Book: Robert J. Sherman

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Animal Roles: Multiple Birds

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Peter Pan

Music: Moose Charlap, Jule Styne  Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, Adolph Green  Book: J.M. Barrie

Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)

Animal Roles: Crocodile, Nana, Various Animals

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Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure

Music: George Stiles  Lyrics: Anthony Drewe  Book: Willis Hall

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)

Animal Roles: Crocodile, Nana

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Ride the Cyclone

Music/Lyrics/Book: Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Animal Featured: Virgil the Rat

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Seussical

Music/Book: Stephen Flaherty  Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens

Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)

Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals

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Shrek

Music: Jeanine Tesori  Lyrics/Book: David Lindsay-Abaire

Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)

Animal Roles: Donkey, Dragon, Misc. Animals

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Silence!

Music/Lyrics: Jon Kaplan, Al Kaplan  Book: Hunter Bell

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Animal Roles: A Chorus of Lambs

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Snoopy!!!

Music: Larry Grossman  Lyrics: Hal Hackady  Book: Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, Michael Grace

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1975)

Animal Roles: Snoopy, Woodstock

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Tarzan

Music/Lyrics: Phil Collins  Book: David Henry Hwang

Musical Type: 1999 Film/Contemporary Musical (2006)

Animal Roles: Apes, Gorillas, Leopard

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The Apple Tree

Music/Book: Jerry Bock  Lyrics/Book: Sheldon Harnick  Book: Jerome Coopersmith

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)

Animal Role: The Snake

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The Frogs

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim  Book: Burt Shevelove, Nathan Lane

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1974)

Animal Roles: Frogs

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The Lion King

Music: Elton John  Lyrics: Tim Rice  Book: Roger Allers, Irene Mecchi

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)

Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals

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The Little Mermaid

Music: Alan Menken  Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Glenn Slater  Book: Doug Wright

Musical Type: 1989 Film/Contemporary Musical (2007)

Animal Roles: Multiple Fish and Sea Life

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The SpongeBob Musical

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Kyle Jarrow

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Animal Roles: Multiple Fish and Sea Life

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The Three Little Pigs

Music: George Stiles  Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals

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The Wind in the Willows

Music: George Stiles  Lyrics: Anthony Drewe  Book: Julian Fellowes

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals

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The Witches

Music/Lyrics: Dave Malloy  Lyrics/Book: Lucy Kirkwood

Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)

Animal Roles: Children Turned to Mice

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The Wiz

Music/Lyrics: Charlie Smalls  Book: William F. Brown

Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1974)

Animal Roles: Lion, Winged Monky, Crows, Field Mice

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The Wizard of Oz

Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg  Music: Herbert Stothart  Book: L. Frank Baum, John Kane

Musical Type: 1939 Film/Late 20th Century Musical (1987)

Animal Roles: Cowardly Lion, Crows, Flying Monkeys

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The Wizard of Oz (ALW)

Music: Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart  Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: Yip Harburg, Tim Rice  Book: Jeremy Sams

Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)

Animal Roles: Cowardly Lion, Flying Monkeys

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Twisted

Music: A.J. Holmes  Lyrics: Kaley McMahon  Book: Matt Lang, Nick Lang, Eric Kahn Gale

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Animal Roles: Bird, Monkey

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Water for Elephants

Music/Lyrics: PigPen Theatre Co.  Book: Rick Elice

Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)

Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals

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Wicked

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz  Book: Winnie Holzman

Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)

Animal Roles: Dr. Dillamond, Chistery, Monkeys

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You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Music/Lyrics/Book: Clark Gesner  Additional Songs: Andrew Lippa

Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)

Animal Role: Snoopy

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Last Reviewed: June 4, 2025