75+ Musicals with Animals in Them – The Full List of Shows
These musicals with animals in them feature live, represented, or symbolic animals as part of the production. The list includes shows with animal characters, animals portrayed by performers or puppets, and works where animals play a symbolic role in the story.
On This Page:
Musicals Featuring Live Animals
Musicals with Performers in Animal Costumes
Musicals Featuring Animal Puppets
Musicals with Scenic or Prop Animals
Musicals with Implied / Symbolic Animals
Musicals Featuring Live Animals
These shows may use live animals when circumstances and production resources allow.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Creators: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Joseph Robinette
Live Animals: The Bumpus Hounds
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1976)
Creators: Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, and Thomas Meehan
Live Animal: Sandy the Dog
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)
Creators: Irving Berlin and Moss Hart
Live Animal: Gertrude the Pomeranian
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Creators: Woody Allen and Others
Live Animal: Mr. Woofles the Dog
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Creators: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Jeremy Sams, and Ray Roderick
Live Animals: A Pack of Dogs
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Creators: Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents
Live Animals: Chowsie the Dog and a Baby Lamb
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: Nell Benjamin, Laurence O’Keefe, and Heather Hach
Live Animals: Bruiser and Rufus the Dogs
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Creators: Lionel Bart
Live Animal: Bullseye the Dog
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1990)
Creators: Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens
Live Animal: A Goat
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1991)
Creators: Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Peter Stone
Live Animals: Wild West Show Dogs
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1974)
Creators: Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown
Live Animal: Toto the Dog
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1987)
Creators: Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Herbert Stothart, L. Frank Baum, and John Kane
Live Animal: Toto the Dog
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Creators: Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Yip Harburg, Tim Rice, and Jeremy Sams
Live Animal: Toto the Dog
Musicals with Performers in Animal Costumes
These musicals feature animal roles portrayed by actors or dancers in costume.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Creators: Robert Reale and Willie Reale
Animal Roles: Frog and Toad
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Creators: Alan Menken, Chad Beguelin, Tim Rice, and Howard Ashman
Animal Role: Iago
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Creators: Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater, and Jessie Nelson
Animal Roles: Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, Others
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Daniel Messé, Nathan Tysen, and Craig Lucas
Animal Role: Fluffy the Goldfish
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)
Creators: Laurence O’Keefe, Keythe Farley, and Brian Flemming
Animal Roles: Bat Boy, Various Animals
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1994)
Creators: Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, and Linda Woolverton
Animal Roles: Wolves
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Creators: Elyssa Samsel, Kate Anderson, and Timothy Allen McDonald
Animal Role: Frump
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1987)
Creators: David Evans and Winnie Holzman
Animal Roles: Andy, Hope, and Dave in Penguin Suits
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Creators: David Foster, Susan Birkenhead, and Bob Martin
Animal Roles: Pudgy the Dog (Can also be played by a puppet)
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Creators: Robert J. Sherman
Animal Roles: Multiple Rats
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Creators: Leonard Bernstein, Richard Wilbur, John La Touche, Stephen Sondheim, Dorothy Parker, John Caird, Hugh Wheeler, and Lillian Hellman
Animal Roles: Two Pink Sheep
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Creators: Stephen Schwartz and Anthony Stein
Animal Role: The Cat
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1981)
Creators: Andrew Lloyd Webber, T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn, and Richard Stilgoe
Animal Roles: Multiple Cats
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1991)
Creators: Stephen Schwartz and John Caird
Animal Roles: Animals (Storytellers)
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1998)
Creators: Leslie Bricusse
Animal Roles: Polynesia the Parrot, Misc. Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Creators: Brad Alexander and Kevin Del Aguila
Animal Roles: Dog Man, Flippy the Fish, Lil Petey, Petey the Cat
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Creators: Deborah Wicks La Puma, Mo Willems, and Mr. Warburton
Animal Roles: The Pigeon, Puppy, Ducklings
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: Deborah Wicks La Puma and Mo Willems
Animal Roles: Gerald, Piggie, Squirrels, Dog, Penguin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, and Lindsay Anderson
Animal Roles: Multiple Fish and Sea Life
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Creators: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, and Jennifer Lee
Animal Role: Sven the Reindeer
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Animal Roles: Baby Bear, Father Bear, Mother Bear
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Creators: Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart
Animal Role: Horse
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Creators: Bree Lowdermilk and Kait Kerrigan
Animal Role: Mudge the Dog
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1993)
Creators: George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Animal Roles: Multiple Farm Animals
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1986)
Creators: Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine
Animal Role: Wolf
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Creators: Justin Paul, Benj Pasek, and Timothy Allen McDonald
Animal Roles: Grasshopper, Spider, Centipede, Earthworm, Ladybug, Seagulls
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1984)
Creators: George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Justin Huertas
Animal Role: Lizard Boy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Robert J. Sherman
Animal Roles: Multiple Birds
Musical Type: Contemporary (2025)
Creators: Tom Fletcher and Jessica Swale
Animal Role: Paddington
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Creators: Moose Charlap, Jule Styne, Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and J.M. Barrie
Animal Roles: Crocodile, Nana, Various Animals
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)
Creators: George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, and Willis Hall
Animal Roles: Crocodile, Nana
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Creators: Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond
Animal Featured: Virgil the Rat
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Creators: Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens
Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Creators: Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire
Animal Roles: Donkey, Dragon, Misc. Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Creators: Jon Kaplan, Al Kaplan, and Hunter Bell
Animal Roles: A Chorus of Lambs
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1975)
Creators: Larry Grossman, Hal Hackady, Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, and Michael Grace
Animal Roles: Snoopy, Woodstock
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Creators: Phil Collins and David Henry Hwang
Animal Roles: Apes, Gorillas, Leopard
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Creators: Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Jerome Coopersmith
Animal Role: The Snake
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1974)
Creators: Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove, and Nathan Lane
Animal Roles: Frogs
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)
Creators: Elton John, Tim Rice, Roger Allers, and Irene Mecchi
Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Glenn Slater, and Doug Wright
Animal Roles: Multiple Fish and Sea Life
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Creators: Kyle Jarrow and Others
Animal Roles: Multiple Fish and Sea Life
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Creators: George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, and Julian Fellowes
Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Creators: Dave Malloy and Lucy Kirkwood
Animal Roles: Children Turned to Mice
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1974)
Creators: Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown
Animal Roles: Lion, Winged Monky, Crows, Field Mice
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1987)
Creators: Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Herbert Stothart, L. Frank Baum, and John Kane
Animal Roles: Cowardly Lion, Crows, Flying Monkeys
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Creators: Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Yip Harburg, Tim Rice, and Jeremy Sams
Animal Roles: Cowardly Lion, Flying Monkeys
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: A.J. Holmes, Kaley McMahon, Matt Lang, Nick Lang, and Eric Kahn Gale
Animal Roles: Bird, Monkey
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Creators: PigPen Theatre Co. and Rick Elice
Animal Roles: A Variety of Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Creators: Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman
Animal Roles: Dr. Dillamond, Chistery, Monkeys
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Creators: Clark Gesner
Animal Role: Snoopy
Musicals Featuring Puppet Animals
These musicals feature one or more puppet or marionette style animals in the show.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Creators: David Foster, Susan Birkenhead, and Bob Martin
Animal Featured: Marionette/Puppet Dog (Can also be played by an actor)
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1995)
Creators: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, and A.J. Carothers
Animal Featured: Marionette/Puppet Dog
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Douglas Carter Beane
Animals Featured: Puppet Mice and Cat
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Creators: George Reinblatt, Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, and Melissa Morris
Animals Featured: Puppet Beaver
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Animal Featured: Puppet Bird
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1935)
Creators: Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Ben Hecht, and Charles MacArthur
Animals Featured: Puppet/Prop Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Creators: Jeff Richmond, Nell Benjamin, and Tina Fey
Animal Featured: Puppet Dog
Musicals with Scenic or Prop Animals
These musicals feature animals portrayed as props or scenic pieces.
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1934)
Creators: Cole Porter, Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsay, and Russel Crouse
Animal Featured: Prop Dog
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Creators: George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, Ron Cowen, and Daniel Lipman
Animal Featured: Prop Pig
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Animals Featured: Prop Animals / Sounds
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Creators: Tim Minchin and Danny Rubin
Animal Featured: Set/Prop Groundhog
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1986)
Creators: Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine
Animal Featured: Prop Cow
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1972)
Creators: Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson
Animal Featured: Prop Duck
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1984)
Creators: Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine
Animal Featured: Implied/Set Dog
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1976)
Creators: Stephen Schwartz and Joseph Stein
Animal Featured: Prop/Implied Cat
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Creators: Marc Teitler and Nancy Harris
Animal Featured: Scenic / Prop Elephant
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1996)
Creators: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jim Steinman, Patricia Knop, and Gale Edwards
Animals Featured: Prop Kittens
Musicals with Implied / Symbolic Animals
These shows feature symbolic animals represented with props, set, costumes, or dialogue.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: Andrew Lippa and John August
Animals Featured: Implied Fish and Circus Animals
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Creators: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans, and Abram S. Ginnes
Animals Featured: Implied Horses
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Creators: Michael John LaChiusa
Animal Featured: Metaphorical Fish
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1988)
Creators: Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens
Animals Featured: Implied Dogs
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1990)
Creators: Robert Longden and Hereward Kaye
Animal Featured: Symbolic Whale
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Creators: Benjamin Scheuer
Animal Featured: Metaphorical Lion
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1970)
Creators: Richard Rodgers, Martin Charnin, and Peter Stone
Animals Featured: Implied Animals
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Preston Max Allen
Animals Featured: Metaphorical Tigers
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1996)
Creators: Dick Gallagher, Mark Waldrop, and Howard Crabtree
Animals Featured: Metaphorical Pigs
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Creators: Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh, and N. Richard Nash
Animal Featured: Metaphorical Wildcat