31+ Musicals Written By Black Artists – A Full List
In case you didn’t know, August is Black Business Month – a time to celebrate and support Black-owned businesses! And while creating a musical might not be the first thing you think of when you think of the word “business”, it is in a way, a very specific type of business! So here is a full list of musicals written by Black artists.
I encourage you to pick a show you aren’t familiar with and give it a listen this month!
* Musicals have been listed if at least one member of the writing team is a Black artist.
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Jazz Age Musicals Written by Black Artists
Music/Lyrics: Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle Book: F.E. Miller, Aubrey Lyles, George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1921)
Golden/Post-Golden Age Musicals Written by Black Artists
Music/Lyrics: Traditional Book: Langston Hughes
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Music/Lyrics: Todd Matshikiza Lyrics: Pat Williams Book: Harry Bloom
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Arna Bontemps, Countee Cullen
Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)
1970s-1990s Musicals By Black Artists
Music: Thomas “Fats” Waller Lyrics: Various Concept: Murray Horwitz, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Music/Lyrics: Various
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk
Music/Lyrics/Book: Daryl Waters, Ann Duquesnay, Zane Mark, George C. Wolfe, Reg E. Gaines
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Music: Various Book: Loften Mitchell Concept: Rosetta LeNoire
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Music/Lyrics: Micki Grant
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Melvin Van Peebles
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Music/Lyrics: Louis Jordan Book: Clarke Peters
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues
Music: Various Book: Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor, Dan Wheetman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
Music: Jelly Roll Morton, Luther Henderson Lyrics: Susan Birkenhead Book: George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Will Holt, Linda Hopkins
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Music/Lyrics: Duke Ellington, Various Book: Cheryl L. West
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Music: Gary Geld Lyrics/Book: Peter Udell Book: Ossie Davis, Philip Rose
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Mbongeni Ngema Music/Lyrics: Hugh Masekela
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Simon Lyrics/Book: Derek Walcott
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Music/Lyrics: Charlie Smalls Book: William F. Brown
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Songs: Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers, Susan Birkenhead, James Taylor Songs/Adaptation: Stephen Schwartz Adaptation: Nina Faso
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1977)
Contemporary Musicals By Black Artists
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael R. Jackson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Music/Lyrics: The Legendary Motown Catalog Book: Dominique Morisseau
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2017)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kirsten Childs
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Music/Lyrics: Fela Kuti Book: Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2008)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Music/Lyrics: Michael Jackson, Various Book: Lynn Nottage
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2022)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Berry Gordy
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2013)
Music/Lyrics: John Kander, Fred Ebb Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda Book: David Thompson, Sharon Washington
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Stew Music: Heidi Rodewald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical
Music/Lyrics: Douglas Lyons Music: Greg Borowsky Book: Melvin Tunstall III
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Matthew López, Amber Ruffin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Music/Lyrics: Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Paul Jabra, Various Book: Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2017)
The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kirsten Childs
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Music/Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics/Book: Brian Yorkey Book: Kwame Kwei-Armah
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa Book: George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, Kees Prins
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2018)
Want a weekly list of stagey surprises?!
Which of these musicals written by Black artists is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals written by Black artists? 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 holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.