
48+ Political Musicals – The Full List of Shows
Last Updated: May 6, 2025
Looking for a musical that delves into the world of politics? Whether it’s a comedic satire or a though-provoking drama, these shows bring the complexities of politics to the stage. Here’s a full list of political musicals, sorted by time period.
Post Contents:
Political 1970s-1990s Musicals
Contemporary Political Musicals
Political Jazz Age Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Moss Hart
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)
Genre: Revue / Satire
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart Book: Herbert Fields
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1925)
Genre: Romantic Dramedy
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics/Book: Maxwell Anderson
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1938)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)
Genre: Satire
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1931)
Genre: Satire
Music/Lyrics/Book: Harold Rome Book: Arthur Arent, Marc Blitzstein, Emmanuel Eisenberg, Charles Friedman, David Gregory, Arnold Horwitt, John La Touche, Joseph Schrank
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1937)
Genre: Revue
Music/Lyrics: Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle Book: Flournoy Miller, Aubrey Lyles
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1921)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Marc Blitzstein
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1938)
Genre: Drama
Political Golden Age Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Golden Age (1950)
Genre: Satire
Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Sketches: Arnold Auerbach
Musical Type: Golden Age (1946)
Genre: Revue
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Jerome Weidman, George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Genre: Biography
Music: Gene de Paul Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
Genre: Satire
Music: Laurie Johnson Lyrics: Lionel Bart Book: Bernard Miles
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Genre: Farce
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)
Genre: Satire
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Genre: Satire
Music: Robert Emmett Dolan Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: John Whedon, Sam Moore
Musical Type: Golden Age (1949)
Genre: Dramedy
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Genre: Romantic Drama
Political 1960s Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Sherman Edwards Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Genre: Satire
Music: Mark Sandrich, Jr. Lyrics/Book: Sidney Michaels Additional Songs: Jerry Herman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Genre: Semi-Biography
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joe Masteroff
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Genre: Drama
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: George Abbott, Robert Russell Revisions: David Thompson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Genre: Dramedy
Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics/Book: Gerome Ragni, James Rado
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Genre: Dramedy
Music/Lyrics: Bill Jacob, Patti Jacob Book: Melville Shavelson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Genre: Semi-Biography
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Genre: Dramedy
Music: Cyril Ornadel Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse Book: Wolf Mankowitz
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Genre: Dramedy
Political 1970s-1990s Musicals
Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Genre: Historical
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: John Weidman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
Genre: Drama
Music: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Richard Nelson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Genre: Drama
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Genre: Semi-Biography
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Genre: Dramedy
Music/Lyrics: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alan Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean-Marc Natel
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Charles Strouse Book: Warren Leight
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Genre: Revue / Satire
Music: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: John Weidman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Genre: Drama
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics/Book: Mbongeni Ngema Additional Songs: Hugh Masekela
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1987)
Genre: Historical
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Music/Lyrics: Carol Hall Book: Larry L. King, Peter Masterson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Book: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics: Jack Murphy Book: Gregory Boyd
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Genre: Drama
Music: Dana P. Rowe Lyrics/Book: John Dempsey
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Genre: Satire
Contemporary Political Musicals
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jay Kuo Book: Marc Acito, Lorenzo Thione
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Michael Friedman Book: Alex Timbers
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Genre: Biography
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Hodge Book: Michael Hodge
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Genre: Satire
Music/Lyrics: Fela Kuti Book: Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Genre: Biography
Music/Lyrics: Michael John La Chiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Genre: Dramedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Genre: Biography
Music/Lyrics: David Byrne Music: Fatboy Slim
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Genre: Biography
Music: David Arnold Lyrics: Richard Thomas Book: Richard Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Genre: Dramedy
Music/Lyrics: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: David Henry Hwang
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Genre: Metamusical
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe Book: Elliot Davis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Genre: Satire
Music: Various Lyrics/Book: Gerard Alessandrini
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Genre: Comedy / Parody
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics/Book: Don Black, Christopher Hampton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics/Book: Shaina Taub
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Genre: Historical
Music/Lyrics: David Bryan Lyrics/Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Genre: Comedic Horror
Music/Lyrics: Mark Hollmann Lyrics/Book: Greg Kotis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Genre: Comedy / Satire
Music/Lyrics: Matt Sax Lyrics/Book: Eric Rosen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Genre: Science Fiction
Want to stay in the loop with all things related to musical theatre?

Know of any other great political musicals?
Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you enjoy exploring these lists, check out the musical database, where you can discover musicals organized by composer, theme, setting, and much 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 and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
