Pop Musicals – A Full List of Popular Shows
Whether you’re auditioning for musicals, setting up your rep book, or simply looking for some new musicals to get into, it’s good to get familiar with what’s out there. Here’s a full list of pop musicals to date, sorted alphabetically. The line between pop and pop/rock can be a bit blurry, but all of the shows below lean more towards pop.
The following list is broken down into four categories – “Contemporary Pop Musicals”, “Electro-Pop Musicals”, “Mixed Genre Pop Musicals”, and “Retro Pop Musicals”. Each category is sorted alphabetically.
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Contemporary Pop Musicals
A Strange Loop
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael R. Jackson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Altar Boyz
Music/Lyrics: Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker Book: Kevin Del Aguila
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Bring It On
Music/Lyrics: Tom Kitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green Book: Jeff Whitty
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Emojiland
Music/Lyrics/Book: Keith Harrison, Laura Schein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Eugenius!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Ben Adams, Chris Wilkins
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Music: Dan Gillespie Sells Lyrics/Book: Tom MacRae
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Fangirls
Music/Lyrics/Book: Yve Blake
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World
Music: Miranda Cooper, Jennifer Decilveo Lyrics: Chris Bush, Miranda Cooper
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Moulin Rouge!
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: John Logan
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2018)
Ride the Cyclone
Music/Lyrics/Book: Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Six
Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Soho Cinders
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe Book: Elliot Davis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Tokyo Rose
Music/Lyrics/Book: Maryhee Yoon, Cara Baldwin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
The View UpStairs
Music/Lyrics/Book: Max Vernon
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
We Aren’t Kids Anymore
Music/Lyrics: Drew Gasparini
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
We Won’t Sleep
Music/Lyrics: Ari Afsar Book: Lauren M. Gunderson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
wonder.land
Music: Damon Albarn Lyrics/Book: Moira Buffini
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Electro-Pop Musicals
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kyle Jarrow
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
A VHS Christmas Carol
Music/Lyrics/Book: Clark Baxtresser
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
American Psycho
Music/Lyrics: Duncan Sheik Book: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Closer to Heaven
Music/Lyrics: Pet Shop Boys Book: Jonathan Harvey
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Mixed Genre Pop Musicals
The following musicals contain pop songs/elements of pop, but are also mixed with various other genres (R&B, hip-hop, rap, gospel, jazz, country, etc.)
21 Chump Street
Music/Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Dreamland
Music/Lyrics/Book: Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Fugitive Songs
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen
Musical Type: Contemporary/Song Cycle (2008)
Hamilton
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
In the Green
Music/Lyrics/Book: Grace McLean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1968)
Motown: The Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Berry Gordy
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2013)
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Raisin
Music: Judd Woldin Lyrics: Robert Brittan Book: Robert B. Nemiroff, Charlotte Zaltzberg
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1973)
Space Dogs
Music/Lyrics/Book: Nick Blaemire, Van Hughes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Spamilton
Music: Various Lyrics/Book: Gerard Alessandrini
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Witness Uganda
Music/Lyrics/Book: Matt Gould, Griffin Matthews
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Retro Pop Musicals
Jolson
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Francis Essex, Rob Bettinson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Mamma Mia!
Music/Lyrics: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus Book: Catherine Johnson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1999)
MJ The Musical
Music/Lyrics: Michael Jackson, Various Book: Lynn Nottage
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2022)
Pippin
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Roger O. Hirson, Bob Fosse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
The Boy From Oz
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Nick Enright, Martin Sherman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1998)
The Cher Show
Music: Various Lyrics: Various Book: Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2018)
The Marvelous Wonderettes
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1999)
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2013)
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2016)
Winter Wonderettes
Music: Various Book: Roger Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2016)
Other blog posts you might like:
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Which of these pop musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above pop musicals? 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 has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
