45+ Religious Musicals – The Full List of Shows
From biblical epics to contemporary stories of faith, religion has long been a source of inspiration for musical theatre. Whether based on sacred texts, historical figures, or spiritual themes, these musicals explore faith, devotion, and belief in many forms. Below is a full list of religious musicals, sorted alphabetically.
Religious Musicals
Music: Joshua Schmidt Lyrics: Jan Levy Tranen Book: Austin Pendleton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael R. Jackson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Genre: Dramedy
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kyle Jarrow
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Genre: Satire
Music/Lyrics: Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker Book: Kevin Del Aguila
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Genre: Satire
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1934)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Music/Book: Damon Intrabartolo Lyrics/Book: Jon Hartmere
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Traditional Book: Langston Hughes
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Genre: Religious
Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics: Don Black Book: Ivan Menchell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Genre: Drama
Music: Frederick Loewe Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Golden Age (1947)
Genre: Fantasy / Romance
Music: Vernon Duke Lyrics: John La Touche Book: Lynn Root
Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)
Genre: Fantasy
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Type: Golden Age (1945)
Genre: Romantic Drama
Music: Michael Gore Lyrics: Dean Pitchford Book: Lawrence D. Cohen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Genre: Horror
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: John Caird
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Genre: Religious
Music: David Evans Lyrics: Douglas J. Cohen Book: Stuart Hample
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Genre: Theatre for Young Audiences
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Dick Scanlan, Sherie Rene Scott
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Genre: Autobiography
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Joseph Stein
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Genre: Drama
Music: Tom Snow Lyrics/Book: Dean Pitchford Book: Walter Bobbie
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Genre: Dramedy
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: John-Michael Tebelak
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Genre: Religious
Music/Lyrics/Book: Scott Brown, Anthony King
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Jo Swerling, Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1950)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Music: Kurt Weill Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht Book: Elisabeth Hauptmann, Michael Feingold
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1929)
Genre: Melodrama
Music/Lyrics/Book: Richard Thomas, Stewart Lee
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Genre: Fantasy
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Genre: Religious Drama
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1968)
Genre: Dramedy
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Janus Cercone, Warren Leight
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Genre: Romantic Dramedy
Music/Lyrics: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Alan Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean-Marc Natel
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Genre: Drama
Music: Heitor Villa-Lobos Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest Book: Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, Homer Curran
Musical Type: Golden Age (1948)
Genre: Adventure
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics: Adam Guettel
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Genre: Song Cycle
Music/Lyrics: Nicky Ager Lyrics/Book: Debbie Isitt
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Genre: Comedy
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dan Goggin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Genre: Comedy
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics/Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Genre: Comedy
Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics/Book: Tom Jones
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Roger O. Hirson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Genre: Dramedy
Music: Gary Geld Lyrics/Book: Peter Udell Book: Ossie Davis, Philip Rose
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Genre: Dramedy
Music/Book: Dan Studney Lyrics/Book: Kevin Murphy
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Genre: Comedic Horror / Satire
Music: David Pomeranz, David Friedman Lyrics/Book: Kathie Lee Gifford
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Genre: Biography
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally Book: Robert Horn
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Genre: Comedy
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Genre: Dramedy
Music: Duncan Sheik Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Hugh Wheeler
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Genre: Horror
Music/Lyrics: The Avett Brothers Book: John Logan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Genre: Drama
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: George Abbott, Jerome Weidman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Genre: Dramedy
Music/Book: Jerry Bock Lyrics/Book: Sheldon Harnick Book: Jerome Coopersmith
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Genre: Romance
Music/Lyrics/Book: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Genre: Comedy / Satire
Music/Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray Book: Marsha Norman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Genre: Drama
Music: Claibe Richardson Lyrics/Book: Kenward Elmslie
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Genre: Dramedy
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: James Lapine, Peter Parnell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
Genre: Drama
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age/Contemporary (1965/2005)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Philip LaZebnik
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Genre: Religious Drama
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Genre: Romantic Drama
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Martin Charnin Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Genre: Dramedy
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: Brian Crawley
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Genre: Drama
Music/Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Jim Steinman Book: Patricia Knop, Gale Edwards
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Genre: Drama
Music/Lyrics/Book: Matt Gould, Griffin Matthews
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Genre: Documentary
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Which of these religious musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals about religion? 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.
