25+ Satire Musicals to Make You Think – The Full List
In case you didn’t already know, November 9th is World Day of Satire! And what better way to celebrate than listening to satirical musicals? Whether you’re a producer of musical theatre or just excited to explore new shows, here’s a full list of the most notable satire musicals to date!
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Satire Musicals
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kyle Jarrow
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
What It’s a Satire of: Scientology
Music/Lyrics: Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker Book: Kevin Del Aguila
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
What It’s a Satire of: Boy Bands and Christian Music
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
What It’s a Satire of: Conformity and “Saneness”
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Moss Hart
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)
What It’s a Satire of: Newspaper headlines of the day
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Golden Age (1950)
What It’s a Satire of: Politics and Foreign Policy
Music/Lyrics: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Richard Wilbur, John Latouche, Stephen Sondheim*, Dorothy Parker Book: John Caird*, Hugh Wheeler*, Lillian Hellman
* Writers who worked on the 1974/1999 revivals of the show
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
What It’s a Satire of: Innocence, Optimism, Life
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Hodge Book: Michael Hodge
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
What It’s a Satire of: The Presidency of Bill Clinton
Music: Elizabeth Swados Lyrics/Book: Garry Trudeau
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1983)
What It’s a Satire of: College Campus Life
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Moss Hart
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1932)
What It’s a Satire of: Political Corruption and Show Business
Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics/Book: E.Y. Harburg Book: Fred Saidy
Musical Type: Golden Age (1951)
What It’s a Satire of: American Capitalism
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Dennis Green Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
What It’s a Satire of: Wealth and Society
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, Willie Gilbert
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
What It’s a Satire of: Big Business
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics/Book: E.Y. Harburg Book: Fred Saidy
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
What It’s a Satire of: Commercialism, Social Issues
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)
What It’s a Satire of: Politics
Music: Gene De Paul Lyrics: Johnny Mercer Book: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank
Musical Type: Golden Age (1956)
What It’s a Satire of: American Politics
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Golden Age (1940)
What It’s a Satire of: Louisiana Politics
Music/Lyrics: Charles Strouse Book: Warren Leight
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1985)
What It’s a Satire of: Politics/New York City Life
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1931)
What It’s a Satire of: American Politics
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Joan Littlewood & Theatre Workshop
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
What It’s a Satire of: WWI
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Herbert Fields, Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1933)
What It’s a Satire of: The Prohibition Era
Music: Burt Bacharach Lyrics: Hal David Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
What It’s a Satire of: The Corporate World
Music/Book: Dan Studney Lyrics/Book: Kevin Murphy
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
What It’s Parodying: Reefer Madness (the 1936 propaganda film)
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
What It’s a Satire of: US/Soviet Relations
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
What It’s a Satire of: Politics
Music/Lyrics/Book: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
What It’s a Satire of: Religion
Music: Dana P. Rowe Lyrics/Book: John Dempsey
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
What It’s a Satire of: Politics/The Election Process
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Burt Shevelove, Nathan Lane
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
What It’s a Satire of: Greek Comedies
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1930)
What It’s a Satire of: New Yorkers During Prohibition
Music/Lyrics: Tom Lehrer Adaptation: Cameron Mackintosh, Robin Ray
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
What It’s a Satire of: Social/Political Topics
Music/Lyrics: Mark Hollmann Lyrics/Book: Greg Kotis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
What It’s a Satire of: Populism, Capitalism, Social Issues
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael R. Jackson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
What It’s a Satire of: American Soap Operas
Related Posts:
• Musicals About New York City
• Rodgers & Hammerstein Musicals
Which of these satire musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musical satires? 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, genre, 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.