Musical Theatre Song Cycles – A Full List of Shows
Whether you’re putting on a show or simply looking for some new musicals to get into, it’s good to get familiar with what’s out there. And that’s why we’ve put together this list for you! The most notable musical theatre song cycles are included below.
A musical song cycle is a group of songs that are designed to be performed together without the incorporation of a traditional plot. The songs are usually connected by some sort of theme. This differs a bit from musical revues – which generally showcase a group of songs that are connected by a specific time period or composer.
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Musical Song Cycles
Music/Lyrics/Book: Ryan Scott Oliver
Musical Type: Contemporary/Song Cycle (2012)
Connecting Theme: The human experience
Music: Georgia Stitt Book/Lyrics: Marcy Heisler
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Connecting Theme: Poem-inspired songs
Music/Lyrics/Book: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Connecting Theme: Young adults/coming-of-age
Music/Lyrics: William Finn
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Connecting Theme: Remembrance of departed friends
Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens
Music: Janet Hood Lyrics/Book: Bill Russell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Connecting Theme: Lives lost to AIDS
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Connecting Theme: A journey across America
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Connecting Theme: Love, death and whiskey
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Contemporary/Song Cycle (2020)
Connecting Theme: Unpredictable times and NYC
Music/Lyrics: Adam Guettel
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Connecting Theme: Faith, spirituality, and enlightenment
See Rock City and Other Destinations
Music: Brad Alexander Lyrics/Book: Adam Mathias
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Connecting Theme: Connections made at USA tourist destinations
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Connecting Theme: Self-discovery
Music/Lyrics: Neil Bartram Book: Brian Hill
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Connecting Theme: The interconnectedness of humans
Music/Lyrics: Drew Gasparini
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Connecting Theme: The realities of growing up
Song Cycle Mixes
The following shows are more of a mix between song cycles and other genres (musicals, revues, etc.). Some may consider the following to be “song cycles” while may not.
Music: David Shire Lyrics: Richard Maltby Jr.
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1989)
Connecting Theme: Modern-day love struggles
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
Music: Jimmy Roberts Lyrics/Book: Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Connecting Theme: Dating and relationships
Music/Lyrics: Joey Contreras
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Connecting Theme: Romantic journeys
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Don Black
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1979)
Connecting Theme: Being new in NYC
Music/Lyrics/Book: Joe Iconis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Connecting Theme: Humans in need of commotion
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Which of these song cycles is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musical song cycles? 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.