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. And that’s why we’ve put together this list of the most notable bio musicals (biography musicals) for you below, sorted alphabetically.
I’ve divided the following list into the following subgenres: “Autobiographical Musicals”, “Semi-Autobiographical Musicals”, “Biographical Musicals”, “Semi-Biographical Musicals”, and “Jukebox Biographies”.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a purchase through one of the following links, we may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.
Autobiographical Musicals
Everyday Rapture
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Dick Scanlan, Sherie Rene Scott
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Musical Info ➝
Semi-Autobiographical Musicals
A Class Act
Music/Lyrics: Edward Kleban Book: Linda Kline, Lonny Price
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Musical Info ➝
A New Brain
Music/Lyrics: William Finn Book: James Lapine, William Finn
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Musical Info ➝
Merrily We Roll Along
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: George Furth
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Musical Info ➝
The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kirsten Childs
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Musical Info ➝
Tick, Tick… BOOM!
Music/Lyrics/Book: Jonathan Larson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Contemporary (1990/2001)
Musical Info ➝
Biographical Musicals
Barnum
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Michael Stewart Book: Mark Bramble
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1980)
Musical Info ➝
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Music/Lyrics: Michael Friedman Book: Alex Timbers
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Musical Info ➝
Cagney
Music/Lyrics: Robert Creighton, Christopher McGovern Book: Peter Colley
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Musical Info ➝
Chaplin
Music/Lyrics: Christopher Curtis Book: Thomas Meehan, Curtis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Musical Info ➝
Clinton
Music/Lyrics: Paul Hodge Book: Michael Hodge, Paul Hodge
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Musical Info ➝
Coco
Music: André Previn Lyrics/Book: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1969)
Musical Info ➝
Diana: The Musical
Music/Lyrics/Book: David Bryan, Joe DiPietro
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Musical Info ➝
Evita
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Musical Info ➝
Fiorello
Music: Jerry Buck Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Jerome Weidman, George Abbott
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Musical Info ➝
George M!
Music/Lyrics: George M. Cohan Lyrics: Mary Cohan Book: Michael Stewart, John Pascal, Francine Pascal
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Musical Info ➝
Gypsy
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Musical Info ➝
Hamilton
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Musical Info ➝
In the Green
Music/Lyrics/Book: Grace McLean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Musical Info ➝
Jelly’s Last Jam
Music: Jelly Roll Morton, Luther Henderson Lyrics: Susan Birkenhead Book: George C. Wolfe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Musical Info ➝
Legs Diamond
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Harvey Fierstein, Charles Suppon
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Musical Info ➝
Miss Littlewood
Music/Lyrics/Book: Sam Kenyon
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Musical Info ➝
Queen of the Mist
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Musical Info ➝
Side Show
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics/Book: Bill Russell
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Musical Info ➝
Six
Music/Lyrics/Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Musical Info ➝
The Sound of Music
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Musical Info ➝
War Paint
Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Musical Info ➝
Semi-Biographical Musicals
Funny Girl
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Isobel Lennart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1964)
Musical Info ➝
Martin Guerre
Music: Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics: Boublil, Hardy, Clark Book: Schönberg, Boublil
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Musical Info ➝
Jukebox Biographies
Ain’t Too Proud
Music: The Temptations Lyrics: The Temptations Book: Dominique Morisseau
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2017)
Musical Info ➝
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Music: Various Lyrics: Various Book: Douglas McGrath
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2013)
Musical Info ➝
Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
Music/Lyrics: Buddy Holly, Various
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1989)
Musical Info ➝
Fela!
Music/Lyrics: Fela Kuti Book: Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2008)
Musical Info ➝
Jersey Boys
Music: Bob Gaudio Lyrics: Bob Crewe Book: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2004)
Musical Info ➝
Jolson
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Francis Essex, Rob Bettinson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Musical Info ➝
MJ The Musical
Music/Lyrics: Michael Jackson Book: Lynn Nottage
Musical Type: Contemporary Jukebox (2022)
Musical Info ➝
On Your Feet!
Music/Lyrics: Gloria & Emilio Estefan, Miami Sound Machine Book: Alexander Dinelaris Jr.
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2015)
Musical Info ➝
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, Des McAnuff
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2017)
Musical Info ➝
The Boy From Oz
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Nick Enright, Martin Sherman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1998)
Musical Info ➝
The Cher Show
Music: Various Lyrics: Various Book: Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2018)
Musical Info ➝
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, Kees Prins
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2018)
Musical Info ➝
Related Posts:
• Classic Musicals
• Jukebox Musicals
• Musicals Based on True Stories
• Popular Musicals
Which of these bio musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above bio 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 Theater Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theater, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.