35 Broadway Musicals Based on True Stories | Playbill

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Photo Features 35 Broadway Musicals Based on True Stories From Six to Gypsy, all of these shows were inspired by real-life stories, events, and/or people.

By Playbill Staff

While theatre can transport an audience to imaginative worlds, sometimes the most riveting stories can come from reality. Playbill started thinking about the musicals based on true stories—some were adapted from books and films and others were original ideas, but these 35 musicals depict real-life stories, people, and/or events.

35 Musicals Based on True Stories

Musicals_Based_on_True_Stories_HR — 35 Musicals Based on True Stories

35 PHOTOS

Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes in <i>Bonnie & Clyde</i> HR — Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes in Bonnie & Clyde

Nathan Johnson

Evita_Broadway_Production_Photo_1979_Patti LuPone_HR — Patti LuPone in Evita

Martha Swope/©NYPL for the Performing Arts

HR - Phillipa Soo and Lin-Manuel Miranda in Hamilton 1 — Phillipa Soo and Lin-Manuel Miranda in Hamilton

Joan Marcus

Come_From_Away_Canada_Production_Photo_2018_0279_Cast_HR — Cast of Come From Away

Matthew Murphy

HR - Annie Get Your Gun (1966) - Bruce Yarnell, Ethel Merman — Bruce Yarnell and Ethel Merman in the 1966 Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun.

Friedman-Abeles / The New York Public Library

The Will Rogers Follies HR — Cast of The Will Rogers Follies

George_M!_1968_Bernadette_Peters_Joel_Grey_Cast_HR — Bernadette Peters, Joel Grey, and cast in George M!

Friedman-Abeles

Barnum_Martha Swope_Broadway_Production_Photo_Terrence Mann_Terri White_HR — Terrence Mann and Terri White in Barnum

A Scene from <i>The Civil War</i> — A scene from The Civil War

The cast of Fiorello! — The cast of Fiorello!

Emma Rothenberg-Ware

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical_Broadway_Production Photos_2019_Adrienne Warren and cast_HR — Adrienne Warren and cast of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Manuel Harlan

Aaron Tveit and ladies in <i>Catch Me If You Can</i> on Broadway, 2011 HR — Aaron Tveit and ladies in Catch Me If You Can on Broadway, 2011

HR - Howard Da Silva, William Daniels and Ken Howard in 1776 — Howard Da Silva, William Daniels, and Ken Howard in 1776

Titanic HR — The original Broadway cast of Titanic

Joan Marcus

HR - Harve Presnell and Tammy Grimes in The Unsinkable Molly Brown — Harve Presnell and Tammy Grimes in The Unsinkable Molly Brown

HR - Mary Martin in The Sound of Music (Broadway 1959) — Mary Martin and the cast of The Sound of Music

Friedman-Abeles / The New York Public Library

HR - The King and I (1951): Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner — Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner in The King and I

Photo courtesy of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization

Next Slide

Gypsy_Broadway_Production_Photo_Ethel Merman_Jacqueline Mayro_Karen Moore_HR — Ethel Merman, Jacqueline Mayro, and Karen Moore in Gypsy

Friedman-Abeles/©NYPL for the Performing Arts

Ain't Too Proud_Broadway_Production Photos_2019_Ephraim_HR — Ephraim Sykes and cast of Ain't Too Proud

Matthew Murphy

Robert-Preston & Bernadette-Peters Mack and Mabel HR — Robert Preston and Bernadette Peters in Mack & Mabel

Stephanie J. Block, Hugh Jackman and Isabel Keating in The Boy From Oz, Broadway HR — Stephanie J. Block, Hugh Jackman and Isabel Keating in The Boy From Oz, Broadway

Joan Marcus

HR- Jessie Mueller and Jake Epstein in Beautiful.jpg — Jessie Mueller and Jake Epstein in Beautiful

HR - J. Robert Spencer, John Lloyd Young, Daniel Reichard and Christian Hoff in Jersey Boys — J. Robert Spencer, John Lloyd Young, Daniel Reichard and Christian Hoff in Jersey Boys

Joan Marcus

HR - Ana Villafañe and the cast of On Your Feet! — Ana Villafañe and the cast of On Your Feet!

The cast of <i>Million Dollar Quartet</i> — The cast of Million Dollar Quartet

Funny Girl - Johnny Desmond and Barbra Streisand — Johnny Desmond and Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl

Friedman-Abeles / The New York Public Library

Six_Chicago_Shakespeare_Theater_Production_Photos_2019_Cast_HR — Cast of Six

Liz Lauren

Brent Carver and Carolee Carmello in <i>Parade</i> — Brent Carver and Carolee Carmello in Parade

The_Cher_Show_Broadway_Production_Photos_2018_Stephanie_J_Block_cast_HR — Stephanie J. Block and cast

Joan Marcus

HR - Pacific Overtures (Original Broadway Cast) — A scene from the original Broadway production of Pacific Overtures.

Martha Swope / The New York Public Library

Rob McClure as <i>Chaplin</i> — Rob McClure in Chaplin

Photo by Joan Marcus

Side_Show_Broadway_Production_Photo_Emily Skinner_Alice Ripley_HR — Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley

Joan Marcus

Joshua Henry in <i>The Scottsboro Boys</i> hr — Joshua Henry and company in The Scottsboro Boys

Paul Kolnik

Michael Cerveris in LoveMusik hr — Michael Cerveris in LoveMusik

War_Paint_Broadway_Production_Photo_2017_Christine Ebersole_Patti LuPone_HR — Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone in War Paint

Joan Marcus

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