18 Musicals That Began as Plays | Playbill

Photo Features 18 Musicals That Began as Plays

By Playbill Staff

May 15, 2021

Get to know the plays behind shows like Hello, Dolly!, 110 in the Shade, Kiss Me Kate, Oklahoma!, and more.

Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly! — Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly! Martha Swope / The New York Public Library

With a treasure chest of riveting stories, the theatre can draw inspiration from within itself. From My Fair Lady to Wonderful Town, there have been plenty of musical adaptations of popular plays over the years. How many can you name?

18 Musicals That Began as Plays

18 Musicals That Began as Plays

36 PHOTOS

Carousel_Broadway_Production_Photo_1993_Audra Ann-McDonald, Michael-Hayden & Sally-Murphy_HR.jpg — Musical: Audra McDonald, Michael-Hayden, and Sally Murphy in Carousel by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers Joan Marcus

Burgess Meredith. Joan Tetzel & Ingrid Bergman in Liliom - New York 44th Street Theatre (1940).jpg — Play: Burgess Meredith, Joan Tetzel, and Ingrid Bergman in Liliom by Ferenc Molnar

Audra McDonald and Christopher Innvar in <i>110 in the Shade</i>, 2007 — Musical: Audra McDonald and Christopher Innvar in 110 in the Shade by Harvey Schmidt, Tom Jones, and N. Richard Nash Joan Marcus

Darren McGavin and Geraldine Page in <i>The Rainmaker</i> — Play: Darren McGavin and Geraldine Page in The Rainmaker by N. Richard Nash Friedman-Abeles/©NYPL for the Performing Arts

Tom Hewitt and cast in <i>The Boys from Syracuse</i>, 2002 — Musical: Tom Hewitt and cast in The Boys from Syracuse by Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, George Abbott, and Nicky Silver Joan Marcus

The cast of <i>The Comedy of Errors</i> — Play: The cast of The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare Jim Cox

Susan Johnson and Shorty Long in <i>The Most Happy Fella</i> — Musical: Susan Johnson and Shorty Lon in The Most Happy Fella by Frank Loesser Arthur Cantor

Glenn Anders, Pauline Lord, and Richard Bennett in <i>They Knew What They Wanted</i> — Play: Glenn Anders, Pauline Lord, and Richard Bennett in They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard Francis Joseph Bruguière/©NYPL for the Performing Arts

Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell in <i>Kiss Me, Kate</i>, 1999 — Musical: Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell in Kiss Me Kate by Cole Porter, Sam Spewack, and Bella Spewack Joan Marcus

Taming of the Shrew 1960 .jpg — Play: Cast of Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Friedman-Abeles/©NYPL for the Performing Arts

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