20. The King and I

Though not strictly based on a true story, The King And I was inspired by the memoirs of Anna Leonowens - a British governess who looked after the children of King Mongkut in the early 1860s. 

The show was based on Margaret Landon’s novel, Anna and the King of Siam, and it tells the story of a young schoolteacher who is hired to help modernise the country. While there, she forms a romantic bond with the king that cannot be fulfilled. It’s a beautiful tale of two worlds colliding and the strength of love in all its forms.

19. Catch Me If You Can

You’d be forgiven for thinking Catch Me If You Can wasn’t a musical based on a true story because it really is an unbelievable series of events.Frank Abagnale Jr. was a young fraudster who was the subject of an FBI manhunt that spanned 26 countries around the world. He impersonated a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, plus he cashed over $2.5 million worth of fraudulent cheques. 

The musical is based on the 2022 film of the same name, and Abagnale’s 1980 autobiography. It’s a thrilling tale of a slow cat and a very sly mouse.

18. Tina! The Tina Turner Musical

She was an icon and a pioneer, so a tribute to Tina Turner was always going to be fabulous.

The jukebox musical tells Tina’s story from childhood to her legendary 1988 concert in Rio de Janeiro. It depicts all the highs and lows of her life - from her abusive relationship with Ike to her supportive, respectful union with Roger; plus all the musical pitfalls and successes - accompanied by some of the biggest songs in rock ’n’ roll history.

17. Bonnie & Clyde

History’s most romantic duo, Bonnie and Clyde, were the subject of the eponymous musical that took to Broadway in 2011. It tells the tale of the bank-robbing couple who are tragically killed while they try to make a getaway. The romantic criminal power couple tale was nominated for a bunch of awards and started gaining popularity online. It gained such a big cult following that it was brought to the stage again; this time in the West End. It was an instant success and is now a beloved musical based on a true story.

16. Sinatra The Musical

Let’s start spreadin’ the news by kicking things off with old blue eyes himself. Sinatra The Musical is a biographical jukebox musical about the infamous Frank Sinatra. We see everything from his first performance at New York’s Paramount Theatre, to him having to choose between his loyal wife Nancy and magnetic Hollywood star Ava Gardner. We see how his decisions lead to disaster, only for him to make the biggest comeback known in the industry. 

You can see Sinatra’s path to redemption with the incredibly talented Joel Harper-Jackson as old blue eyes himself, at the Aldwych Theatre. 

15. Jersey Boys

If you’re going to rank the 20 best musicals based on true stories, you’re going to have a lot of jukebox musicals. It can’t be helped. And this one is about Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. From humble beginnings in a garage to entering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Jersey Boys takes us on the rocky journey to success for one of the most celebrated bands of the 1960s.

**14. Funny Girl **

Funny Girl made Barbara Streisand a star. Which is fitting, as the show is a loosely biographical musical about Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice and her rise to fame. 

Fanny had her eyes set on stardom, but after realising her talents weren’t in dancing, she leaned into her comedic ways, becoming a Broadway star as a result. Her fame and fortune are threatened when her husband Nicky starts gambling to pay off his debts, which leads to criminal behaviour.

It’s a timeless show that features incredible songs (including Don’t Rain On My Parade), a hearttouching story, and critiques stereotypical gender roles and expectations. For a show written in 1964, it was ahead of its time.

13. Titanique

It’s a bit of a stretch, but Titanique is still a musical based on a true story - even if the true party is the ship itself.  Based on the record-breaking James Cameron film, Titanic, Titanique is a satirical, outlandish musical about Jack and Rose. It even has a singing iceberg. It’s silly, it’s fun, and it has a banging Celine Dion impersonator. 

Will you learn anything? No. Will you have the best time? Absolutely. Don’t let this ship sail off without seeing it, this splash-hit musical comedy must end 3rd January 2027. All aboard and head to the Criterion Theatre. 

12. Dreamgirls

Though Dreamgirls isn’t strictly based on true events, it uses the experiences of Motown artists such as The Supremes, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and more.

It focuses on the tumultuous relationship between Effie White and Deena Jones, characters that resemble The Supremes members Florence Ballard and Diana Ross, respectively. When powerhouse vocalist Effie is demoted to back-up singer in favour of the beautiful Deena, she makes her feelings known. Her behaviour and outbursts lead her leaving the group and face life on her own.

It’s a powerful tale of corruption, injustice and show biz. Plus, it has one of the best solos in musical theatre history.

**11. Chicago **

Sadly, history has proven that beauty and glamour outweigh justice, and Chicago depicts that fact perfectly. Based on the true crimes of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaetner from the 1920s, Chicago is a dramatic and jazzy depiction of how some beautiful women managed to avoid jail time in favour of the spotlight. Sinister, eye-opening and sexy, it’s one of the most seductive musicals based on a true story there is.

10. Memphis

When it comes to underhyped musicals, Memphis is definitely up there. It’s based on the true story of Dewey Philips - one of the first white DJs to play black music on the radio in the 1950s. Within the show, we see the main character Huey (see what they did there) as he fights against segregation alongside a beautiful and talented black singer named Felicia. It’s an inspirational show packed with incredible music.

9. Tick, Tick… Boom!

Jonathan Larson has one of the most tragic tales in musical theatre history. As a talented young artist who is struggling to get one of his shows to stick, he starts losing hope and is ready to give up, until he picks up an old project and it turns into Rent.

Tick, Tick… Boom! is a tense, frantic, and vivid portrayal of despair and self-sabotage. What makes the show’s hit even harder is that Larson created one of the most beloved musicals of all time… he just didn’t know. On the day Rent was set to open to previews, Larson was found dead in his apartment. Tick, Tick… Boom! was originally a one-man show, but following his death, it was reworked into a three-person musical. It was later made into a film starring Andrew Garfield.

Whilst Tick, Tick… Boom! Is not playing in the West End currently, you can see Larson’s genius in RENT coming to the Tom Stoppard Theatre from 28th September. 

8. Operation Mincemeat

A stolen corpse and a fake name. You heard us. That was the key to Operation Mincemeat, a real plan that helped Britain get the upper hand during WWII. The ingenious and bizarre ruse disguised the 1943 allied invasion of Sicily.

How? You’ll have to watch the hilarious musical to find out. See the bonkers plan that was actually secret genius, at the Fortune Theatre. 

7. Come From Away

9/11 is a day that will be forever remembered. The world stopped when two planes flew into New York City’s Twin Towers, and all other flights were grounded. 38 of those planes landed on the island of Newfoundland - specifically in the quiet town called Gander. Overnight, the town’s population doubled, but the citizens welcomed their guests with open arms. And that’s what Come From Away is about. It’s celebrating humanity and the sense of community in a crisis. And it is a beautiful tale to come out of a historic tragedy.

6. Gypsy

Mother/daughter relationships can be explosive. And that is 100% the case in Gypsy. Based on the memoir of Gypsy Rose Lee - a famous burlesque artist from the 1950s - we see Louise and her sister being forced to perform by her pushy stage mum, Rose. Throughout the show, we see Rose’s relentless need for Louise (eventually Gypsy) to succeed. And yet when she does, jealousy strikes.

Devastating and frustrating, it’s a true tale that seems to be repeated through the ages.

5. Evita

Eva Peron was a political hero. She grew up working class and never forgot her roots - even when she became the First Lady to Argentine president, Juan Peron. Famed for her charitable and suffrage work, she was celebrated by the Argentinian people. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita brings her story to life in a moving and beautiful musical based on her true story. 

4. Pride

Based on real-life events, Pride tells the story of a quiet Welsh mining town that formed an unlikely bond that changed history. In the 1980s, miners were being attacked by Thatcher, and the AIDS crisis was ravaging the gay community. One gay activist noticed that miners were being attacked and pulled together a group of lesbian and gay campaigners to fight for the miners. This act caused the miners to stand up for gay rights in return, resulting in a touching and impactful story.

The stage musical is based on the 2014 film of the same name. Good news for you, the sell-out National Theatre stage show is now transferring to the Bridge Theatre from 12th November.

3. SIX

We all know the story of King Henry VIII, but do we really? SIX is a reimagining of events from the queens’ perspective. Focusing on their treatment and how Henry’s actions shaped their fate, it’s the feminist retelling we all need.

See the girl band that never was, at the Vaudeville Theatre. 

2. The Greatest Showman

The world’s a circus. Well, it was for P. T. Barnum. The Greatest Showman explores the life, success and hardships for the renowned circus owner and showman. Focusing on the real life tensions that were overshadowed by the glitz and glamour of the Big Top, The Greatest Showman is a very human story told in an extraordinary way.

1. Hamilton

What do you mean most of the world only know the names of all America’s Founding Fathers because of a musical? Hamilton shone a light on the lesser-known men and women responsible for the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence. 

Primarily using the personal story of Alexander Hamilton and his role in historic events, Lin Manuel Miranda’s rap-through mega hit taught us about his prolific writing… and other less savoury actions. 

With its general accuracy and attention to detail, Hamilton is the best musical based on a true story ever. See the multi-award-winning musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda at the Victoria Palace Theatre.