13 Great, Funny Musicals To Watch At Home
What do you watch when you’re in the mood to watch people sing and dance, but you’re not in the right mind frame to handle West Side Story? You watch one of these comedy musicals instead.
Not all musicals are tragedies! There are loads of funny musicals to watch on streaming services, so we’ve compiled a list of the ones that made us laugh the hardest. This list includes live shows and movie musicals that you can watch today. Let’s get into it!
By Emily Marek
(New Line Cinema)
The live performance of this 2013 musical features Broadway megastars Sutton Foster and Brian D’Arcy James. If you’re looking for a musical that has the edgy humor of a gross-out comedy while still maintaining the heart at the center of the Shrek movie, look no further.
The musical pays homage to original tale of an ogre coerced into saving a princess while elevating the content for audiences of all ages. People who are majorly grossed out by burps and farts can skip “I Think I Got You Beat” if they want, but it's arguably one of the funniest songs in the show.
(Dreamworks)
If you haven’t already seen Lin-Manuel Miranda’s contemporary musical Hamilton, where have you been hiding for the last seven years?! This filmed version of the live musical, which tells the story of U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton, features the original Broadway cast and all of the quick-witted lyrics fans have come to love. While the story obviously deals with serious topics as well, the show is known for maintaining an upbeat and fun atmosphere throughout.
(Disney+.)
There are many versions of Little Shop of Horrors, Alan Menken’s campy musical about an alien plant with a hunger for world domination, but our favorite is the 1986 film starring Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene. This version also stars Steve Martin as a sociopathic dentist addicted to laughing gas, and Levi Stubbs as a huge talking plant.
The show covers dark topics in a lighthearted and fantastical way, a concept that changed the game when it came to stage shows.
(Warner Bros.)
Kinky Boots is a musical comedy about a drag queen who saves the fate of a shoe factory with her line of high-heeled boots. This musical is the thing that launched Billy Porter to stardom, and it’s packed with witty lines and over-the-top choreography.
(Miramax)
Set in the 1960s during the civil rights movement in Baltimore, Hairspray explores themes of racial injustice, fatphobia, and dancing to the beat of your own drum--but not without cracking a few jokes in between.
Practically every line in Hairspray includes a gag of some kind, so you’ll have to keep up to catch them all. The 2007 movie is a fantastic adaptation of the Broadway musical, and is packed with stars like Zac Efron, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Marsden, and Christopher Walken, all who understand the comedic timing necessary to put on a show like Hairspray.
(New Line Cinema)
If you’ve ever seen Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants cartoon, you’ll have some idea of what to expect from the Spongebob Squarepants musical. The show follows your favorite Spongebob characters on a mission to save Bikini Bottom from a volcano.
The Spongebob Musical was praised for appealing to audiences of all ages and tackling the difficult task of costuming a show where the source material is about a sponge and starfish.
Don’t believe me? The show was nominated for twelve Tonys, tying Mean Girls for the most-nominated show at the 2018 Tony Awards. OG Spongebob fans are likely to get a kick out of this one.
(Spongebob Squarepants Official)
Backed by a cast of beyond-talented actors, The Prom is a 2020 film adaptation of the 2018 Broadway musical of the same name. The movie centers around a lesbian high-school student who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom, only to have the dance cancelled as a result by her school’s PTA.
The show is fun and colorful, and if you can get past James Corden’s performance in the movie you just might get swept away by The Prom's catchy songs.
(Netflix)
Hear me out: Sweeney Todd is one of the funniest musicals of all time. Where else can you listen to a show-stopping number about cooking people into meat pies?
This murderous movie follows exiled barber Sweeney Todd's revenge plot against those who've wronged him and his family. But how to dispose of the evidence?
Sweeney Todd is gory, no doubt, but that makes the humorous parts of the show all the more delicious.
The movie contains pitch-perfect performances by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, accompanied by the support of comedy legend Sacha Baron Cohen and a cast of talented performers.
(DreamWorks Pictures)
Laying the source material for the 2005 Broadway musical, Billy Elliot tells the story of a young boy who wants to learn to dance. While the subversion of gender roles in this movie can be humorous, it also serves as the heartfelt message at the story’s core.
(Movieclips)
Come on, it’s right there in the title. This story of a Vaudeville dancer's rise to Broadway stardom is making a comeback in popularity, thanks to Beanie Feldstein’s run as Fanny Brice in the 2022 revival of the Broadway show. The role was originally played on Broadway by Barbra Streisand, who became synonymous with the role of Fanny Brice thanks to her charming and powerful performance.
(Movieclips Classic Trailers)
Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again both started mini-cultural phenomena after their releases in 2008 and 2018, respectively. The first movie follows young woman Sophie on a mission to uncover the secret of her birth father's identity, while the sequel tackles her mother Donna's origin story.
This pair of jukebox musicals based on the music of ABBA are known for high-energy dance numbers, exciting costumes, and, of course, Meryl Streep. We can also thank Julie Walters and Christine Baranski for their portrayals of Rosie and Tanya, who carried the comedic relief of Mamma Mia! and reprised their roles in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
(Universal Pictures)
If you’re into old-school laughs, My Fair Lady is the way to go. Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of cockney flower seller Eliza Doolittle is the comedic highlight of the film. The trials and tribulations of her ascent into high society make this musical enjoyable and unforgettable.
Keep in mind this one is based on Pygmalion, a 1913 stage show, so there’s a good amount of misogyny rooted in the plot. If you can get past it, Hepburn’s captivating performance is definitely worth a watch.
(Warner Bros.)
Disney’s comedy musical Enchanted tells the tale of a storybook animated princess who is unceremoniously transported into modern-day New York City. Amy Adams’ portrayal of the kind-hearted but very confused Giselle is the centerpiece of this 2007 film, with outstanding comedic support from James Marsden, Susan Sarandon, and Timothy Spall. Unsurprisingly, it’s pretty funny to see 2D characters come to life to face the daily struggles of city living.
(Disney)Don’t Laugh Challenge: Broadway edition