Looking to stage a musical that feels like a front porch jam session or a story passed down through generations? Folksy musicals offer a refreshing blend of heart, humor, and homespun charm that audiences love. Whether you’re drawn to bluegrass rhythms, rustic settings, or stories steeped in Americana, these shows bring authenticity and soul to the stage.
Water for Elephants Book by Rick Elice, Music & Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co., Based on the novel by Sara Gruen
Based on the bestselling novel by Sara Gruen, this dazzling, heart-filled musical is about Jacob, a young man desperate to escape his past, who jumps aboard a moving train uncertain of the road ahead. Finding himself on the ride of a lifetime, Jacob joins the colorful company of a traveling circus and is hired by the imperious ringmaster, August, as caretaker to the animals. Jacob soon develops an unspoken attraction to the star performer and August’s wife, Marlena. A last-ditch effort to save their struggling show brings an elephant into the troupe, drawing Marlena and Jacob dangerously close, forever changing the circus’s fate.
Hundred Days Book by The Bengsons & Sarah Gancher, Music & Lyrics by The Bengsons
Hundred Days is an uncensored, exhilarating and heartrending true story about embracing uncertainty, taking a leap, and loving as if you only had 100 days to live. With magnetic chemistry and anthemic folk-punk music, creators Abigail and Shaun Bengson explore a fundamental question: how do we make the most of the time that we have?
The Old Man and the Old Moon Book, Music, & Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.
The Old Man has kept his post as the sole caretaker of the moon for as long as he (or his wife, the Old Woman) can remember. When she is drawn away by a mysterious melody that sparks memories of their shared past, the Old Man must decide between duty (and routine) and love (and adventure). Luckily for audiences everywhere, he chooses the latter, and what follows is an imaginative sea-faring epic, encompassing apocalyptic storms, civil wars, leviathans of the deep, and cantankerous ghosts, as well as the fiercest obstacle of all: change.
Check out PigPen’s other musicals The Mountain Song and The Nightmare Story!
County Fair By Matthew Webster & Taylor Ferrera, Musical Arrangements & Orchestrations by David Austin, David Abbinanti & Nick Wilders
After the death of their father, two sisters, Claudia and DJ Stratford, return home to deal with their inheritance: a massive and beloved county fair in rural Georgia. Thinking that this could be the cash windfall that they desperately seek, the sisters plan to sell off the fair land to the highest bidder, then high tail it back to civilization. But when Claudia starts to fall in love with the fair, the townsfolk, and an over-apologetic board member, her heart leads her away from her sister and down a path she’s unprepared for. Needing the money to pay off a large, secret gambling debt, DJ must do whatever it takes to sell the fair – even if that means sabotaging her sister’s new romantic relationship. Betrayals, imposters, and mistaken identity lead to sister battling sister in a winner-take-all Messina County Dixie Derby competition to save the fair. Loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and full of all your favorite country hits like “Chicken Fried,” “Hey Good Lookin’,” “The House That Built Me,” “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” and so many others, County Fair is a new musical comedy about sisters, community, and being proud of where you come from.
Ghost Brothers of Darkland County Book by Stephen King, Music & Lyrics by John Mellencamp
A blues-inflected country score by legend John Mellencamp and a claustrophobic, refractured parable from the master of thriller Stephen King combine to create the spooky, cautionary tale of Ghost Brothers of Darkland County. In an eerie cabin in the woods, a young couple come across its caretaker, the Troubador, who reveals to them an almost Biblically violent story that took place in that very house, about a set of brothers who are in love with the same woman and the ensuing rivalry that sparks between them. The young couple hearing this tale realize that this cabin’s past is certainly like their present. When the young man’s brother shows up to stake a claim for the woman he loves, will they repeat the sins of the past—especially if it means staying alive?
Beautiful Star: An Appalachian Nativity Music & Lyrics by Laurelyn Dossett, Book by Preston Lane
Join Reverend Ledbetter and the Open Heart Community Fellowship for a down-home nativity celebration in this joyous Appalachian musical revue. Beginning with the story of Adam and Eve, leading up to the birth of Jesus, Beautiful Star is a retelling of the Christmas story that will have you tapping your toes and singing its praises.
Cowgirls Conceived by Mary Murfitt, Book by Betsy Howie, Music & Lyrics by Murfitt, Original story development by Kevin Murphy
Jo has 24 hours to save her father’s struggling country-western saloon, Hiram Hall. Desperate for a crowd-pleaser, she mistakenly books a classical trio instead of a country act. With no other options, Jo, her quirky staff, and the refined musicians must find harmony—literally and figuratively—to pull off a show that just might save the bar and change all their lives.
The Devil and Tom Walker Music & Lyrics by Rob Kendt, Book by Anthony P. Pennino, Conceived by Yvonne Conybeare from the short story by Washington Irving
The Devil himself narrates this uniquely American Faust story, told with a rousing and beautiful folk-inspired score. Old Scratch is challenged when the miserly and slothful Tom Walker refuses to trade his soul for treasure. But after doing Tom the favor of getting rid of his pesky wife, the Devil is able to strike a deal, making Tom a wealthy lender to the foolish and seedy of the aristocracy. When one of his clients commits suicide, Tom realizes his own mortality and seeks absolution to avoid his fate, resulting in a darkly comical cautionary tale of the price of avarice.
The Doyle and Debbie Show By Bruce Arntson
Doyle Mayfield is an old-guard country star in the Porter Wagoner/George Jones mold, who had a handful of regional hits with his duet partner Debbie, back in the ’70s and ’80s. Thirty years, four wives, and three Debbies later, he finds himself back in Nashville at a Lower Broadway honky-tonk for one final attempt to regain his former “glory.” Doyle has just discovered his new (third) Debbie singing at the VFW Hall in his hometown of Mooney’s Gap in East Tennessee, and immediately saw her as his ticket back to the big-time. Debbie, a single mother of three, sees Doyle as her last chance to make it to Nashville and make a record, but she is gradually realizing what a terrible mistake she’s made in hitching her star to this loose cannon.
Honky Tonk Angels by Ted Swindley
When three gutsy gals from different backgrounds take charge of their lives, they decide to follow their honky tonk dreams all the way to the city of Nashville. Combining 30 classic country tunes (including “Stand By Your Man,” “9 to 5,” “Harper Valley PTA” and more!) Honky Tonk Angels is a hilarious, foot-stomping good time.
Route 66 Written & Created by Roger Bean, Musical Arrangements by Brian Baker
Beginning with the sounds of 1950s Chicago and traveling along the ‘Main Street of America’ to the California coast with the surf music of the 1960s, this exciting musical revue features 34 of the greatest ‘Rock ‘n’ Road’ hits of the 20th century. Songs include “Dead Man’s Curve,” “King of the Road,” “Little Old Lady from Pasadena,” “Beep Beep,” “Six Days on the Road,” “Little GTO,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” and many more. Get your kicks with this smash coast-to-coast hit musical revue!
