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53 Best Musicals For High School in 2023

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High school is supposed to be adventurous and students want to perform and be part of some of the best and most challenging musicals for high school students.

We have also included some pieces of essential information that will help anyone plan and carry out successful high school musicals. We have also included links to the licensing platform for each of the musicals.

High school musicals are essential. This is a place where anyone can belong, and it is a life-saving straw for children who feel that they are not suitable for any other place in high school.

 Whether you are working in a school with a large art budget or you are building a high school drama program from scratch, these musicals are a very good place to start planning for the next drama or theatre season.

Furthermore, if you are still confused about how to choose a musical to perform with your high schoolers, we have discussed some tips that will help you make the best choice.

Musicals For High School

Picking the Best High School Musical: What You Need to Consider

Choosing musicals for high school is a responsibility that no one should trivialize, not only do you have to find a show that suits your students, but you also need to consider parents, the leadership of the school, school boards, and the entire community. This can be challenging, but it pays to see shy kids turn into confident, capable actors and singers.

For drama or theatre kids, musicals help make the overall experiences of these students more fun and adventurous. Recall, when you first felt that your fellow actors became family members. When was the first time you stepped onto the stage and found your voice?

For the first time you hear the audience applauding your performance or laughing at your disposition and think, “Oh, I’m home”? Believe me, this is an amazing feeling that one cannot trivialise.

If you are looking for the best plays you can perform in your school, then check out these 35 Plays for High School.

Musicals Set in High School

There is an intriguing thing about planning and doing a musical set with high school actors. The students are deeply involved, and their deep understanding of the characters’ problems and strong emotions is unique. From a practical standpoint, you may have placed sets around the school.

We’ve also mentioned two classics in this article, Grease and High School Musical, however, there’s more! Make sure to ask to read the script before choosing; shows like Spring Awakening and Bare deal with some pretty serious topics.

Contemporary Musicals

Contemporary Musicals for High School

If you have a group of theatre kids who are up to date with the latest Broadway shows and performances, the classics of the golden age will only make you go further. At some point, it’s time to research the best contemporary musicals for high school students.

This is actually more difficult than it sounds because many modern musicals deal with dark adult themes. In recent years, these shows have been played on Broadway Shows or the West End-which means they are one of the very cool musicals you can find and they can all be licensed.

Some of them include but are not limited to the ones listed below:

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Little-known musicals

Little-known high school musicals

When you are in search of obscure or little-known musicals for high school drama shows, these shows are a good starting point. Weird and quirky, each one brings about depth and dimension to the theatre show.

A good number of shows, including shows like The Weird Romance and The Lucky Stiff, are small musicals with actors that provide interesting challenges for your most dedicated and enthusiastic students between large-scale productions.

Some of them include but are not limited to the ones listed below:

Also Read: List of the Amazing Audition Songs for Altos

Low-Budget Musicals

Low-Budget Musicals for High School

Many schools provide little (or non-existent) budgets for drama and theatre departments. If this sounds familiar, a low-cost high school musical is a good solution. By saving on licensing, costume and/or set costs, you can provide your students with an unforgettable musical experience without having to deal with endless fundraising activities!

Some of them include but are not limited to the ones listed below:

Also Read: List of Community Theatres in Minneapolis

Simple musicals

Simple musicals for high school

 If you have been a director of a musical, you will know how much work is needed to get things moving. To simplify the process, look for simple programs. These musicals are similar by one factor, if not for any other thing, at least one factor is that they make life easier for you.

Some of them like Cinderella can be learnt by students easily. Other simple musicals like working, can be directed easily. There are also high school musicals with a small number of actors, so you don’t need to worry about acting and directing a huge, willful ensemble.

Some of them include but are not limited to the ones listed below:

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Large Cast Musicals

Large Cast Musicals for High School

Do you have a lot of people attending auditions in your school? A large number of cast musicals for high school are one of the great ways to make sure that anyone who wants to participate can participate.

If you have some star performers and a large number of beginners, find ensemble-heavy high school performances. Large-cast ensemble musicals especially those with various characters, such as Bye Bye Birdie can help you cultivate the talents of all actors and singers.

Some of them include but are not limited to the ones listed below:

Also Read: How to survive in middle school

If you are looking for musicals that will give your theatre program a surefire hit, these are the programs to choose from.

These shows are very popular in that they can attract a huge audience, so you can fill the house with friends, family, and community members who are excited. If you want to raise interest in the drama club of your school, then choosing from the list below is a good place to start.

1. Beauty and the Beast

“Beauty and the Beast” was produced in 1991 by Walt Disney Animation. It is an American animated musical romantic fantasy film produced and published by Walt Disney Pictures, produced by Don Hahn and directed by Kirk Wise and Gary Rosedale.

This may be an old story, but it hasn’t grown old in the American Highlands. This Disney’s favourite stage version made its debut on Broadway only a few years after the 1991 movie stole the hearts of moviegoers everywhere. This is one of the musicals for high school that features beloved songs by Menken and Ashman, plus a soundtrack by Menken and Tim Rice, and a book by Linda Woolverton.

Beauty and the Beast

2. Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia! is a 2008 jukebox musical romantic comedy film that was marketed as Mamma Mia! The Movie, The movie contains music that is directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson based on her 1999 book of the drama show of the same name.

In turn, the film is based on the songs of the popular band ABBA, with other additional music which was composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson. The cast of this movie includes Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, Christine Baransky, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Julie Walters and Strand Skarska De,

Mamma Mia!

3. The Addams Family

The Adams family is a household that is based on fiction. It was founded by an American cartoonist in 1938 by the name Charles Adams. Originally, The Adams family included Gomez and Morticia Adams, with their kids Pugsley and Wednesday, plus family members such as Uncle Fest and grandmother, and their housekeepers Lurch and Aristotle who were Pugsley Pet octopus.

According to Charles Adam’s iconic cartoon, in this musical by Andrew Lipa, Marshall Brickman and Rick Ellis, the terrifying title family comes to life on a normal night. This creepy story premiered on Broadway in 2010 and has since been staged rapidly in high school.

The Addams Family

Also Read: List of the Best Songs About Change and Transformation

4. Into the Woods

Into the Woods is an American musical fantasy film directed by Rob Marshall in 2014. This is one of the best musicals for high school. James Lapine adopted it to the screen in 1986 Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical of the same name.

Walt Disney Pictures produce the film, and the cast includes James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Chris Pine, Tracy Earl Herman, Daniel Huttstone, MacKenzie Moz, Christine Baransky, Lila Crawford, Johnny Depp and Billy Magnussen.

In this beloved Stephen Sondheim and James Lappin musical, the fairy tale continues, which incorporates the stories of the Charles Parrot and Brothers Grimm. Since its premiere on Broadway in 1987, “Into the Woods” has become the main show in high schools everywhere, and it has become one of the most accessible shows in Sondheim.

Into the Woods

5. The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is an American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1939. Often regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time, it is one the best musicals for high school. The movie is the most successful commercial adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s children’s fantasy novel The Wizard of Oz in 1900. The film is mainly directed by Victor Fleming.

Judy Garland plays the role of Dorothy Gale, and Ray Bolger and Jack Ha Leigh, Burt Lahr and Margaret Hamilton starred together.

Generally considered one of the greatest movies of all time, “The Wizard of Oz” debuted on stage nearly half a century after the movie was released in 1939. The stage version includes Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg’s beloved music and lyrics, including a book adapted by John Kane. The precious story of Dorothy’s journey along the Yellow Brick Road is popular in community theatres, schools and children’s theatres in the United States and Britain. 

The Wizard of Oz

6. The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is one of the best and most popular musicals for high school. It is a musical, composed by Richard Rogers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book co-authored by Howard Lindsay and Russell Klaus. It is based on Maria von Trapp’s 1949 memoir “The Story of Trapp Family Singers”. This musical takes place on the eve of the Austrian merger in 1938.

It tells the story of Maria, who worked as a tutor in a large family while deciding whether to become a nun. She fell in love with the children and eventually fell in love with their widowed father, Captain von Trapp. He was ordered to accept the appointment of the German Navy, but he is at odds with the Nazis.

The Sound of Music

7. Shrek

In this stage play adapted from the beloved movie in 2001, the creatures in the fairy tale rise up. “Shrek” was premiered on Broadway in the year 2008, a book by David Lindsay-Abaire, Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori (Jeanine Tesori) ) Soundtrack. Just like Seussical, it is still popular throughout the country due to its familiar themes and a large number of magical creatures.

Shrek

8. Seussical

The stories of Dr Seuss (20 of them to be precise) are intertwined in this musical, mainly about the elephant Horton and his quest to protect a very special kind of clover. This is one of the best musicals for high school written by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, it debuted on Broadway in 2000 and is popular in schools for having characters in different colours.

Seussical

9. Little Shop of Horrors

Since its premiere outside Broadway in 1982, this strange little science fiction musical has been sought after. As one of the first shows created by Alan Mencken and Howard Ashman, ” Little Shop of Horrors ” is popular among schools, community theatres, and other amateur groups due to its small cast and relatively simple arrangement.

Little Shop of Horrors

Also Read: 20 Best Songs About Schools

10. The Little Mermaid

Ariel has a big dream, which is to be part of another world in this Little Mermaid which happens to be one of the best musicals for high school. Based on the 1989 classic movie, with soundtracks by Alan Mencken and Howard Ashman, these musical features double the songs; a song that was written by Mencken and Glen Slater and a book by Doug Wright.

The Little Mermaid

In Conclusion: What Musicals can be Performed in High School?

By law, any musical that can be licensed can be performed by high schools. Of course, however, as a teacher in charge of drama, you know that the job is not for the weak. The process involves many different stakeholders – principals, teachers, students and school board members.

When choosing school music, the following factors should be taken into account:

Budget

Making a musical can be very expensive, even in high school. Consider the costs of licenses, stage rental (if needed), costumes, sets, props and marketing before finalizing your show choices.

Recommendations from the school’s management and boards

Ask what is acceptable; for example, some schools require you to replace all swearing with softer language, and also you should know that a lot of them will make sure you avoid any form of “adult” content.

Casting

Your high school has a role to play in determining the musical you make us of. If you are just starting a musical theatre program, consider choosing a musical that will be very easy and will allow students to look and feel comfortable.

Parents’ Opinion

It is important to get feedback from parents before getting a show licensed. You need to submit your final music selection to the PTA or music/theatre organization for approval. Make the script available to parents if possible.

Community type

If you reside in a conservative neighbourhood, the local parents will probably make a fuss over the slightest mention of cursing words. That doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t choose musicals that create excitement—just make sure you (and your students) are ready and willing to deal with the potential disputes!

Recommendations:

References:

  • https://theaterlove.com/musicals-for-high-school/
  • https://www.musicindustryhowto.com/musicals-for-high-school/
  • https://indiepanda.net/best-musicals-for-high-school/

About Bassey James

Bassey Chimezirim James is an ardent writer who has written for top education and tech websites, which includes the likes of World Scholarship Forum, After School Africa, Gadget Wrights, etc. James is a public speaker; a graduate of Physics and the Team for the http://stayinformedgroup.com/ Project.

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