Musicals are great ways to introduce high school students to the art of live theater, but choosing the right one can be a challenge. The good news is that there are plenty of excellent choices out there, and with our list of top 60 musicals for high school students, you’re guaranteed to find some you love!
There are thousands of musicals, but not all of them are suitable for high school students. Our list includes 60 musicals that are suitable for high school students based on several factors, including language and content, cultural sensitivities, and many more.
Even if none of the musicals appeal to you, you can choose your high school musical by taking into account the following factors.
Table of Contents
Factors to Consider When Choosing A Musical for High School
There are many factors to consider when selecting a high school musical, and failing to consider even one of them could have serious consequences for cast and crew morale or result in underwhelming audience reactions.
Here are factors to consider when selecting a musical for high school students that will keep your cast and crew excited about performing and help ensure you have the best possible performance.
- Audition Requirements
- Cast
- Ability Level
- Cost
- Audience
- Performance Venue
- Permission from School administrations and Parents
- Licensing.
1. Audition Requirements
When choosing a high school musical, audition requirements must be considered. Auditions are the most important aspect of the production and should be open to all interested students.
A director must ensure that there are roles for male, female, and gender-neutral actors, as well as an even distribution of singing and non-singing parts and a variety of voice types.
Audition requirements vary by school, but it’s common for high school students to have at least one year of voice training or music lessons before auditioning. For any musical where singing is required, singers should also know how to read music with a basic understanding of rhythm.
Students who have an interest in performing a musical can prepare for an audition in lots of ways–among other things, take voice lessons from pros, look at videos on YouTube of stars like Sutton Foster and Laura Benanti, or check out videos from Tony Awards on Vimeo!
2. Cast
You should consider the available acting talent in your school before committing to anything because casting is the most crucial part of any musical. For example, If you are casting students who are beginners, look for a musical that has simple choreography and doesn’t require complicated singing or acting skills.
The idea is to select a musical with a cast size that fits your theatre group. Musicals with large cast sizes, for example, can only be achieved if your theatre group has a lot of talented performers.
3. Ability Level
Before choosing a musical, consider the ability level of the cast, whether it is appropriate for the age group, whether you have enough money for costumes and props, and if you have enough time to prepare for rehearsals and performances, etc.
A musical with more mature lyrics, for example, might not be appropriate for your high school students. You have to consider the music’s difficulty level when selecting a musical as well as the maturity level of your actors.
If you are looking for an easy musical for beginners, consider Annie Get Your Gun and The Sound of Music. If you are looking for something more challenging, consider West Side Story or Carousel.
The idea is that there is a match for every level of ability and interest so it is important to consider this factor.
4. Cost
Cost is a very important factor to consider when selecting a musical for high school. This is because musicals are a big investment, both in time and money.
Many factors affect the cost of a musical such as the length of the show, the cast size, whether you will need to rent costumes if you need to hire musicians for your orchestra and more.
The production costs of a musical shouldn’t be greater than 10% over budget. You should also take into account where you might find the cheapest rates on things like costume rentals, set pieces, etc., as well as potential discounts from those companies who offer them.
In conclusion, it’s important to think about which musicals fit within your budget while considering all other factors that go into deciding which show will be best suited for your group!
5. Audience
When selecting a musical for high school, the audience should be taken into consideration. The style of music, language, and themes all need to be carefully selected to ensure that the audience is pleased.
You should also consider the age of your audience (students, parents, teachers, etc.), their maturity level, and the length of time you have to produce the show.
Younger audiences will need a shorter show with less mature content, while older audiences can handle more challenging material. If you’re considering a production that includes swearing or violence, for example, then it’s not appropriate for your high school students.
6. Performance Venue
Selecting a venue for a performance can be tricky, especially when you’re considering high school musicals. The venue may affect the type of costumes, set design, and staging, as well as ticket prices.
Before you conclude on a particular venue, consider the factors below and answer the following questions.
- Location (Is it too expensive? Is it too far from where students live?)
- Stage size and shape (Do you need risers or can everyone see?)
- Sound system (Do you have good acoustics or does it echo? Are there microphones/speakers available?)
- Lighting (How much does it cost to rent? Do you have sufficient space for light cues?)
- Floor covering requirements (What if there is no stage floor covering? Can you make do with tarps or other options?)
- Costumes (Are they special enough for this venue?)
- Sets/Props (Can they be stored at this location?)
Finally, most importantly, make sure the performer(s)/audience like the space!
7. Permission from School Administrations and Parents
Permission from the school administration and parents is needed before any student can audition or participate in a production. There may also be guidelines set by the school district that help you decide which shows would work best for students at this age level.
Finally, if there are no limitations on the subject matter, then make sure that it will hold their interest as well as meet their academic needs.
8. Licensing
One thing many people don’t consider when selecting a musical is licensing and its cost. You must purchase rights and/or licenses before you can perform any musical under copyright.
The rights for musicals are held by theatrical licensing agencies. Some of the most well-known theatrical licensing agencies are listed below:
Top 60 Musicals for High School
Our list of top 60 musicals for high school is categorized into five parts, which are:
- Most Performed Musicals
- Small Cast and/or Small Budget Musicals
- Large Cast Musicals
- Less Frequently Performed Musicals
- Musicals Set in High School
- Musicals with Flexible Casting
Most Performed Musicals in High School
If you’re looking for the most performed musicals in high school, then look no further. Here is a list of the top 25 most performed musicals in high school.
1. Into The Woods
- Cast Size: Medium (18 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
The story revolves around a Baker and his wife, who want to have a child; Cinderella, who wants to go to the King’s Festival, and Jack who wishes his cow would give milk.
When the Baker and his wife discover that they are unable to have a child due to a witch’s curse, they embark on a journey to break the curse. Everyone’s wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions come back to haunt them later with disastrous consequences.
2. Beauty and Beast
- Cast Size: Medium (20 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
The classic story revolves around Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is a young prince who has been enchanted by an enchantress.
The curse will be lifted and the Beast will be transformed back into his former self if he can learn to love and be loved. However, time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his family will be doomed for all eternity.
3. Shrek The Musical
- Cast Size: Medium (7 roles) plus Large Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek The Musical is a Tony Award-winning fairy tale adventure.
“Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek…” Thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who embarks on a life-changing journey with a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who refuses to be rescued.
Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude, and over a dozen other fairy-tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a true hero. Fortunately, one is nearby… Shrek is his name.
4. Little Shops of Horror
- Cast Size: Small (8 to 10 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Seymour Krelborn, a meek floral assistant, discovers a new breed of plant that he names “Audrey II” after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises endless fame and fortune to Krelborn as long as he continues to feed it, BLOOD. Over time, though, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s extraordinary origins and desire for global dominance!
5. The Music Man
- Cast Size: Medium (13 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
The Music Man follows Harold Hill, a fast-talking traveling salesman, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band he vows to organize even though he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef.
His plans to flee town with the money are foiled when he falls for Marian, the librarian, who by the curtain’s fall transforms him into a respectable citizen.
6. The Wizard of Oz
- Cast Size: Large (up to 24 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Follow the yellow brick road in this delightful stage adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s beloved tale, features the iconic musical score from the MGM film.
The timeless story of young Dorothy Gale’s journey from Kansas over the rainbow to the magical Land of Oz continues to enchant audiences around the world.
This RSC version is a more faithful adaptation of the film. It is a more technically complex production that nearly scene for scene recreates the dialogue and structure of the MGM classic, though it is adapted for live stage performance. The RSC version’s musical material also provides more work for the SATB chorus and small vocal ensembles.
7. The Sound of Music
- Cast Size: Medium (18 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music won the hearts of audiences worldwide, earning five Tony Awards and five Oscars.
Based on Maria Augusta Trapp’s memoir, the inspirational story follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But, as Nazi forces take over Austria, Maria and the entire von Trapp family must make a moral choice.
8. Cinderella
- Cast Size: Small (9 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
A magical fairy tale’s timeless enchantment is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm, and elegance. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, which premiered on television in 1957 and starred Julie Andrews, was the most-watched program in television history.
Its remake in 1965, starring Lesley Ann Warren, was no less successful in transporting a new generation to the magical kingdom of dreams come true, as was a sequel in 1997, starring Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother.
As adapted for the stage, this romantic fairy tale, still warms the hearts of children and adults alike, with great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity. This Enchanted Edition is inspired by the 1997 teleplay.
9. Mamma Mia!
- Cast Size: Medium (13 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
ABBA’s hits tell the hilarious story of a young woman’s search for her birth father. This sunny and funny story takes place on a Greek island paradise. A daughter’s quest to discover her father’s identity on the eve of her wedding brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.
10. Seussical
- Cast Size: Small (6 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Seussical, now one of America’s most popular shows, is a fantastical, magical musical extravaganza! Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Lucky Stiff, My Favorite Year, Once on This Island, Ragtime) have lovingly brought all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters to life, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie, and a little boy with a big imagination – Jojo.
The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing the Whos, including Jojo, a Who child who is sent to military school for having too many “thoughts.” Horton faces a double challenge: he must not only protect the Whos from naysayers and dangers, but he must also guard an abandoned egg left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird.
Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping, and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family, and community are tested and triumphant.
11. Guys and Dolls
- Cast Size: Medium (12 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, Guys and Dolls is an oddball romantic comedy. While the authorities are on his tail, gambler Nathan Detroit tries to find the money to set up the biggest craps game in town; meanwhile, his girlfriend and nightclub performer, Adelaide, laments that they’ve been engaged for fourteen years.
Nathan turns to fellow gambler Sky Masterson for money, and as a result, Sky ends up chasing the straight-laced missionary, Sarah Brown. Guys and Dolls take us from Times Square to Havana, Cuba, and even into New York City’s sewers, but everyone eventually ends up right where they belong.
12. The Addams Family School Edition
- Cast Size: Medium (10 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Theatrical Rights Worldwide
Summary:
THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a comedic feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, features an original story that is every father’s nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, intelligent young man from a respectable family—a man her parents have never met.
To make matters worse, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before: keep a secret from Morticia, his beloved wife. On a fateful night, they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents, and everything will change for the entire family.
13. Ruthless!
- Cast Size: Small (7 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Eight-year-old Tina Denmark knows she was born to play Pippi Longstocking and will do anything to secure the part in her school musical. “Anything” includes murdering the main character! During its lengthy Off-Broadway run, this aggressively outrageous musical hit received rave reviews.
Small Cast / Small Budget Musicals
Small-cast musicals usually have a small budget, which can mean that the musicals are done on a shoestring budget. There’s no reason why an epic show can’t be staged with a cast of fewer than 10 people.
Here are small-cast and/or small-budget musicals for high school.
14. Working
- Cast Size: Small (6 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Working’s new 2012 version is a musical exploration of 26 people from various walks of life. While the majority of the professions have been updated, the show’s strengths lie in core truths that transcend specific professions; the key is how people’s relationships to their work ultimately reveal essential aspects of their humanity, regardless of the trappings of the job itself.
The show, still set in modern America, contains timeless truths. Working’s new version gives the audience a rare glimpse of the actors and technicians, working to put on a show. This raw adaptation only enhances the realistic and relatable nature of the subject matter.
15. The Fantasticks
- Cast Size: Small (8 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
The Fantasticks is a comedic and romantic musical about a boy, a girl, and their two fathers who try to keep them apart. El Gallo, the narrator, invites the audience to follow him into a world of moonlight and magic.
The boy and girl fall in love, grow apart, and eventually find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo’s words that “without a hurt, the heart is hollow.”
The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in the world.
16. The Apple Tree
- Cast Size: Small (3 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
The Apple Tree is composed of three musical miniatures that can be performed separately, or in any combination, to fill out a theatrical evening. “The Diary of Adam and Eve,” adapted from Mark Twain’s Extracts from Adam’s Diary, is a quirky, touching take on the story of the world’s first couple.
“The Lady or the Tiger?” is a rock and roll fable about the fickleness of love set in a mythical barbarian kingdom. “Passionella” is based on Jules Feiffer’s offbeat Cinderella story about a chimney sweep whose dreams of becoming a “glamorous movie star” nearly ruin her one chance for true love.
17. Disaster!
- Cast Size: Small (11 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Disaster! is a new Broadway musical featuring some of the most memorable songs from the 1970s. “Knock on Wood,” “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Sky High,” “I Am Woman,” and “Hot Stuff” are just a few of the scintillating hits in this musical comedy.
It’s 1979, and New York’s most glamorous A-listers are lining up for the debut of a floating casino and discotheque. A faded disco star, a sexy nightclub singer with her eleven-year-old twins, a disaster expert, a feminist reporter, an older couple with a secret, a pair of young guys looking for ladies, an untrustworthy businessman, and a nun with a gambling addiction are also in attendance.
What begins as a night of boogie fever quickly changes to panic as the ship succumbs to multiple disasters, such as earthquakes, tidal waves, and infernos. As the night gives way to day, everyone struggles to survive and, perhaps, repair the love they’ve lost… or, at the very least, escape the killer rats.
18. You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
- Cast Size: Small (6 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown looks at life through the eyes of Charlie Brown and his Peanuts gang friends. This revue of songs and vignettes, based on the beloved Charles Schulz comic strip is an excellent first musical for those interested in performing a musical.
“My Blanket and Me,” “The Kite,” “The Baseball Game,” “Little Known Facts,” “Suppertime,” and “Happiness” are among the musical numbers guaranteed to please audiences of all ages!
19. 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
- Cast Size: Small (9 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents competes for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life-defying “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At the very least, the losers get a juice box.
20. Anne of Green Gables
- Cast Size: Small (9 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Anne Shirley is mistakenly sent to live with a blunt farmer and his spinster sister, who thought they were adopting a boy! She wins over the Cuthberts and the entire province of Prince Edward Island with her irrepressible spirit and imagination — and wins over audiences with this warm, poignant story about love, home, and family.
21. Catch Me If You Can
- Cast Size: Small (7 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Catch Me If You Can is a high-flying musical comedy about chasing your dreams and not getting caught, based on the hit film and the incredible true story.
Frank Abignale, Jr., a precocious teenager seeking fame and fortune, runs away from home to embark on an unforgettable adventure. With nothing more than his boyish charm, a big imagination, and millions of dollars in forged checks, Frank successfully poses as a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer – living the high life and winning the girl of his dreams. When FBI agent Carl Hanratty notices Frank’s lies, he pursues him across the country to make him pay for his crimes.
22. Legally Blonde The Musical
- Cast Size: Small (7 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Legally Blonde The Musical, a fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored film, follows Elle Woods’ transformation as she confronts stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. This musical is action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances.
Elle Woods appears to have everything. When her boyfriend Warner dumps her to attend Harvard Law, her life is turned upside down. Elle, determined to win him back, cleverly charms her way into the prestigious law school.
While there, she struggles with peers, professors, and her ex. Elle, with the help of some new friends, quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the rest of the world.
23. The Robber Bridegroom
- Cast Size: Small (10 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Set in eighteenth-century Mississippi, the show follows Jamie Lockhart, a rascally robber of the woods, as he courts Rosamund, the only daughter of the country’s richest planter. However, the proceedings go awry, thanks to a case of double-mistaken identity.
Throw in an evil stepmother who’s intent on Rosamund’s demise, her pea-brained henchman, and a hostile talking head-in-a-trunk, and you’ve got a rollicking country romp.
24. A Bronx Tale (High School Edition)
- Cast Size: Small (6 roles)
- Licensing Company: Broadway Licensing
Summary:
This streetwise musical, based on the critically acclaimed play that inspired the now-classic film, will transport you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s, where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be.
A Bronx Tale is a story about respect, loyalty, love, and, above all, family. There is some adult language and mild violence.
25. Once Upon A Mattress
- Cast Size: Medium (11 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Many moons ago in a far-off place, Queen Aggravain decreed no couples could marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, found a bride. Princesses came from far and wide to win the hand of the prince, but none could pass the impossible tests given to them by the Queen. That is, until Winnifred the Woebegone, the “shy” swamp princess, showed up.
Will she pass the Sensitivity Test, marry her prince, and accompany Lady Larkin and Sir Harry to the altar? Carried on a wave of wonderful songs, by turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic, this rollicking spin on the classic tale The Princess and the Pea provides some side-splitting shenanigans. After all, a princess is a delicate creature.
Large Cast Musicals
Most musicals require a large cast. This shouldn’t be a problem if there are a lot of students willing to perform. Large-cast musicals for high schools are an excellent way to ensure that everyone who wishes to participate can do so.
Here’s a list of large-cast musicals for high school.
26. Bye Bye Birdie
- Cast Size: Medium (11 roles) plus featured roles
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Bye Bye Birdie, a loving sendup of the 1950s, small-town America, teenagers, and rock & roll, remains as fresh and vibrant as ever. Conrad Birdie, a teen heartthrob, has been drafted, so he chooses All-American girl Kim MacAfee for a public farewell kiss. Birdie continues to enthrall audiences worldwide, thanks to its catchy high-energy score, a plethora of great teen roles, and a hilarious script.
27. Bring It On The Musical
- Cast Size: Medium (12 to 20 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Bring It On The Musical, inspired by the hit film and bitingly relevant, takes audiences on a high-flying journey filled with the complexities of friendship, jealousy, betrayal, and forgiveness.
Campbell is Truman High School’s cheer royalty, and her senior year should be the most cheesetastic yet — she’s been named captain of the squad! However, due to an unexpected redistricting, she will spend her senior year of high school at neighboring Jackson High School.
Despite the odds being stacked against her, Campbell befriends the school’s dance team. They form a powerhouse squad for the ultimate competition — the National Championships — with their headstrong and hardworking leader, Danielle.
28. Oklahoma
- Cast Size: Medium (11 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
In many ways, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first collaboration remains their most innovative, setting the standards and rules of modern musical theatre. In a Western territory just after the turn of the twentieth century, a high-spirited rivalry between local farmers and cowboys provides a colorful backdrop for Curly, a charming cowboy, and Laurey, a feisty farm girl, to play out their love story.
Their bumpy romantic journey contrasts with the comic exploits of brazen Ado Annie and hapless Will Parker in a musical adventure embracing hope, determination, and the promise of new land.
29. Spring Awakening
- Cast Size: Medium (13 to 20 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Spring Awakening explores the journey from childhood to adulthood with illuminating and unforgettable poignancy and passion. The groundbreaking musical is an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality, and rock and roll that is thrilling audiences across the country like no other musical in years.
It’s 1891 in Germany, a world where adults have all the power. Wendla, the pretty young lady, investigates the mysteries of her body and wonders aloud where babies come from… until Mama tells her to put on a proper dress.
Elsewhere, the brilliant and fearless young Melchior interrupts a mind-numbing Latin drill to defend his friend, Moritz – a puberty-traumatized boy who can’t concentrate on anything… Not that the Headmaster is concerned. He strikes them both and instructs them to turn in their lesson.
Melchior and Wendla meet by chance one afternoon in a private area of the woods and soon discover within themselves a desire, unlike anything they’ve ever felt. As they fumble their way into each other’s arms, Moritz stumbles and soon drops out of school. When his only adult friend, Melchior’s mother, ignores his cry for help, he is so distraught that he cannot hear the promise of life offered by his outcast friend, Ilse.
Naturally, the Headmasters rush to pin the “crime” of Moritz’s suicide on Melchior in order to expel him. Mama soon discovers that her little Wendla is pregnant. Now the young lovers must fight against all odds to create a world for their child.
30. Aida School Edition
- Cast Size: Large (21+ roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Aida School Edition, adapted from Elton John and Tim Rice’s four-time Tony Award-winning hit, is an epic tale of love, loyalty, and betrayal, chronicling the love triangle between Aida, a Nubian princess stolen from her country, Amneris, an Egyptian princess, and Radames, the soldier they both love.
An enslaved Nubian princess, Aida, falls in love with Radames, an Egyptian soldier who is engaged to the Pharaoh’s daughter, Amneris. She is forced to weigh her heart against the responsibility of being the leader of her people as their forbidden love blossoms.
Aida and Radames’ love for one another becomes a shining example of true devotion that ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between their warring nations, heralding an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity.
31. Disenchanted! (High School Edition)
- Cast Size: Medium (10 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Broadway Licensing
Summary:
Not Snow White and her posse of disenchanted princesses in the hilarious hit musical that’s far from Grimm. The original storybook heroines are dissatisfied with the way they’ve been portrayed in today’s pop culture, so they’ve tossed their tiaras and come to life to set the record. Forget the princesses you think you know; these royal renegades are here to tell it like it is.
32. Les Miserables School Edition
- Cast Size: Large (20+ roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
In nineteenth-century France, Jean Valjean is released from years of unjust imprisonment, but he finds nothing but mistrust and mistreatment.
He breaks his parole in the hopes of starting a new life, launching a lifelong quest for redemption while being pursued relentlessly by police inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his ways.
Finally, during the 1832 Paris student uprising, Javert must confront his ideals after Valjean spares his life while saving the life of the student revolutionary who has captured the heart of Valjean’s adopted daughter.
33. Matilda
- Cast Size: Large (14 to 21 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
The Tony Award-winning Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, is a captivating masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination, and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life.
Matilda is a young girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and psychokinetic abilities. Her cruel parents dislike her, but she impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey.
During her first term at school, Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound impact on each other’s lives, as Miss Honey begins to recognize and appreciate Matilda’s extraordinary personality.
Matilda’s school life isn’t perfect; the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, despises children and enjoys devising new punishments for those who don’t follow her rules. But Matilda possesses courage and intelligence, and she may be the schoolchildren’s savior!
34. Fiddle on the Roof
- Cast Size: Medium (14 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
The story is set in the small village of Anatevka and revolves around Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. with the help of a colorful and close-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instills traditional values in the face of changing social mores and Czarist Russia’s growing anti-Semitism.
Fiddler on the Roof’s universal theme of tradition transcends barriers of race, class, nationality, and religion, leaving audiences in tears of laughter, joy, and sadness.
35. Emma: A Pop Musical
- Cast Size: Medium (14 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Broadway Licensing
Summary:
Emma, a senior at Highbury Prep, is convinced she knows what is best for her classmates’ love lives, and she is determined to find the perfect boyfriend for shy sophomore Harriet by the end of the school year.
Will Emma’s relentless matchmaking get in the way of her own happiness? This sparkling new musical, based on Jane Austen’s classic novel, features hit songs by legendary girl groups and iconic female singers ranging from The Supremes to Katy Perry. Girl power has never sounded more appealing!
Less Frequently Performed Musicals
Do you ever wonder what musicals are less frequently performed than others? Or which musicals aren’t often performed anymore in the current day? Here they are:
36. High Fidelity (High School Edition)
- Cast Size: Large (20 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Broadway Licensing
Summary:
When Rob, a Brooklyn record store owner, is unexpectedly dumped, his life takes a music-filled turn toward the introspective. High Fidelity is based on Nick Hornby’s popular novel of the same name and follows Rob as he tries to figure out what went wrong with his relationship and strives to change his life in order to win back his sweetheart Laura.
With memorable characters and a rock-and-roll score, this homage to music geek culture explores love, heartbreak, and the power of the perfect soundtrack. Contains adult language.
37. Alice in Wonderland
- Cast Size: Small (10 roles)
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
The Prince Street Players, the company that has become synonymous with “theatre for young audiences,” bring to life Alice in Wonderland, the most frequently quoted and well-known children’s story of all time.
Alice, Lewis Carroll’s unflappable young heroine, takes a tumble down an enchanted rabbit hole to an off-kilter world of mock turtles, dancing flora, punctual rabbits, and mad tea parties.
Playing cards hold court, and nothing is as it seems in this land where whimsy and wordplay are the order of the day. Will Alice be able to find her footing in this strange land? More importantly, will she ever figure out how to get home?
38. Urinetown
- Cast Size: Medium (16 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Urinetown is a hysterical musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, environmental collapse, natural resource privatization, bureaucracy, municipal politics, and musical theatre itself! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective on one of America’s greatest art forms.
In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage caused by a 20-year drought has resulted in a government-enforced ban on private toilets.
Citizens must use public facilities, which are regulated by a single malevolent corporation that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. A hero decides that enough is enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!
39. Something’s Afoot
- Cast Size: Small (10 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
A zany, entertaining musical that satirizes Agatha Christie mysteries and musical styles of the 1930s English music hall. During a violent thunderstorm, ten people are stranded in an isolated English country house.
They are eliminated one by one by cleverly fiendish devices. As the bodies pile up in the library, the survivors race to discover the identity and motivation of the cunning culprit.
40. Lucky Stiff
- Cast Size: Small (7 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Based on Michael Butterworth’s novel The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, Lucky Stiff is an offbeat, hilarious murder mystery farce, complete with mistaken identities, six million dollars in diamonds, and a corpse in a wheelchair.
The story revolves around an unassuming English shoe salesman who is forced to travel to Monte Carlo with the embalmed body of his recently murdered uncle.
If Harry Witherspoon is successful in passing his uncle off as alive, he will inherit $6,000,000. If not, the funds will be donated to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn… or his uncle’s gun-toting ex!
41. Zombie Prom
- Cast Size: Small (10 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
This girl-loves-ghoul rock ‘n’ roll Off Broadway musical is set in the atomic 1950s at Enrico Fermi High, where the law is laid down by a zany, tyrannical principal. Toffee, the pretty senior, has fallen for the class bad boy. Family pressure forces her to call it quits, and he rides his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump.
He returns glowing and determined to win back Toffee’s heart. He still wishes to graduate, but more importantly, he wishes to accompany Toffee to the prom.
The principal orders him to drop dead while a scandal reporter seizes on him as the freak du jour. History comes to his aid, and a catchy selection of original songs in the style of 1950s hits keeps the action rocking across the stage.
42. Weird Romance
- Cast Size: Small (9 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
This off-beat musical by the composer of Little Shop of Horrors and the Disney films Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid is two one-act musicals of speculative fiction. The first, The Girl Who Was Plugged In, is about a homeless bag lady whose soul is transplanted into the body of a beautiful female android by a celebrity manufacturing company.
Her Pilgrim Soul, the second novel, is about a scientist who studies holographic imaging. One day, a mysterious “living” holograph, apparently of a long-dead woman, appears and forever changes his life.
43. The 45th Marvellous Chatterley Village Fete: Glee Club Edition
- Cast Size: Medium (12 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Broadway Licensing
Summary:
The 45th Marvellous Chatterley Village Fête tells the story of Chloe, a young woman who lives with her grandfather after her mother died a few years ago.
Chloe longs to escape the confines of her village, which is populated by well-meaning neighbors, but she struggles with the fact that her grandfather still needs her support.
When a large supermarket chain threatens the village’s future, Chloe decides to put the village’s needs before her own, but her loyalties are further compromised by the arrival of a mysterious outsider who seems to offer her everything she’s ever desired.
Navigating these loyalties is a challenging test for Chloe, but by the end of the show, and with the help of her friends, she is able to find her own way to go out and follow her dreams, confident that there will always be a place for her in Chatterley if she chooses to return.
44. The Marvellous Wonderettes: Glee Club Edition
- Cast Size: Small (4 roles) plus a flexible Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Broadway Licensing
Summary:
This all-new version of the show combines the first act of The Marvelous Wonderettes with the first act of the sequel Wonderettes: Caps & Gowns, as well as additional characters from the Springfield High Chipmunk Glee Club (any number of boys or girls you need) to create a truly flexible large-cast version of this perennial favorite.
We begin at the 1958 Springfield High School Senior Prom, where we meet Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy, four girls with dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! The girls serenade us with classic ’50s hits as they compete for prom queen as we learn about their lives, loves, and friendships.
Act II jumps ahead to the Class of 1958’s graduation day, and the Wonderettes celebrate with their classmates and teachers as they prepare for their next step toward a bright future.
45. The Marvellous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns
- Cast Size: Small (4 roles)
- Licensing Company: Broadway Licensing
Summary:
In this delightful sequel to the smash Off-Broadway hit, we’re back in 1958, and it’s time for the Wonderettes to graduate! Join Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy as they sing about their senior year of high school, celebrate with their classmates and teachers, and plan their next steps toward a bright future.
Act II takes place in 1968 when the girls dress up as brides and bridesmaids to celebrate Missy’s marriage to Mr. Lee! The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps & Gowns will have your audience cheering for 25 more hits, “Rock Around the Clock,” “At the Hop,” “Dancing in the Street,” “River Deep, Mountain High.”
Musicals Set in High School
High school can be a pivotal period in your life, as well as the setting for some of your favorite musicals. A musical production can be so much more than a show; it can transport you back to your high school days and all of the emotions that come with them.
And, if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to perform in any of these great high school musicals as possible! The following list will assist you in doing so!
Check out these best musicals set in high school:
46. High School Musical
- Cast Size: Medium (11 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Disney Channel’s smash hit movie musical comes to life on your stage! While balancing their classes and extracurricular activities, Troy, Gabriella, and the students of East High must deal with issues of first love, friends, and family.
It’s the first day after winter break at East High. The Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians, and Skater Dudes form cliques, reminisce about their vacations, and look forward to the new year. Troy, the basketball team captain, and resident jock, learns that Gabriella, a girl he met singing karaoke on his ski trip, has just enrolled at East High.
They cause a commotion when they decide to audition for the high school musical directed by Ms. Darbus. Although many students are concerned about the threat to the “status quo,” Troy and Gabriella’s alliance might just open the door for others to shine as well.
47. Grease (School Edition)
- Cast Size: Medium (18 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Grease: School Version retains the fun-loving spirit and immortal songs of the blockbuster show, but removes any profanity, lewd behavior, and Rizzo’s pregnancy scare. The song “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” is also deleted from this edition. Grease: School Version is approximately 15 minutes shorter than the standard version of Grease.
48. Hairspray
- Cast Size: Medium (11 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
It’s 1962 in Baltimore, Tracy Turnblad, a lovable plus-size teen has only one wish: to dance on the popular “Corny Collins Show.” When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from a social outcast to a sudden star.
She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affection of heartthrob, Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network… all without denting her ‘do!
49. 13
- Cast Size: Medium (8 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Following his parents’ divorce, Evan Goldman is relocated from his fast-paced, preteen New York City life to a sleepy Indiana town. He needs to establish his place in the popularity pecking order among a variety of simpleminded middle school students. Can he find a comfortable position in the food chain… or will he dangle with the outcasts at the end?!?
50. Be More Chill
- Cast Size: Small (10 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Jeremy Heere is just a typical teenager. That is until he learns about “The Squip,” a tiny supercomputer that promises to bring him everything he craves: a date with Christine, an invitation to the year’s most rad party, and a chance to survive life in his suburban New Jersey high school. But is being the most popular guy in school worth the risk? Be More Chill is based on the novel by Ned Vizzini.
51. Carrie: The Musical
- Cast Size: Medium (11 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Carrie White is a teen outcast who wishes she could fit in. She is bullied at school by the popular crowd and is virtually invisible to everyone else.
Her loving but cruelly controlling mother dominates her at home. What none of them realize is that Carrie has recently discovered she possesses a unique power, and if pushed too far, she is not afraid to use it.
Carrie: The Musical is set in the present in the small New England town of Chamberlain, Maine, and features a book by Lawrence D. Cohen (screenwriter of the classic film), music by Academy Award winner Michael Gore (Fame, Terms of Endearment), and lyrics by Dean Pitchford (Fame, Footloose).
52. Calvin Berger
- Cast Size: Small (4 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Calvin Berger, a student at a modern high school, is smitten by the lovely Rosanna, but he is self-conscious about his large nose. Rosanna, for her part, is drawn to Matt, a good-looking newcomer who is painfully shy and inarticulate around her, though the attraction is mutual.
Calvin offers to be Matt’s “speech writer,” hoping to get closer to Rosanna through his eloquent love notes, while ignoring the signals of attraction from another girl, his best friend, Bret.
Everyone’s friendship is jeopardized when the deception unravels, but Calvin eventually realizes that his preoccupation with his appearance had led him astray, and his eyes are opened to Bret, who had been there all along.
53. 21 Chump Street
- Cast Size: Small (6 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
21 Chump Street by Lin-Manuel Miranda is a 14-minute musical based on a true story as told in the series This American Life. 21 Chump Street tells the story of Justin, a high school honors student who falls for a cute transfer girl.
Justin goes to great lengths to satisfy Naomi’s request for marijuana in the hopes of winning her affection, only to discover that his crush is an undercover cop planted at the school to track down drug dealers.
21 Chump Street explores the consequences of peer pressure, conformity, and drug use in our schools, with a message that teenagers will remember long after they leave the theater. Perfect for donor evenings, galas, special events, and student/community outreach programs.
54. Fame The Musical
- Cast Size: Medium (14 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Fame The Musical, an unmistakable title from the unforgettable film and television franchise, inspired generations to fight for fame and light up the sky like a flame!
The show follows the final class of New York City’s celebrated High School for the Performing Arts from their admission in 1980 to their graduation in 1984. From prejudice to substance abuse, all of the young artists’ struggles, fears, and triumphs are depicted with razor-sharp focus as they navigate the worlds of music, drama, and dance.
55. Vanities: The Musical
- Cast Size: Small (3 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Vanities: The Musical follows three vivacious Texas teenagers as they progress from cheerleaders to sorority sisters to housewives to liberated women and beyond.
This musical captures a vivid portrait of these young women’s lives, loves, disappointments, and dreams as they grew up in the turbulent 1960s and 1970s and reconnected in the late 1980s.
With a tunefully evocative score by David Kirshenbaum (Summer of ’42) and Jack Heifner’s hilarious adaptation of his long-running Off-Broadway smash, Vanities: The Musical is a funny and poignant look at three best friends who discover that, through thirty years of rapidly changing times, the one thing they can rely on is each other.
56. West Side Story
- Cast Size: Medium (10 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is set in modern-day New York City, with two young, idealistic lovers caught between warring street gangs, the “American” Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world filled with hatred, violence and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heartbreaking, and timely musical dramas of our time.
Musicals with Flexible Casting
Musicals with flexible casting can generally be expanded to accommodate a large cast or might have doubling, where the same actor plays multiple roles in one show. Discover some of the best musicals with flexible casting below!
57. The Lighting Thief
- Cast Size: Small (7 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed mythical adventure “worthy of the gods,” adapted from Rick Riordan’s best-selling book The Lightning Thief and featuring a thrilling original rock score.
Percy Jackson, the half-blood son of a Greek god, has newly discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters chasing him. When Zeus’ master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and avert a war between the gods.
But, in order to accomplish his mission, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the Oracle’s riddle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and reconcile with his father, who abandoned him.
58. Avenue Q School Edition
- Cast Size: Medium (11 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Music Theatre International
Summary:
Avenue Q School Edition, winner of the Tony “Triple Crown” for Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book, is part flesh, part felt, and packed with heart.
The hilarious musical tells the timeless story of Princeton, a recent college graduate who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q.
He quickly realizes that, while the residents appear pleasant, this is not your ordinary neighborhood. Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose.
Avenue Q is a truly unique show that has quickly become a favorite for audiences worldwide, filled with gut-busting humor and a delightfully catchy score, not to mention puppets.
59. Heathers The Musical
- Cast Size: Medium (17 roles)
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Brought to you by the award-winning creative team of Kevin Murphy (Reefer Madness, “Desperate Housewives”), Laurence O’Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde), and Andy Fickman (Reefer Madness, She’s the Man).
Heathers The Musical is a hilarious, heartfelt, and homicidal new show based on the greatest teen comedy of all time. Heathers will be New York’s most popular new musical, thanks to its moving love story, laugh-out-loud comedy, and unflinching look at the joys and anguish of high school. Are you in or are you out?
60. The Prom
- Cast Size: Medium (15 roles) plus an Ensemble
- Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Summary:
Four eccentric Broadway stars are desperate for a new stage. So when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know it’s time to shine a light on the problem…and on themselves.
The parents of the town want to keep the high school dance on track—but when one student simply wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. Broadway’s brassiest joins forces with a brave girl and the town’s citizens on a mission to change lives, and the result is love that brings them all together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Musical?
A Musical, also called musical comedy, is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical are communicated through dialogues, music, and dance.
Do I need a license to perform a musical?
If a musical is still within copyright, you will need permission and a valid performance license in place before you perform it. If it is not in copyright, you don’t need a license.
What is the length of a musical theatre show?
A musical has no set length; it can range from a short, one-act to several acts and several hours in length; however, most musicals range from one and a half to three hours, with two acts (the first usually being longer than the second) and a brief intermission.
Can a musical be performed in 10 minutes?
Music Theatre International (MTI) collaborated with Theatre Now New York, an artist service organization dedicated to the development of new works, to provide 25 short musicals for licensing. These short musicals can be performed in 10 minutes.
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Conclusion
Hopefully, this list has provided you with a broad overview of the best musicals for high school students. If you’re still looking for more suggestions to add to your list, use our criteria for selecting musicals to find more student-friendly musicals.
We hope this list helped you with your musical search and we would like to hear it if you find a musical that’s not on this list, leave a comment and tell us about it.