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ART & CREATIVITY Grades: HIGH SCHOOL

71 Unforgettable
Musicals for High
Schools To Perform
From spotlight to standing ovation.

BY KATELYN KATZ MAY 29, 2024

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There’s nothing quite like being in a bustling high school auditorium,
charged with anticipation, as the curtain rises on another
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unforgettable high school musical production. These theatrical
showcases not only entertain but also have the power to educate, Choose your grade level:
shedding light on social concepts and life lessons. But when there are
so many options, picking the perfect musicals for high schools can be Elementary

a big hassle, especially when you have so many considerations, such Secondary
as subject matter, cast size, singing styles, and more. Luckily, we’ve
put together this list of of the best musicals for high schools so you
can focus your energy on crafting the perfect choreography for that
showstopping number!

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1. High School Musical Middle School Set
Bring on the drama!
What better musical to perform at Read More
your high school than High School
These 33 School Mural Ideas Will Make
Musical? This musical is chock-full of You Want to Grab a Paintbrush
relatable high school stories and Every blank wall is a canvas waiting to
drama, and it is one of the classic be Clled.
Through the Looking Glass
musicals for high schools. Read More

Cast: 11 leads, large ensemble The Big List of School-Appropriate

Songs To Keep Everyone Pumped Up
and Motivated
Licensing: Music Theatre Jams for assemblies, hallways, and
International, High School Musical classrooms.

Read More

2. Grease
Author spotlight
Grease is a musical set in high
school about a Sing that turns into
something more when the summer
ends. This musical has many songs
that audiences are sure to
Trib Live
recognize and love, and the period
piece allows for super-fun
costumes and sets. POSTED BY

Katelyn Katz
Cast: 17 leads, large ensemble
Katelyn is a freelance writer,
Licensing: Concord Theatricals, contributing writer, and editor for print
and online publications, including
Grease
SocialMoms, WORD magazine, and the
Bottom Line newspaper.

3. Carrie the Musical All posts by Katelyn Katz

Carrie is a newer musical that is

Clled with shocking lessons and an
intriguing plot that invites students
to immerse themselves into the
characters. A strong female lead is
Onstage Blog
deCnitely necessary to achieve your
director goals with this intense
script.

Cast: 14 leads

Licensing: Concord Theatricals,

Carrie

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4. Heathers (The Teen

Edition)

Although the original storyline

contains some elements not suited
for a high school stage, there is a
Breaking Character
teen edition of the script that still
contains the same charm that
made Heathers so popular in the
Crst place. Hopefully, students will
remember this cult classic movie
and will appreciate the adapted-for-
the-stage version of the iconic
story.

Cast: 17 leads

Licensing: Concord Theatricals,

Heathers

5. Hairspray

Hairspray is an iconic high school

musical with multiple important
messages. Set in the time of
segregation, your students will
Onstage Blog
familiarize themselves with this era
of American history and appreciate
our freedoms in this day and age
much more.

Cast: 11 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, Hairspray

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6. Dear Evan Hansen

Dear Evan Hansen is a newer

musical that took the world by
storm. This musical hits incredibly
close to home for anyone struggling
with social anxiety or the loss of a
Theater Mania
loved one. Filled with many
important points and messages,
this is a musical that every high
schooler should experience.

Cast: 8 leads

Licensing: Not yet available

7. Bring It On

Bring It On is a fun musical about

rival cheerleading teams, and it has
hilarious tropes about the classic
football player and cheerleader that
Current
will be sure to give the audience a
laugh or two. The costumes and set
are easy to make as well, as all you
need to do is hop into the high
school gymnasium locker room and
borrow a few uniforms.

Cast: 12 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, Bring It On

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8. 25th Annual Putnam

County Spelling Bee

This musical is hilarious and can be

done very light in terms of set,
costuming, and blocking. The free-
form script style allows for the
Playbill
actors to shine in their own
individual way, and there is no one
speciCc lead, which lends itself to a
great ensemble musical. The best
part? This musical allows for
audience participation, which is fun
for everyone!

Cast: 9 roles

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee

9. Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde tells the story of a

post-grad young woman who has
been misunderstood for too many
years excelling in a graduate law
program. Although funny and
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lighthearted, this musical still has
messages and themes that may
inspire your student body more
than you think.

Cast: 7 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, Legally Blonde

10. School of Rock

School of Rock is the perfect musical

if your theater program has many
freshmen and sophomores, as they
WNYC can play the students while a larger
senior can play the teacher. This
musical is tons of fun for everyone
and features some awesome rock
’n’ roll music.

Cast: 15 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Concord Theatricals,

School of Rock

11. 13

13 is a musical about—you guessed

it—a bunch of 13-year-olds
struggling to Cgure out the trials
and tribulations of being a young
Teen Vogue
teenager. This musical will be
hilarious for your high schoolers, as
they are fresh out of the “middle
school drama” that is humorous to
look back on. Plus, 13 is full of
catchy and entertaining songs.

Cast: 13 leads

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, 13

12. Matilda

Matilda is an iconic musical about a

young girl who has to deal with a
rough life, both in terms of a
horriCc education and a rude
Focus Daily News
family. However, Matilda realizes
she possesses powers of telepathy,
and she uses these powers
hilariously. This musical is highly
regarded and would be perfect for
a diverse cast of ages and
personalities.

Cast: 14 leads

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, Matilda

Classic Musicals for High Schools

13. Annie

Annie is a familiar classic musical

that’s perfect for a large cast of
females. Directors will need to pick
the perfect actor to play Annie, and
be sure to have a large ensemble of
LI Herald
orphans to perform large musical
numbers, which Annie is chock-full
of.

Cast: 8 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, Annie

14. West Side Story

West Side Story is perfect for a cast

of very talented actors, dancers,
and singers. The story is familiar,
stemming from the classic tale of
Playbill Romeo and Juliet, but set in a more
modern time and dealing with racial
tensions in an urban environment.
The musical has many iconic songs
and opportunities for large dance
numbers.

Cast: Male and female leads, large

ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, West Side Story

15. Cinderella

Cinderella is a musical that will have

everyone struggling not to sing
along. With all of its familiar songs
and characters, all a good director
needs is the correct cast, set, and
Daily Trib costumes. Not only is Cinderella an
instant classic, but it contains
positive themes as well.

Cast: 9 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Concord Theatricals,

Cinderella

16. Footloose

Footloose is about a Cctional town in

which dancing is outlawed and a
ragtag group of high schoolers who
decide that they need dancing in
their lives. This story is familiar and
365 Barrington
extremely popular even though it
was released decades ago, and the
audience will love the fun costumes
and sets.

Cast: 15 leads

Licensing: Concord Theatricals,

Footloose

17. Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins is perfect for a cast

that includes an incredibly strong
older female with acting and singing
chops. The musical is feel-good and
light and when done correctly can
Vail Daily be fun for large audiences. With
catchy and fun songs, this musical
is one of the instant-classic
musicals for high schools.

Cast: 16 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, Mary Poppins

18. The Music Man

The Music Man is tons of fun with

the right male lead to give energy to
the rest of the cast. With fun,
energetic songs the audience will
enjoy, this musical is fun to watch.
The Bennett

Cast: 13 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, The Music Man

19. The Little Mermaid

Head under the sea with The Little

Mermaid! If you have a large budget
in your theater program, this
musical allows for incredible sets
and costumes to really make it
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sparkle and stand out. Turn your
stage into an ocean and have tons
of fun with these familiar songs and
themes.

Cast: 12 speaking roles with strong

female leads, medium ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, The Little Mermaid

20. Shrek: The Musical

Shrek is hilarious, with silly and

immature jokes that make the story
one of the perfect musicals for high
schools. With fun sets, costumes,
and some familiar songs, this story
The Colony High School
easily translates to the stage for a
high school audience. Plus, the
actors can do fun accents and get
out of their comfort zones in a new
way.

Cast: 7 leads with strong male

leads, medium ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, Shrek: The Musical

21. Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice is both incredibly

entertaining as well as deep at
times, making it one of the best
musicals for high schools for its
complex themes. The musical
Datebook
allows for a large cast and eccentric,
intricate props and sets. Beetlejuice
is a newer musical, so audiences
may have never had the chance to
see it, which would make them that
much more excited to buy a ticket.

Cast: 11 leads with strong male and

female lead, medium ensemble

Licensing: Music Theatre

International, Beetlejuice

22. The Wizard of Oz

Who doesn’t love a trip down the

Yellow Brick Road? This is a classic
musical that your students will be
extremely excited to put on. The
bonus? You probably won’t even
Hudson Valley Times
need to teach them the musical
score, as everyone already knows
songs like “Over the Rainbow” front
to back.

Cast: 8 leads, large ensemble

Licensing: Concord Theatricals, The

Wizard of Oz

23. Into the Woods

Into the Woods is a classic musical

that allows for an incredibly large
ensemble of talented, whimsical
actors. As it consists of many leads
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and can be put on as an ensemble-
based show, this musical is perfect