Educate yourself on the best musicals for primary school productions
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| By
Carly Clements-Yu
School plays. Equally fun and stressful. Whether you have a shining group of starlets or a wild bunch of expressive individuals, getting the right show is the key to a successful production and pleasing the grown-ups. We’re here to help you find the best musicals for primary school productions, so you can check one task off your never-ending list.
What are the best musicals for schools?
Looking at what’s on in London may seem like the obvious way to choose your school’s next show, but the best musicals for families may not be the best musicals for little performers. We’ve picked five shows that are suitable and engaging for your pupils. There are even junior versions available for younger actors.
Matilda the Musical
Is it meta, or is it just appropriate? The school-based musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic book tells the story of a gifted young girl who stands up to her rotten head teacher. The Matilda the Musical songs are already anthems for kids nationwide, so you won’t have to teach them the lyrics. Though the titular character Matilda sings the big numbers 'Naughty' and 'Quiet', there are plenty of ensemble tunes which will get all the pupils involved.
Tim Minchin’s mischievous humour will keep the cheekier members of the class engaged while the big dance routines will burn that energy. It really is one of the best musicals for primary school productions.
And why stop there? You can get Matilda tickets and go on a class trip to see the young actors live on stage at the Cambridge Theatre. What’s more inspiring than that?
Disney’s Frozen the Musical
For the first time in forever, you won’t have to convince your class to get involved. Disney’s Frozen the Musical is an epic tale of sisterly love and self-acceptance. With all of their favourite Frozen songs and costumes, it’ll be a magical experience for the youngsters. The only problem? There may be a fight over who will play each of the beloved Frozen characters.
You will be everyone’s favourite teacher when you bring out the sheet music to Elsa’s 'Let It Go' and Olaf’s 'In The Summer'. And don’t even get us started on the glitter of it all.
If you want to prepare for next year’s show, go and see it! But you’ll have to be quick and get your Frozen the Musical tickets soon as its final performance at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane is scheduled for September.
Disney’s The Lion King
Give your class a legitimate reason to be wild with Disney’s The Lion King. One of the all-time best musicals for primary school productions, the story of Simba, Nala and all the other The Lion King characters features incredible songs by Elton John and Tim Rice. And the cute costume potential? Epic.
With ensemble numbers, younger and older iterations of characters, and comedy sidekicks, everyone in the class will have something to do that they’ll enjoy.
Though puppets and epic set pieces may be outside your budget, you can still put on an adorable show. And if you want to show the kids the groundbreaking potential of stage shows, why not get Disney’s The Lion King tickets and head to the Lyceum Theatre the for your next school outing?
Sister Act
High girl birthrate for your year group? No problem. Sister Act is perfect for you. Focusing on a nunnery and its choir, there are plenty of roles for your girls. Featuring gospel music, the Sister Act songs give you a great teaching opportunity, as well as providing some members of your class to share their knowledge and vocal ability.
The Sister Act characters range from the meek to the mob, so you may have to pick and choose who you include in your show.
Sister Act is currently playing at the Dominion Theatre, so if you’ve only seen the film, check it out to make an informed decision.
Shrek the Musical
Another stage adaptation of a movie favourite, Shrek the Musical is a great time for both pupils and teachers alike. Yes, you will have green paint everywhere for weeks. No, you won’t have to force anyone to get involved because everyone will want to take part.
The show is about an ogre and an independent princess. It's the perfect tale of acceptance and self-love. The Shrek the Musical characters may be well-known, but the Shrek songs probably aren’t. So it’s a great opportunity to expand your class's experience of the classic tale. Why not head down to Shreks swamp (also known as the Eventim Apollo) and see the show before you put it on yourself? You better be quick though, the magical musical must end on 31 August 2024.