Stumped on which musical to do next? Perusals allow you to preview the content of a show to see if it’s a good fit for your theatre. Take a look through our top ten to get started—you’ll be sure to find something you’ll love!
1. Ride the Cyclone Book, Music & Lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell
In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived! A High School Edition is also available.
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book by Kevin del Aguila, Music & Lyrics by Michael Mahler & Alan Schmuckler, Based on the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” Book Series by Jeff Kinney & 20th Century Studios
Middle school, ugh. It’s the worst. But Greg is determined not to be at the bottom of the popularity chart. He’ll leave that to his weird neighbor, Fregley. Or maybe Greg’s best friend, Rowley Jefferson. But it’s not going to be Greg…no way. Jeff Kinney’s popular character takes center stage as Greg’s cartoon diary becomes a hilarious and heartfelt musical. Will Greg’s plans to become popular lead him to sacrifice his one true friend? Can anyone avoid the dreaded Cheese Touch? Grab a hall pass and don’t be late for an adventure familiar to anyone who actually survived middle school. A 60-Minute Edition is also available.
3. Emma! A Pop Musical by Eric Price
Emma, a senior at Highbury Prep, is certain she knows what’s best for her classmates’ love lives, and is determined to find the perfect boyfriend for shy sophomore Harriet by the end of the school year. But will Emma’s relentless matchmaking get in the way of finding her own happiness? Based on Jane Austen’s classic novel, this sparkling new musical features the hit songs of legendary girl groups and iconic female singers from The Supremes to Katy Perry. Girl power has never sounded so good! Emma! JV is also available.
4. 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. A large cast version is also available.
5. Head Over Heels Songs by The Go-Go’s, Based on ‘The Arcadia’ by Sir Philip Sidney, Concept & Original Book by Jeff Whitty, Adapted by James Magruder
Head Over Heels is the bold new musical comedy from the visionaries that rocked Broadway with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening. This laugh-out-loud love story is set to the music of the iconic 1980’s all-female rock band the Go-Go’s, including the hit songs, “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth,” and “Mad About You.”
A hilarious, exuberant celebration of love, Head Over Heels follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction—only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts. A High School Edition is also available.
6. The Nightmare Story Book, Music & Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.
The Nightmare Story is the tale of a boy who ventures into the unknown to find a cure for his mother’s rare disease… before it’s too late.
7. LIZZIE Music by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer & Alan Stevens Hewitt, Lyrics by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer & Tim Maner, Book & Additional Music by Tim Maner, Additional Lyrics by Alan Stevens Hewitt, Based on an original concept by Alan Stevens Hewitt & Tim Maner, Orchestrations by Alan Stevens Hewitt
In the heat of late summer 1892, Andrew Borden and his wife are found murdered in their house. The main suspect in the murders is Andrew’s youngest daughter from a previous marriage, Lizzie Borden. Using a searing rock score, and based on the historical record, LIZZIE explores the heady and heated days leading up to the murder and Lizzie’s controversial acquittal of all charges and the creation of a new American myth.
8. Disenchanted! Book, Music, Lyrics by Dennis T. Giacino, Developed with Fiely Matias
Not Snow White and her posse of disenchanted princesses in the hilarious hit musical that’s anything but Grimm. The original storybook heroines are none-too-happy with the way they’ve been portrayed in today’s pop culture so they’ve tossed their tiaras and have come to life to set the record straight. Forget the princesses you think you know – these royal renegades are here to comically belt out the truth. Received an “Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical” nomination (Outer Critics Circle Awards) and a “Best New Off-Broadway Musical” nomination (Off Broadway Alliance). Contains adult language and content. A High School Edition is also available.
9. Nevermore – The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe Written & Composed by Jonathan Christenson
This unique and wildly theatrical musical combines haunting music and poetic storytelling to chronicle the fascinating life of iconic American writer Edgar Allan Poe. A literary rock star of his day, Poe struggles with tragedy and addiction, poverty and loss, yet produces some of the world’s most original, visionary and enduring literature before dying in unexplained circumstances at the age of 40. At once gorgeous and grotesque, Nevermore explores the events that shape Poe’s character and career, blurring the line between fact and fiction–after all, as Poe himself writes, “All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.”
10. Let It Be Developed for the stage by Stageworks Productions & Annerin Productions, Originally conceived by Maggie Pitts
Set in the turbulent times of the 1960s and 1970s, Let it Be follows a group of teenage friends and their intertwining stories during the height of the Vietnam War. The teens struggle with the unrest of the country, their loss of innocence and the long journey home.
Told solely through the stirring music and compelling lyrics of their greatest hits, including “Come Together,” “Blackbird,” and more, the staging and choreography propel the story forward allowing the focus to remain on the genius of The Beatles and the impact of their music. Let It Be proves The Beatles are just as relevant today, as yesterday. A winning title for schools, colleges, and community and professional theatres.
