60+ Musicals for Kids – A Full List of Shows
Whether you’re helping your child find new shows to audition for, or looking for great family-friendly shows to go see together, it’s good to get familiar with what’s out there. Here’s a list of the most notable musicals for kids!
The following list is broken down into three categories – “Musicals for Kids to Perform”, “Musicals for Young Audiences”, and “Family-Friendly Musicals”. Each category is sorted alphabetically.
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Musicals for Kids to Perform
The following musicals were specifically written to be performed by a full cast of children.
Music/Lyrics/Book: Various
Musical Type: Contemporary/Post-Golden Age
Cast Size: 22+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Charles M. Schulz
Musical Type: 1965 TV Special /Contemporary Musical (2013)
Cast Size: 11
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant
Music/Lyrics/Book: Kyle Jarrow
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Cast Size: 10
Music/Lyrics/Book: Various
Musical Type: Golden Age/Contemporary
Cast Size: 19+
Music/Lyrics: Paul Williams Book: Alan Parker
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Cast Size: 30+
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Anthony Stein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Cast Size: 10+
Music: Zina Goldrich Lyrics/Book: Marcy Heisler
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Cast Size: 8
Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Cast Size: 15+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Gary Kupper Book: Rose Caiola
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Cast Size: 7
Music/Lyrics/Book: John Forster Book: Delia Ephron, Judith Kahan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary
Cast Size: 30
Music: Zina Goldrich Book/Lyrics: Marcy Heisler
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Cast Size: 6-10
Music/Lyrics: Opetaia Foa’i, Mark Mancina, Lin-Manuel Miranda
Musical Type: Contemporary
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Debbie Isitt, Nicky Ager
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Elizabeth Swados
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)
Cast Size: 20
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Al Rinker, Floyd Huddleston, Bryan Louiselle, Michael Bernard
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary/Contemporary
Cast Size: 19+
Music: Doug Besterman Lyrics: Dean Pitchford Book: Timothy Allen McDonald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Cast Size: 9
Music/Lyrics/Book: BBB Press
Musical Type: Contemporary
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Terry Gilkyson, Marcy Heisler, Bryan Louiselle
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age/Contemporary
Cast Size: 15+
The Most Epic Birthday Party Ever
Music/Lyrics/Book: BBB Press
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 24+
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Will Van Dyke, Cheryl Davis
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age/Contemporary
Cast Size: 20+
Musicals for Young Audiences
The following children’s musicals are often performed by adults for an audience of kids. But they can also sometimes be performed by a cast of children!
Music: Robert Reale Lyrics/Book: Willie Reale
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Cast Size: 5
Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are In a Play”
Music: Deborah Wicks La Puma Book/Lyrics: Mo Willems
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 5-8
Music/Lyrics: Danny Abosch Lyrics/Book: Susan DiLallo
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Cast Size: 6
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Music: George Stiles Book/Lyrics: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 6
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: David Stern
Musical Type: Golden Age/Contemporary (1940/2000)
Cast Size: 13+
Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical
Music/Lyrics: Greg Borowsky, Douglas Lyons Book: Melvin Tunstall III
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Cast Size: 4
Music: Jeffrey Zahn Lyrics/Book: Joe Troiano
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 10
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾
Music/Lyrics: Pippa Cleary Lyrics/Book: Jake Brunger
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: George Stiles Book/Lyrics: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 5
Family-Friendly Musicals
The following musicals can be enjoyed by children and adults alike! Many of the following have mixed casts of children and adults.
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Joseph Robinette
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Cast Size: 25+
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Lyrics: Tim Rice, Howard Ashman
Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Cast Size: 12+
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Cast Size: 21
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Martin Charnin Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Cast Size: 11+
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Martin Charnin Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Cast Size: 11+
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Tim Rice Book: Linda Woolverton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Cast Size: 15+
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman Book: David Greig
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 18+
Music/Lyrics: The Sherman Brothers Book: Jeremy Sams
Musical Type: 1968 Film/Contemporary Musical (2002)
Cast Size: 15+
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: 1957 Film/Contemporary Musical (2013)
Cast Size: 15+
Book/Additional Lyrics: David Blaemire Adaptation: Madeline Smith
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 21+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Cast Size: 9+
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin Book: Bob Martin, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Cast Size: 15+
Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez Book: Jennifer Lee
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Cast Size: 17+
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: John Fearnley, Beverly Cross, Tommy Steele
Musical Type: Golden Age (1952)
Cast Size: 21+
Music: George Stiles Book/Lyrics: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Cast Size: 16+
Music/Lyrics: Tom Adair
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Cast Size: 6
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Music: Mel Marvin Lyrics/Book: Timothy Mason
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Cast Size: 8+
Music: Justin Paul Lyrics: Benj Pasek Book: Timothy Allen McDonald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: 1964 Film/Contemporary Musical (2004)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Tim Minchin Book: Dennis Kelly
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Cast Size: 18+
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Jack Feldman Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Cast Size: 30+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lionel Bart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Styne, Charlap, Rittman Lyrics: Comden, Green, Leigh Book: Barrie
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Cast Size: 15+
Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure
Music: George Stiles Lyrics: Anthony Drewe Book: Willis Hall
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Cast Size: 30+
Music/Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley Adaptation: Tim McDonald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Cast Size: 15+
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Glen Slater Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 35+
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: George Keating, Scott Ferguson, Kyle Hall
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Cast Size: 6
Music/Book: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Cast Size: 13+
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: David Lindsay-Abaire
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Larry Grossman Lyrics: Hal Hackady Book: Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, Michael Grace
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Cast Size: 7
Music: Elton John Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Rodger Allers, Irene Mecchi
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Glenn Slater Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: 1989 Film/Contemporary Musical (2007)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson Book: Franklin Lacey
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Cast Size: 25+
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Kyle Jarrow
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Cast Size: 40+
Music: George Stiles Book: Anthony Drewe Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Cast Size: 6+
Music: Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart Lyrics: E.Y. Harburg Book: John Kane
Musical Type: 1939 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1987)
Cast Size: 24
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen Book: Claudia Shear, Tim Federle
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 23
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Music/Lyrics: Clark Gesner Book: John Gordon Additional Songs: Andrew Lippa
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Cast Size: 6
Other blog posts you might like:
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Which of these musicals for kids is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals for kids? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you like these types of lists, check out the musical database. That’s where you’ll find musicals sorted by composer, theme, setting, and more!
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.