Top High School and Middle School Musical Ideas
Posted by Kayla Rutledge
A lot of planning and time goes into putting on the high school musical production. This year no matter your budget, talent pool or timeline, here are some tools and tricks that are sure to make your show a huge hit.
Picking a Musical and Date
- Know your talent base. Are your students primarily dancers, singers or actors? Pick a musical that highlights your students' strengths. For singers, try Les Miserables or The Secret Garden. If you have dancers, try 42nd Street or Anything Goes. For acting, try shows with interesting characters, like Sweeney Todd or Shrek.
- Don't just look at your talent — look at the gender balance of your students. If your department gets mainly females auditioning, try Little Women or Annie. If you have a lot of guys, try Newsies or How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
- Stick with your budget. Purchasing the rights to a show can get expensive fast. You may not be able to do a popular show if the rights are too expensive. If you have a thin budget, look into only doing two nights instead of three. NEVER illegally put on a show. Not only does it hurt the playwright and composer, but you can be fined, sued or even jailed!
- Check with your school administration. Some musicals have questionable content. If you really want a specific musical, ask if you can cut certain songs or lines to make it more appropriate. Many musicals also have "junior" versions, adapted specifically for schools. If you have a lot of restrictions, some family friendly musicals include , , and most Disney shows.
