K-12 Theatre: Your Guide to Season Planning

Updated April 22, 2024: In search of inspiration for your next K-12 theatre season? Concord Theatricals has you covered! We’ve created a hand-picked selection of plays and musicals to fit a variety of needs — whether you’re looking for competition pieces, curriculum-based classics or challenging new works. Just tell us what you have, and we’ll suggest some terrific titles.

If you’re skimming the list, here’s how they’re arranged:

• “I have students who want to address youth issues and do socially conscious work.”
• “I have a curriculum that requires shows based in literature.”
• “I have a group of strong female actors.”
• “I have one or two strong male leads.”
• “I have one or two strong female leads.”
• “I have a competition coming up and I need a good piece.”
• “I have a performance during the holidays.”
• “I have a large cast for a play.”
• “I have a large cast for a musical.”

Happy season planning!

21 Chump Street by Lin-Manuel Miranda
(Short Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 1f, 5m)
A 14-minute musical based on a true story as reported in the series This American Life. 21 Chump Street is a cautionary tale of Justin, a high school honors student who falls for a cute transfer girl. Justin goes to great lengths to oblige Naomi’s request for marijuana in the hopes of winning her affection – only to find out that his crush is actually an undercover cop planted in the school to find drug dealers.

26 Pebbles by Eric Ulloa
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 4f, 2m)
On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 26 innocent souls before taking his own life. Playwright Eric Ulloa conducted interviews with members of the community in Newtown and crafted them into an exploration of gun violence and a small town shaken by a horrific event.

A Polar Bear in New Jersey by Anna Moench
(Short Play, Comedy / 7f, 3m, 4 any gender)
A teenage polar bear sets out on her own… to New Jersey. A play that’s a little bit about global warming, but mostly about fitting in when you’re different.

Blood at the Root by Dominique Morisseau
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3f, 3m, Flexible Casting)
Based on a true story, this poetic and realistic drama tackles the issue of racial tension in a modern American high school. Scalable for a variety of production, reading, and casting circumstances. Ideal for high school, colleges, and youth organizations.

Facing Our Truth: Ten Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race and Privilege by A. Rey Pamatmat, Dan O’Brien, Dominique Morisseau, Mona Mansour, Winter Miller, Marcus Gardley, Tala Manassah, Quetzal Flores
(Collection, Drama / Flexible Cast)
In light of the George Zimmerman verdict, The New Black Fest commissioned six very diverse playwrights to write 10-minute plays on the topic of Trayvon Martin, race and/or privilege. Facing Our Truth’s purpose is to incite serious discussion in our collective communities around these urgent issues.

Hazelwood Jr. High by Rob Urbinati
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 6f)
At first, Hazelwood Jr. High is like any other middle school – cliques and crushes, dances and detention. But when a new girl unwittingly steps into a “love triangle,” a revenge plot is hatched, and events spin out of control, escalating into a shocking and unimaginable climax. Based on a true story.

Homeroom the Musical by Andrea Green and Selma Tolins Kaufman
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 8f, 6m, Flexible Casting)
In a high school homeroom, teens come together to share their feelings regarding relationships, academic success and failure and the significance of secrets, lies, loss and lockers. Their individual stories weave together a musical that addresses themes of understanding, acceptance, independence and responsibility.

“I have a curriculum that requires shows based in literature.”

Anne Of Green Gables by Norman Campbell, Donald Harron and L.M. Montgomery
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 17f, 12m)
Precocious and imaginative Anne captures the hearts and minds of a small farming community – and her newfound family – with pluck and personality. This original, glorious adaptation – now firmly embedded in Canadian national culture and musical theatre canon – continues to enrapture audiences across the world with its rich score and a rare, affecting story for all ages.

As You Like It by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 5f, 6m)
A ravishing new musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic story of chance encounters and self-discovery, As You Like It is an immersive, dream-like tale of faithful friends, feuding families and lovers in disguise. Featuring an original folk-pop score by Shaina Taub, with a flexible-sized cast and 90-minute running time, As You Like It is appropriate for all audiences and groups. Fall under love’s spell with this magical story!

Bridge To Terabithia by Steve Liebman, Katherine Paterson and Stephanie S. Tolan
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 3f, 1m, 5 girls, 4 boys, 3 any gender)
This powerful adaptation, supported by a lyrical score, focuses the humor, warmth and emotional intensity of Katherine Paterson’s Newbery Award-winning novel. In rural Virginia, Jesse and Leslie create Terabithia, a fantasy kingdom where they are safe from those who don’t understand them. When tragedy strikes, the strength gained in Terabithia takes Jesse forward and lets him share the magic of his dreams.

Caddie Woodlawn by Tom Shelton and Susan C. Hunter
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 8f, 7m, 10 girls, 3 boys, 6 any gender)
Carol Ryrie Brink’s Newbery Award-winning novel is brought to exuberant life as a musical. Caddie – the iconic, high-spirited Wisconsin pioneer girl beloved by generations of readers – learns invaluable lessons about reconciling the headstrong child she has been and the responsible adult she is soon to become.

CATS: Young Actors Edition by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T.S. Eliot
(Short Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 24 any gender)
A 60-minute adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s blockbuster meow-sical, designed especially for young performers. CATS is set amongst a larger-than-life junkyard playground and is alive with purr-fect felines who’ve come out to play on one special night of the year – the night of the Jellicle Ball. (The Original Version of CATS is also available.)

Fantastic Mr. Fox by David Wood and Roald Dahl
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2f, 5m)
Roald Dahl’s much-loved story follows the vain attempts of three farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean (one fat, one short, one lean), to get rid of the fox who regularly steals food from their farms. They try to kill him by any means possible, but they are outwitted at every turn. Fantastic Mr. Fox devises a plan ensuring full stomachs for his family and friends, who all celebrate with a sumptuous feast.

James and the Giant Peach by David Wood and Roald Dahl
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2f, 4m)
Roald Dahl’s classic tale is brought to life with live action, puppetry and storytelling in David Wood’s masterful adaptation. Narrated by James and the insect characters, the play begins in Central Park, where James and his friends are living in the giant peach stone. A tour guide brings a party of tourists (the audience) to see this major attraction, and James and his friends tell the beguiling tale of how they journeyed to the big city.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Charles George
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 6f, 6m)
Adapted from Mark Twain’s classic, here is the quintessential tribute to American youth, its imagination and its ingenuity, embodied in the person of one Tom Sawyer. From the whitewashing of the fence to the rescue of Becky Thatcher, this is a masterful and enjoyable adaptation that is sure to please your cast and audience alike.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 4m)
In this thrilling stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s ingenious 1926 novel, the tiny village of King’s Abbot is rocked by scandal when Roger Ackroyd, the wealthiest man in town, is found dead shortly after the apparent suicide of his fiancée. 

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and Susan Nanus
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 19 any gender)
This stage adaptation of the bestselling novel follows Milo’s adventures in the Land of Wisdom, where he’s forced to think about many new things. Milo learns of the argument between King Azaz and his brother, the Mathemagician, whose disagreement over words and numbers has led to the banishment of Princesses Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason. Milo sets off to rescue the princesses from the Land of Ignorance.

The Secret Garden by Marsha Norman, Lucy Simon and Frances Hodgson Burnett
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 7f, 8m, 1 girl, 1 boy +Ensemble)
The enchanting, Tony Award-winning musical, based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 novel, is a compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal. Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his son Colin. The estate’s many wonders include a magical garden and spirits from Mary’s past who guide her through her new life. Also available in a 70-minute Spring Version.

Tuck Everlasting by Claudia Shear, Tim Federle, Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen and Natalie Babbitt
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 3f, 6m, 1 girl +Ensemble)
Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster is torn between going on an infinite adventure with the magical Tuck family and rejecting her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to possess eternal youth. Based on the bestselling children’s classic by Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting features a gorgeous score and a variety of dynamic roles. Also available in a Theatre for Young Audiences Edition.

Twelfth Night by Kwame Kwei-Armah & Shaina Taub
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 4f, 7m)
Named one of the best theatrical productions of 2018 by Time, The Hollywood Reporter and The Washington Post, Twelfth Night is a rousing contemporary musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy about mistaken identity and self-discovery. Featuring an original jazz-funk score by Shaina Taub, with a flexible-sized cast and a 90-minute running time, Twelfth Night is appropriate for all audiences and groups.

Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 9m)
This Agatha Christie classic, based on her short story, is a thrilling courtroom drama of murder and passion in three acts. Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering a rich widow. The stakes are high, with shocking witness testimony, impassioned outbursts from the dock and a young man’s fight to escape the hangman’s noose. Widely regarded as one of Christie’s most accomplished plays, this suspense thriller keeps audiences guessing until the very end. 

“I have a group of strong female actors.”

Decision Height by Meredith Dayna Levy
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 9f +Optional Ensemble)
Through triumph and tragedy, nine Women Air Force Service Pilots do their part to help defeat the Axis powers in the Second World War. A story about friendship and the role of women in wartime.

Heathers The Musical: Teen Edition by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 9f, 8m)
Based on the classic 1989 film, this hit off-Broadway musical features a strong female protagonist and several great female roles. Sardonic and edgy, it’s the darkly delicious story of the most powerful and ruthless clique at Westerberg High.

Ruthless! by Joel Paley and Marvin Laird
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 7f)
Eight-year-old Tina Denmark will do anything to win the part in her school musical, including murdering the leading lady! This outrageous hit musical garnered rave reviews during its long off-Broadway run.

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 3m)
A comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games, She Kills Monsters is a high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and ’90s pop culture.

The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico Garcia Lorca, translated by Michael Dewell and Carmen Zapata
Also available in translation by James Graham Lujan and Richard O’Connell
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 10f)
The greatest of modern Spanish tragedies is realistic and lyrical. Bernarda, a stern, widowed matriarch obsessed with family honor, announces to her five daughters that they will enter a traditional eight-year period of cloistered mourning. The result is a tragic climax that is unrelenting in its severity and terror.

The Tall Girls by Meg Miroshnik
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 5f, 1m)
Sometimes basketball is the only way out. Even for a girl. Even in the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Featuring a strong ensemble of female characters, The Tall Girls examines issues of class and gender in Depression-era America.

The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 10f)
From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, a girls’ indoor soccer team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with the vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. The Wolves is a portrait of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who just want to score some goals.…

“I have one or two strong male leads.”

Big River: Theatre for Young Audiences Edition by Roger Miller, William Hauptman and Mark Twain
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 3f, 5m, Expandable Casting)
Adapted for a smaller cast performing for today’s young audiences, this version of Twain’s classic, propelled by Roger Miller’s award-winning score, sweeps down the Mississippi in a brilliantly theatrical celebration of friendship against all odds. Created with the support of over 100 consensus organizers (individuals and organizations serving the Black community).

City of Angels by Cy Coleman, Larry Gelbart, David Zippel
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 8f, 8m)
A smart and stylish film noir musical, City of Angels captures the gritty sights and sounds of Hollywood’s classic detective movies, all set to a brilliant, bluesy jazz score. The Tony-winning Best Musical features two dynamic male leads and a great supporting cast.

Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea by Nathan Alan Davis
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 4w, 3m)
Eighteen-year-old Dontrell Jones the Third decides that it is his duty and destiny to venture into the Atlantic Ocean in search of an ancestor lost during the Middle Passage. Blending poetry, humor, wordplay and ritual, this present-day hero’s quest explores the lengths and depths we must go to redeem history’s wrongs. 

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: Teen Edition by Tom MacRae, Dan Gillespie Sells & Jonathan Butterell
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 8w, 10m)
Everybody’s talking about this ebullient, life-affirming musical! Supported by his brilliant, loving mum and surrounded by his friends, 16-year-old Jamie New of Sheffield overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies, and steps out of the darkness into the spotlight. 

Footloose by Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford, Walter Bobbie, Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, Jim Steinman
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 7f, 8m)
The explosive movie musical bursts onto the live stage! Featuring a dynamic male lead, Footloose celebrates the exhilaration of youth, the wisdom of listening to one another, and the power of forgiveness.

In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 6f, 6m)
In the Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music.

Jasper in Deadland by Hunter Foster and Ryan Scott Oliver
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 4w, 5m)
In one night of teenage passion, Jasper and Agnes consummate a years-long friendship. But in the morning Agnes is gone, telling Jasper to meet her at their cliff. When he arrives there’s no sign of his best friend, only a swirling vortex to another world in the water below. Jasper dives into Deadland. 

Man of La Mancha by Dale Wasserman, Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 5f, 6m +Ensemble)
The heartbreaking and inspirational Tony Award-winning musical, based on Cervantes’ Don Quixote, celebrates one man’s refusal to give up his impossible dream.

Nine (Ensemble Version) by Arthur Kopit, Maury Yeston
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 22f, 1m, 4 boys, Flexible Casting)
This new flexible-casting version of the Tony Award-winning musical – a sterling stage adaptation of Fellini’s 8½ – has an updated score and can be performed by a smaller cast. This musical portrait of celebrated but impetuous film director Guido Contini features one man and the dozens of women in his life. The ensemble can include performers of any gender or, like the original Broadway cast, consist only of women.

Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3f, 5m)
Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, 1833. Edmund Kean, the greatest actor of his generation, has collapsed on stage while playing Othello. A young Black American actor has been asked to take over the role. But as people riots in the streets over the abolition of slavery, how will the cast, critics and audience react to the revolution taking place in the theatre?

Summerland by Arlitia Margaret Jones
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1f, 2m)
Summerland tells the mysterious tale of William H. Mumler, a spirit photographer with a talent for capturing haunting images of the dead from the world beyond the veil. Based on true events, Summerland is set in Mumler’s New York studio in 1869 at the height of the American Spiritualist movement.

The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2f, 6m)
In 1880s London, John Merrick is a horribly deformed young man – a victim of rare skin and bone diseases. Under the care of celebrated physician Frederick Treves, Merrick slowly evolves from an object of pity to an urbane gentleman, desperate to be recognized as a man like any other.

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz, Clark Gesner, Michael Mayer and Andrew Lippa
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 2f, 4m, Expandable Cast)
Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts gang explore life’s great questions as they play baseball, struggle with homework, sing songs, swoon over their crushes, and celebrate the joy of friendship.

“I have one or two strong female leads.”

Emma by Michael Bloom
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 6f, 6m)
A highly theatrical adaptation of one of Jane Austen’s greatest novels. Pledging never to marry, the mischievous Emma Woodhouse is nevertheless the “matchmaker of Highbury,” comically meddling in everyone’s love lives.

Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 2f, 5m)Sarah Ruhl reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love.

Fun Home by Lisa Kron, Jeanine Tesori, Alison Bechdel
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 4f, 2m, 1 girl, 2 boys)
When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the volatile and brilliant man whose temperament and secrets defined her family and her life. A refreshingly honest musical about love, family, grief and acceptance.

Gypsy by Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim and Gypsy Rose Lee
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 2m +Ensemble)
The Mother of All Musicals! Set all across America in the 1920s and 30s, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born, the landmark show explores the world of two-bit show business through the eyes of a determined stage mother and her two daughters.

Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun by Irving Berlin, Herbert Fields, Dorothy Fields and Peter Stone
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 3f, 6m, 2 girls, 1 boy +Ensemble)
There’s No Business Like Show Business! This classic Irving Berlin musical captures the spirit and energy of a Wild West performance as Annie Oakley, the best sharpshooter in Buffalo Bill’s show, falls in love with her leading man.

La Gringa by Carmen Rivera-Tirado
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 3f, 3m)
Rivera-Tirado’s contemporary comedy concerns a young woman’s search for her identity. When Mari­a Elena Garcia goes to visit her family in Puerto Rico she realizes she’s considered a Puerto Rican on the mainland and an American in Puerto Rico. Available in English or Spanish.

Mirror of Most Value: A Ms. Marvel Play (Marvel Spotlight) by Masi Asare
(Short Play, Comedy / 8f, 4m, 10 any gender)
When a strange Terrigen Mist descended upon Jersey City, Kamala Khan was imbued with polymorphic powers. Her life was changed forever and so were the lives of her family and friends. Using her newfound abilities to fight evil and protect Jersey City, she became the all new Ms. Marvel!

Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition by Mary Rodgers, Marshall Barer, Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller
(Short Musical, Comedy / 4f, 6m +Ensemble)
Winnifred the Woebegone is just a simple swamp princess looking to win the heart of Prince Dauntless. But can she pass the impossible test Queen Aggravain has in store for her? This is a one-hour adaptation of the beloved musical designed for young performers.

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Broadway Version) by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II and Douglas Carter Beane
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 5f, 4m)
This contemporary take on the classic tale features Rodgers & Hammerstein’s most beloved songs, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” alongside an up-to-date, hilarious and romantic libretto by Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane. Concord Theatricals is proud to license several versions of Cinderella. Learn about the other versions here.

Squirrel Girl Goes to College: A Squirrel Girl Play (Marvel Spotlight) by Karen Zacarías
(Short Play, Comedy / 3f, 1m, 14 any gender)
Doreen Green secretly possesses the powers of a squirrel… and the powers of a girl! She uses her amazing abilities to fight crime and to be as awesome as possible! You know her as the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl!

The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 7f, 9m)
Wilder’s uproarious farce about love and money stars the irrepressible busybody Dolly Gallagher Levi, who inspired the Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! Through Dolly’s subtle machinations, several unlikely couples come together to find happiness in 19th-century New York.

War Paint by Doug Wright, Scott Frankel and Michael Korie
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 10w, 5m)
Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden defined beauty standards for the first half of the 20th century. This dynamic contemporary musical dramatizes the rivalry between these two brilliant masters of self-invention, who sacrificed everything to become the country’s first major female entrepreneurs.

“I have a competition coming up and I need a good piece.”

365 Days/365 Plays (One-Act) by Suzan-Lori Parks
(Collection of Short Plays / Flexible Cast Size)
This collection of 365 impeccably crafted pieces, each with its own distinctive characters and dramatic power, is a complete work by an artist responding to her world, each and every day. “One Act”
refers to a presentation of 30 or fewer plays from the collection.

Around 2 by James Anthony Tyler
(Short Play / 6f, 4m)
On the night of the 2016 presidential election, a high school government club gathers to watch the results come in. As the winner becomes clear, the students struggle to understand what is happening between them and across the country.

Butter in a Lordly Dish by Agatha Christie
(Radio Play, Drama / 5w, 3m)
Sir Luke Enderby, eminent prosecution barrister and seasoned womanizer, bites off more than he can chew when the case of a serial killer comes back to haunt him. This tense, one-act thriller features one of Christie’s most gruesome murders. 

Flip Turn by Madeleine George
(Short Play, Comedy / 4f, 6m)
A fantastic blending of the under- and above-water worlds at a public pool, when an ordinary day calls for extraordinary feats of daring and trust.

Horse Girls by Jenny Rachel Weiner
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 7f)
A dark comedy of middle school deception and lies, Horse Girls is a play about pre-teens: their obsessions, their insecurities, their desperate need to find a place in the world. (Competition version available.)

How the Moon Would Talk by Nick Gandiello
(Short Play / 6f, 3m)
High school student Ally has just lost her sister to cancer, and her boyfriend, Dwayne, is trying to be as committed to her as possible. On a Harlem rooftop, a group of friends discuss what it means to grieve when no one else has the answers for you.

In Juliet’s Garden by Judith Elliot McDonald
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 7f)
In this ingenious comedy, Juliet Capulet invites four other heroines of Shakespeare’s classics (Katharina, Portia, Ophelia and Desdemona) to lunch in her favorite garden in Verona to discuss issues’ they all have with their plots.

Kodachrome (One-Act Version) by Adam Szymkowicz
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 3w, 2m)
A one-act adaptation of Adam Szymkowicz’s play about love, nostalgia, the seasons, and how we learn to say goodbye. Welcome to Colchester, a small town where everybody knows each other, and the pace of life allows the pursuit of love to take up as much space as it needs.

Lost Girl by Kimberly Bellflower
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 6m, Flexible/Expandable Casting)
Lost Girl examines Wendy’s coming of age after the classic story of Peter Pan. Featuring flexible casting and a strong female protagonist, the play runs 90 minutes. A separate 40-minute competition version is available upon request.

She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition by Qui Nguyen
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 6w, 3m)
New edition created specially for high school performing groups! This comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games is a high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture – a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.

The 39 Steps, Even More Abridged by Patrick Barlow and John Buchan
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 1w, 1m, 2 any gender)
A 40-minute, 4-actor version of the hit whodunit, speeding along but never missing any of the comic brilliance and thrilling moments of the full-length play. The shorter version features the most loved and legendary scenes, including the chase on the Flying Scotsman, the escape on The Forth Bridge, and the death-defying (or nearly!) finale at the London Palladium.

The Astonishing And Dangerous History of Mazefield the Frog by Jen Silverman
(Short Play, Comedy / 3f, 2m, 6 any gender)
Clare and Sara are sisters; Sara is cool, Clare is not. Sara’s boyfriend gave her a frog that she doesn’t want, so she passes it along to Clare. Clare reluctantly accepts – only to learn that the frog can talk, his name is Mazefield, and he wants to bring about the apocalypse.

The Dance Company by Jonathan Caren
(Short Play, Comedy / 7f, 4m)
Three former jocks infiltrate an all-girls high school dance company in this comedy from Keen Teens.

The Lost Girl (Or First Chair) by Lauren Yee
(Short Play, Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 5m)
When a school’s first violinist disappears, parents and students humorously navigate the rocky waters of high school orchestra politics. This short play, running 30 minutes, is ideal for competitions.

“I have a performance during the holidays.”

A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol by Walton Jones, David Wohl and Faye Greenberg
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 4f, 6m)
It’s Christmas Eve, 1943. The Feddington Players, broadcasting from a hole-in-the-wall studio in Newark, NJ, are set to present their contemporary “take” on Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Whether it’s the noisy plumbing, missed cues, electrical blackouts, or the over-the-top theatrics of a veteran actor, this musical captures the mayhem and madness of a live radio show.

Christmas Carol High School by Mark Landon Smith and Charles Dickens
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 13f, 8m)
The classic story of A Christmas Carol is given a modern twist and set at West End High School, where the campus “Scrooge” is Meredith Priestly, the most beautiful, most popular, meanest, nastiest girl in school!

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas by Irving Berlin, David Ives and Paul Blake
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 5w, 6m, 1 girl +Ensemble)
Based on the beloved, timeless 1954 movie, this heartwarming musical adaptation features 17 Irving Berlin songs and a book by David Ives and Paul Blake. Featuring well-known standards including “Blue Skies,” “I Love A Piano,” “How Deep Is the Ocean” and the perennial title song, White Christmas is an uplifting musical worthy of year-round productions. 

Ken Ludwig and Jack Ludwig’s Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 3f, 5m)
Tiny Tim is determined to have his father home for Christmas day even if it means teaching Ebenezer Scrooge a lesson in Christmas cheer! Adapted from the classic Charles Dickens’ novel, Tony award winner Ken Ludwig writes a heart-warming Christmas tale full of family fun!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 6f, 4m, 9 girls, 8 boys)
In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids – probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won’t believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on!

The Nutcracker by David Perkins and Jenifer Toksvig
(Full-Length Musical / 12 girls, 12 boys)
It’s Christmas: the best time of year for toys and stories. But all over the world, the magic of Make Believe is fading. Only the toys know the truth: the Queen and King of mouses have stolen the Christmas Star and used its magic to turn the Prince of Make Believe into a wooden Nutcracker. Can Clara and her brother Fritz bring the Nutcracker back to life, help him defeat the House of Mouse, and restore him to the throne?

“I have a large cast for a play.”

Henry, Episode IV: A New Hope by Don Zolidis
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 14f, 9m, 3 any gender)
Henry IV has a ton of problems. There’s a rebellion in the north, and his son, Hal, spends his time pretending to be a Jedi Knight and cosplaying with a group of idiots at the local Boar’s Head Cantina. Things come to a head when Henry discovers that Darth Hotspur is creating a super weapon of some kind (ye olde deathe starre), and Hal has decided to rescue a princess out of a local nunnery.

Ken Ludwig’s Twentieth Century by Ken Ludwig
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 4f, 12m)
In this hilarious adaptation of the classic play, egomaniacal and bankrupt Broadway director Oscar Jaffe boards the Twentieth Century Limited and encounters his former discovery and ex-chorus girl, Lily Garland, now a temperamental Hollywood star.

Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood: Teen Edition by Adam Szymkowicz
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 4f, 4m, 6 any gender)
A gender-bending, patriarchy-smashing, hilarious new take on the classic tale. Robin Hood is, and has always been, Maid Marian in disguise, and leads a motley group of Merry Men (few of whom are actually men) against the greedy Prince John.

Puffs by Matt Cox
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5f, 5m, 1 any gender)
For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs… who just happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world.

Shakespeare in Love (High School Edition) by Lee Hall and Tom Stoppard
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 18m)
Young Will Shakespeare has writer’s block and the deadline for his new play is fast approaching. Against a bustling background of mistaken identity and backstage theatrics, Will’s love Viola cleverly schemes to succeed as an actor, inspiring Will to write his greatest masterpiece.

Spell #7 by Ntozake Shange
(Full-Length Play, Choreopoem / 5f, 4m)
This striking choreopoem by the author of for colored girls… is set in St. Louis in a bar frequented by Black artists and musicians. In another meditation on the irony of being Black in a white world, the artists bare their souls in soliloquies, many of them illustrated by atmospheric dances.

Tenderfella by Michael Liebo
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 18f, 13m, 9 any gender)
Tenderfella, a poetic and empathetic teen, is uncoordinated at every sport, making him an embarrassment to his family and a natural target for the school bully, Willard. All this changes when exasperated teen star Roxanne Janico arrives from Hollywood. This modern-day retelling of the classic “Cinderella” will have the audience laughing and cheering for an unlikely hero.

The Awesome 80s Prom by Ken Davenport
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 8w, 12m)
This hilarious blast-from-the-past party is set at Wanaget High’s Senior Prom… in 1989! From the captain of the football team to the brain to the hottie head cheerleader, all of your favorite ’80s movies characters are here, competing for prom king and queen. And the audience decides who wins! Travel back in time and join the break-dance circle, or just sit back and watch the ’80s drama unfold. 

The Doctor in Wonderland by Don Zolidis
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5f, 3m, 17 any gender)
Wonderland is no longer just in the mind of Alice. In Don Zolidis’ new parody, Dr. What and his companion, Cara, crash into Wonderland. When the two are separated they meet all the usual suspects, but mainly the Queen of Hearts, who is ready to chop off the heads of anyone who crosses her. It’s up to the time-traveling duo to escape and get their phone booth fixed before it’s off with their heads!

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by John Heimbuch and Jon Ferguson
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1f, 2m, 7 any gender)
A dynamic ensemble-based retelling of the famous Washington Irving short story. In the quaint village of Sleepy Hollow, the legend of a mighty headless Hessian haunts humble schoolteacher Ichabod Crane as he pursues the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel.

“I have a large cast for a musical.”

42nd Street by Harry Warren, Al Dubin, Michael Stewart, Mark Bramble, Bradford Ropes and Gower Champion
(Short Musical, Comedy / 7f, 6m +Ensemble)
Come along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway! 42nd Street celebrates Broadway, Times Square and the magic of show biz with wit, humor and pizzazz. The score is chock-full of Broadway standards, including “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,” “We’re In the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and the title song. Also available in a Youth Edition.

Amélie: Teen Edition by Craig Lucas, Daniel Messé & Nathan Tysen
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 5w, 7m, 1 girl +Ensemble)
In this whimsical musical adaptation of the romantic comedy film, designed specifically for high school performers, an extraordinary young woman improvises small but surprising acts of kindness. But when a chance at love comes her way, Amélie realizes that to find happiness she’ll have to risk everything and say what’s in her heart.

Anastasia: The Musical (Youth Edition) by Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens
(Short Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 5m, 10 any gender)
A 60-minute adaptation, specially tailored for young actors, of the spectacular Broadway musical about discovering who you are and defining who you’re meant to be. This dazzling show transports its audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Full-Length Version also available!

Be More Chill by Joe Iconis, Joe Tracz and Ned Vizzini
(Full Length Musical, Comedy / 4w, 6m +Ensemble) 
Based on the contemporary best-selling novel, Be More Chill is the story of Jeremy Heere, an average teenager. That is, until he finds out about “The Squip,” a tiny supercomputer that promises to bring him everything he desires most: a date with Christine, an invite to the raddest party of the year and a chance to survive life in his suburban New Jersey high school. But is being the most popular guy in school worth the risk?

Bye Bye Birdie by Michael Stewart, Charles Strouse and Lee Adams
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 6f, 5m +Ensemble)
A loving send-up of the 1950s, small-town America, teenagers, and rock & roll, Bye Bye Birdie remains as fresh and vibrant as ever. Teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie has been drafted, so he chooses All-American girl Kim MacAfee for a very public farewell kiss. Featuring a tuneful high-energy score, plenty of great parts for teens, and a hilarious script, Birdie continues to thrill audiences around the world. Also available in a Youth Edition.

Chicago: Teen Edition by Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse and John Kander
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 10f, 9m)
Kander & Ebb’s legendary and award-winning musical about fame, fortune and acquittal is now widely available to be performed by high schools around the world. Specifically designed to be content-appropriate and flexible, Chicago: Teen Edition has been adapted to remove overtly sexual references and adult language, and can be performed by larger and smaller casts.

Crazy For You: Youth Edition by George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Ken Ludwig, Mike Ockrent, Guy Bolton, John McGowan
(Short Musical, Comedy / 5f, 4m +Ensemble)
A zany rich-boy-meets-hometown-girl romantic comedy! In Deadrock, Nevada, young New York banker Bobby falls for spunky Polly Baker. Bobby vows – through cunning, razzmatazz and a hilarious case of mistaken identity – to win Polly’s heart and save the town’s failing theatre. Memorable Gershwin tunes include “I Got Rhythm,” “Embraceable You” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Full-Length Version also available.

Doctor Zhivago by Michael Weller, Michael Korie, Amy Powers, Lucy Simon and Boris Pasternak
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 3w, 5m + Ensemble)
This heartbreaking epic romance, based on the bestselling novel, is set during the final days of Czarist Russia. Raised as an aristocrat, Zhivago is a political idealist, physician and poet whose life is tossed by the tides of history as he is torn between a life with his close childhood friend and wife, and the passionate and mysterious Lara. 

Dreamland by Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / Large, Flexible Cast)
Dreamland (or a musical riff on Shakespeare’s Midsummer set during the declassification of Area 51) is a hilarious hijinks-filled retelling of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy featuring honor students, aliens, and a show choir.

Family Album: Teen Edition by Joe Iconis and John Simpkins
(Musical Revue, Dramatic Comedy / 10 any gender, Expandable Casting)
This dynamic, contemporary song cycle is a collection of character songs from the point of view of criminals, monstrous creatures, house pets, automatons, artists and other various weirdos. 

Footloose: Youth Edition by Dean Pitchford, Walter Bobbie, Tom Snow, Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman
(Short Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 8f, 8m, 10 any gender)
The explosive movie musical bursts onto the live stage with thrilling results. To the rockin’ rhythm of its Oscar and Tony-nominated Top 40 score, Footloose celebrates the exhilaration of youth, the wisdom of listening to one another, and the power of forgiveness. Full-Length and 90-Minute Versions also available.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 2f, 16m)
One of the most enduring shows of all time, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers, their father Jacob and the coat of many colors. Appropriate for all audiences and groups, Joseph is ideal for a large cast.

On the Other Side of the Fence by Andrea Green
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 30 any gender)
Romeo and Juliet meets the farm in this kid-friendly musical, teaching lessons of understanding, conflict resolution and tolerance. On the Other Side of the Fence is a rollicking, high-spirited barnyard musical where “taking the fence away” leads to understanding differences and finding friendship.

Rock of Ages: Youth Edition by Chris D’Arienzo
(Short Musical, Comedy / 6m, 7f, 11 any gender)
Adapted by industry leaders iTheatrics for performance at elementary, middle and high school levels, this squeaky-clean adaptation of the winning Broadway rock musical is everything teachers, parents and kids love: a classic boy-meets-girl musical story set to an exciting and fun 80s rock soundtrack. What could be better? Teen Edition also available.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!: Youth Edition by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Agnes de Mille and Lynn Riggs
(Short Musical, Comedy / 4f, 5m +Ensemble)
This exuberant classic is a lively, tuneful musical full of cowboys, farmers, young love and fearless optimism. In a Western territory just after the turn of the 20th century, a high-spirited rivalry between local farmers and cowboys provides a colorful background for romance, song and dance in a musical adventure embracing hope, determination and the promise of a new land. Full-Length Version also available.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 4f, 7m)
Based on Charles Dickens’ final unfinished novel, this hilarious whodunit invites the audience to solve its mystery by choosing the identity of the murderer. The tale is presented as a show-within-a-show, as a delightfully loony Victorian theatre company presents Dickens’ brooding mystery.

The Sound Of Music by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 7f, 4m, 5 girls, 2 boys +Ensemble)
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s final collaboration features several great roles for women, from the plucky, determined heroine to a naïve teenager, a jaded countess, a wise Mother Superior, and a variety of charming children and nuns. The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, has won the hearts of fans all over the world, and continues to delight audiences more than six decades after its premiere. Also available in a Youth Edition.

The SpongeBob Musical by Kyle Jarrow and Tina Landau
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 16 any gender)
The stakes are higher than ever in this dynamic stage musical, as SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face the total annihilation of their undersea world. Just when all hope seems lost, a most unexpected hero rises up and takes center stage. The power of optimism really can save the world. Also available in a Youth Edition.

The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition­ by L. Frank Baum, Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg, Herbert Stothart and Timothy Allen McDonald
(Short Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 5f, 5m, 10 any gender)
We’re off to see the wizard! This beloved tale, in which a Kansas farm girl travels over the rainbow to discover the magical power of home, has entertained audiences for generations. This one-hour adaptation of the classic MGM musical was specially tailored by iTheatrics for elementary and middle school-aged actors. Full-Length RSC Version also available.

Twelfth Night by Kwame Kwei-Armah, Shaina Taub
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 4f, 7m)
Named one of the best theatrical productions of 2018, Twelfth Night is a rousing contemporary musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy about mistaken identity and self-discovery. Featuring an original jazz-funk score by Shaina Taub, with a flexible-sized cast and 90-minute running time, Twelfth Night is appropriate for all audiences and groups.

For more great plays and musicals, visit ConcordTheatricals.com! Plus, don’t forget to check out our guide to K12 licensing, show selection and more.