In the world of streaming movies and TV, I believe the theater has gained even more of a spark. Its USP lies in the human touch, and when it’s based on your favorite book, it’s as if the characters literally come out of the page for the audience! Take a look at some of the best musicals for children based on books that are a big hit in the minds of critics and the hearts of the audience.
1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child continues the literal magical story of the titular character from the infamous Harry Potter novel and movie series. We take a leap of 19 years after Harry Potter’s last path, The Deathly Hallows, where we see the 37-year-old Harry Potter waving his son goodbye on the journey to Hogwarts in this 8th publication based on the story of the infamous series by J. K. Rowling and directed by Jack Thorne.
The story focuses on Harry’s son Albus, who befriends the son of Draco Malfoy in Hogwarts, where the eponymous character is the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. This Tony Award-winning drama is surely a magical treat for all viewers! This is one of the best Broadway shows for kids you can get tickets for in May 2025!
2. The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
Based on one of the most popular children’s favorite series, “Percy Jackson” by Rick Riordan, the magic of Greek gods comes to life in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief: The Musical. The titular character goes to Camp Half-Blood, where the 12-year-old demigod is accused of stealing Poseidon’s lightning.
The acclaimed musical first debuted off-Broadway in 2014, then came back up in 2017 with an updated version. It is the directorial debut of choreographer Lizzi Gee, known for many classic productions.
3. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
When four siblings enter the magical world of Narnia from an old but magical wardrobe, they become the last hope to save the fantastical, wintry land from the cruel hand of the White Witch. This critically acclaimed adaptation based on C.S. Lewis’s classic has been in production since 1984 at the RSC and is back in August as one of the best musical shows in London.
4. Matilda the Musical
Another one of the best musical shows for kids, which is based on Roald Dahl’s book, Matilda the Musical, is a book lover’s dream. Its titular character is a schoolgirl with the power of telekinesis, and this helps it connect with the children.
First staged at the Royal Shakespeare Company, it has been performed at the biggest theater stages of the West End and Broadway since then! Fun Fact: The Tony Award-winning play has been adapted into a Netflix movie as well, which premiered in 2022 on the said streaming platform.
5. Wicked The Musical
Wicked is based on the same name as The Wizard of Oz’s prequel, written by Gregory Maguire in his first novel for people of every age. It shows the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda and how the former came to be known as The Wicked Witch of the West.
The show became a Broadway classic ever since it premiered in 2003, inspiring an Academy Award-winning movie in 2024.
6. Anne of Green Gables – The Musical
This is the longest-running annual musical theater production in the world, based on the beloved classic book by L.M. Montgomery. The story focuses on an orphan, Anne, who, with her spirit and imagination, settles into the home of the Cuthberts, her adopted family of two siblings.
7. Charlotte’s Web
Among the best Broadway plays for kids in elementary school, Charlotte’s Web showcases a lot of values, such as friendship and innocence, through its characters Charlotte, a barn spider, and Wilbur, a pig on the same farm. While this hasn’t been performed at popular stages of Broadway or the West End, it is definitely one of the most staged children’s musical theatre shows around the world.
8. Once Upon A Mattress
Based on Henry Dash’s 1880 classic, Princess and the Pea, Once Upon A Mattress is a hilarious and feminist take on the classic.
The show has been a hit as one of the best Broadway Shows for Kids, and the role of Princess Winnifred the Woebegone has been portrayed by the best of the best in the biz, from Sex and the City’s Sarah Jessica Parker in 1996 to Younger’s Sutton Foster in 2024!
Conclusion
The theatre industry is filled with both modern and classic Disney movies that, while they are super popular, already make up an image in our minds in regard to the characters and the setting. A book, though, is a perfect place to start the imaginative journey of your children and then see its enactment through the magic of live storytelling!
