The Best Broadway Shows for Kids

Buster McDermott
Updated July 1, 2023 5.8K votes 455 voters 22.5K views
Over 400 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Broadway Shows for Kids

 

From tiny tots to high schoolers, kids of all ages will enjoy these great Broadway musicals. While many are running on Broadway currently, the rest will most likely be produced again in revivals so parents should be sure to keep an eye both on Broadway and this list of the best Broadway shows for kids.

A large portion of the Broadway shows kids will love are musicals. After all, what child can resist singing along with their favorite characters? Shows like The Lion King are familiar to kids already and the elaborate sets and colorful dance numbers will hold their interest for the duration of the show.

Other exciting Broadway productions might be more appropriate for older children. Hairspray, based on the film of the same name, touches on the subject of social inequalities, a subject that junior high and high school students can appreciate and relate to. Of course, the show is also fun - the music is memorable, as are the characters, so older kids are sure to not only enjoy this Broadway show but also learn more about the history of the American social landscape.

On this list, readers will find all of the greatest Broadway shows for children, including those that have been produced recently and those that were originally staged long ago. Vote up the best Broadway shows for kids below and see where the shows your kids love rank! Then check out our list of the best musical movies for kids.

 

Most divisive: Bye Bye Birdie
Ranked by
  • The Lion King
    1

    The Lion King

    Mark Mancina, Elton John, Jay Rifkin
    198 votes
    • Characters: Scar, Simba, Mufasa, Pumbaa, Nala
    The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated feature film of the same name with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, along with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer. Directed by Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. The show is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.
  • Peter Pan
    2

    Peter Pan

    Carolyn Leigh, Adolph Green, Mark Charlap
    159 votes
    • Characters: Captain Hook, Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, Wendy Darling, Mr. Smee
    Peter Pan is a musical adaptation of J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan and Barrie's own novelization of it, Peter and Wendy. The music is mostly by Mark "Moose" Charlap, with additional music by Jule Styne, and most of the lyrics were written by Carolyn Leigh, with additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The original 1954 Broadway production, starring Mary Martin as Peter and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook, earned Tony Awards for both stars. It was followed by NBC telecasts of it in 1955, 1956, and 1960 with the same stars, plus several rebroadcasts of the 1960 telecast. In 2014, the musical was broadcast on NBC featuring several new numbers, and starring Allison Williams and Christopher Walken. The show has enjoyed several revivals onstage.
  • Beauty and the Beast
    3

    Beauty and the Beast

    Alan Menken, Linda Woolverton, Howard Ashman
    172 votes
    • Characters: Belle, Gaston, Beast, Babette, Wardrobe
    Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton. Adapted from Walt Disney Pictures' Academy Award-winning 1991 animated musical film of the same name – which in turn had been based on the classic French fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont – Beauty and the Beast tells the story of a cold-blooded prince who has been magically transformed into an unsightly creature as punishment for his selfish ways. To revert into his true human form, the Beast must first learn to love a bright, beautiful young woman whom he has imprisoned in his enchanted castle before it is too late. Critics, who hailed it as one of the year's finest musicals, immediately noted the film's Broadway musical potential when it was first released in 1991, encouraging Disney CEO Michael Eisner to venture into Broadway. All eight songs from the animated film were reused in the musical, including a resurrected musical number which had been cut from the motion picture. Original songwriter Menken composed six new songs for the production alongside lyricist Rice, replacing Ashman who had died during production of the film. Woolverton, who had written the film's screenplay, adapted her own work into the musical's libretto, and specifically expanded upon the characterization of the Beast. Woolverton also expanded the storylines of the castle staff from servants who had already been transformed into household objects into humans who were gradually turning into inanimate objects. Costumes were designed by Ann Hould-Ward, who based her creations on both the animators' original designs as well as the Rococo art movement after researching how clothing and household objects looked during the 18th century. After completing tryouts in Houston, Beauty and the Beast premiered on Broadway on April 18, 1994, starring Susan Egan and Terrence Mann as the eponymous Belle and Beast, respectively. The musical opened to mixed reviews from theatre critics, but was a massive commercial success and well received by audiences. Beauty ran on Broadway for 5,461 performances for thirteen years (1994 - 2007), becoming Broadway's tenth longest-running production in history. The musical has grossed more than $1.4 billion worldwide and played in thirteen countries and 115 cities. It has also become a popular choice for junior, amateur & high school productions.
  • Mary Poppins
    4

    Mary Poppins

    Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles
    166 votes
    • Characters: Mary Poppins, Michael Banks, Jane Banks, Bert, George Banks
    Mary Poppins is a musical with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman (the Sherman Brothers) and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and a script by Julian Fellowes. The musical is based on the similarly titled Mary Poppins children's books by P. L. Travers and the 1964 Disney film, and is a fusion of various elements from the two, including songs from the film. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Walt Disney Theatrical and directed by Richard Eyre with co-direction from Matthew Bourne who also acted as co-choreographer with Stephen Mear, the original West End production opened in December 2004 and won two Olivier Awards, one for Best Actress in a Musical and the other for Best Theatre Choreography. A Broadway production with a near-identical creative team opened in November 2006, with only minor changes from the West End version. It received seven Tony nominations, including Best Musical, and won for Best Scenic Design in a Musical. The original Broadway production closed in March 2013, after 2,619 performances. Touring productions followed. The musical has become a popular choice for schools and community theatres to produce.
  • Annie
    5

    Annie

    Martin Charnin, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse
    161 votes
    • Characters: Annie, Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks, Miss Agatha Hannigan, Daniel Francis "Rooster" Hannigan, Lily St. Regis
    Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, setting a record for the Alvin Theatre. It spawned numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours, and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical's songs "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life" are among its most popular musical numbers.
  • The Little Mermaid
    6

    The Little Mermaid

    Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Doug Wright
    150 votes
    • Characters: Ariel, Ursula, Prince Eric, Flounder, Sebastian
    The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen about a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and gives up her voice to find love. Its book is by Doug Wright, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman (written for the film), with additional lyrics by Glenn Slater. Its underwater setting and story about aquatic characters requires unusual technical designs and strategies to create gliding movements for the actors. After a pre-Broadway tryout in Denver, Colorado from July to September 2007, the musical began Broadway previews on November 3, 2007 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, replacing Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The production officially opened on January 10, 2008 and closed on August 30, 2009 after 685 performances and 50 previews. It introduced Broadway debuts by director Francesca Zambello and Sierra Boggess in the title role. Subsequent productions have been seen in US regional theatres and internationally. A modified version of the musical with a new book and direction by Glenn Casale was developed in 2012, and this version is the basis for subsequent productions.