Recommended Plays and Musicals for Cultural Festivals, School Festivals, and School Performances
Want to make unforgettable memories with your school festival play? We’ve got you covered with a variety of works, from fairy tales and musicals to anime and trending hits.
Disney titles, Studio Ghibli films, and beloved classic stories—each one is full of charm that will captivate your audience.
There are plenty that are fun to perform, too, so bring your class together to create a moving stage filled with acting, dance, and music.
It’s sure to become a memory you’ll cherish for life.
You’re bound to find the perfect piece for your class!
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- [For High School Students] A roundup of recommended attractions for the school festival
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- [By Genre] Cultural Festival / School Festival Booth Catalog [2026]
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Fairy Tale and Picture Book Parody Play (1–10)
Super Mario
How about a play based on Mario, one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters? When you think of Mario, you probably associate him more with video games than with theater, but in 2023 the film The Super Mario Bros.
Movie was released and became a hot topic! With its colorful, instantly recognizable costumes and characters that everyone knows, choosing Mario as your production would surely delight audiences of all ages.
Santaro – A new love begins –
au’s “Santaro” commercial series depicts the everyday lives of classic folktale characters like Momotaro, Kintaro, and Urashima Taro.
While the content ties into au’s new products, one of its appeals is the solid storyline that gradually adds more characters.
Since the three Taros are the protagonists and serve as the narrative starting point, it’s recommended to pay close attention to their costumes so their personalities come across.
It seems a clear approach is to create a script that stitches together the original short commercials while connecting the gaps between them.
Fairy Tale / Picture Book Parody Play (11–20)
hero show
No matter how old we get, we can’t help but admire heroes—so why not use your culture festival or school festival stage to transform into one? There are tons of heroes kids love, like Gorenger, Kamen Rider, and Pretty Cure.
Of course, you can put on a show featuring these existing heroes, but creating an original hero and performing a show is also highly recommended! Costumes can be handmade or easily purchased, so go ahead and become the hero you dreamed of as a child! It could be fun not only for middle and high schoolers, but also for younger children to become little heroes and put on a show.
Protect the peace of your culture or school festival!
The Three Little Pigs
Isn’t this a story that everyone read in their childhood? You might picture little kids performing it at school recitals, but I think it would be great to turn it into a parody with unique twists that only high school or college students could add! There aren’t many characters, but that might let you devote more time and people to the props.
The Giant Turnip
If there’s a picture book everyone has seen at least once, it’s probably The Gigantic Turnip.
You can probably recall the story.
How about performing that story as a play? Because it’s so familiar, everyone will find it easy to accept.
You could act out the roles yourselves, or make it into a puppet show or a picture-card show (kamishibai)—that would be fun too.
Also, try creating the play in ways that suit different ages, such as for elementary, middle, or high school students.
Poupelle of Chimney Town
The picture book Poupelle of Chimney Town, created by Akihiro Nishino of the comedy duo King Kong, also drew attention when it was adapted into an animated film in 2020.
Set in a Halloween-themed town, it unfolds a sparkling fantasy story featuring Lubicchi, a chimney sweep, and a trash man.
It’s popular with children, so it’s recommended not only for junior high and high school students but also for younger kids.
Since the story takes place during Halloween, try preparing colorful, fun costumes! The song Poupelle of Chimney Town, which shares the same title as the book and was used for the animated film’s ending, is also used in stage productions, so if you want to give it a musical vibe, this track is a great choice.
11 Cats
The work 11 Piki no Neko (Eleven Cats) by Noboru Baba, who created a wide range of picture books and manga, has been expressed in many forms—such as a picture book series, an animated adaptation, and puppet theater—and has become popular especially among children.
With eleven cats as the premise, there are many characters, and teamwork is essential! It’s a perfect choice for strengthening class bonds.
There are various books in the series, so pick your favorite and give it a try! If you design the costumes to match the feel of the cats and other animals, you can enjoy the world of the story even more.
Build class unity and create great memories at your school festival or cultural festival.