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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Fairy Tale / Picture Book Parody Play (11–20)
My Neighbor Totoro
How about performing one of Studio Ghibli’s most popular works, My Neighbor Totoro, as a play? The props and such might take time, but since it’s a story almost everyone knows, I think it’ll be easy for the audience to follow.
In the video, there was even someone playing a soot sprite, and it had a parody vibe with some laughs, so I think adding your own twist would work great!
Yoshimoto Shinkigeki: Shoshiro’s Whimsical Romantic
Let’s create a fun space with a parody of Yoshimoto Shinkigeki, which is highly recognized especially in the Kansai region.
Shinkigeki has several classic, staple storylines, so using those as references should make scripting easier.
In Yoshimoto Shinkigeki, the most important element is the rapid-fire exchange of gags performed by its distinctive characters, so we’ll want to put special care into that.
Depending on the scenario, certain standout characters can be particularly memorable, so it might be a good idea to decide on the characters first and then write the script.
Whale Cloud
The picture book Kujira-gumo (The Whale Cloud) by Fumiko Ishikawa tells the story of a large cloud shaped like a whale floating in the sky and a group of elementary school children.
It portrays a whale-shaped cloud the children spot during PE class that lets them ride on its back and fly through the sky.
It’s a dream-filled tale, so not only will audiences enjoy the play, but the children performing it will have fun putting it on as well.
For the whale cloud, prepare a drawing and place it as a backdrop at the rear or upper part of the stage, or make it like a banner so it can be moved around freely—highly recommended.
Since the story takes place during class, everyday items like gym uniforms can be used for costumes and props!
Meow-go
Nyāgo is a picture book by Tatsuya Miyanishi that tells the story of three mice and one cat.
It’s about three mice who ignore the warning that cats are dangerous and end up encountering a scary cat.
Although the cat originally intends to eat the mice, he gradually gets swept along by the mice’s pace, who don’t really understand how frightening a cat can be.
The story is comical and easy to follow, making it well-suited for staging as a play.
Put on mouse and cat ears and give it your all with lots of energy!
Urashima Taro
Old folktales are back in the spotlight thanks to AU’s commercials, and one of the most iconic among them is surely Urashima Taro.
Everyone knows the plot: Urashima Taro rescues a turtle, is taken by it to the Dragon Palace where he enjoys a delightful time, and when he returns to his world, many years have passed and no one he knows remains.
He opens the forbidden treasure box and instantly turns into an old man.
Still, a play that blends fantasy with a moral is enjoyable no matter how many times you see it.
Youth/School Drama Works (1–10)
Your name is.
How about having the whole class recreate the 2016 film “Your Name.”? Since the story is about a boy and a girl swapping bodies, it’s sure to be a hit with boys acting in a girlish way and girls acting in a boyish way.
Depending on how you write the script, you could make it a comedy or a tearjerker.
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a staple stage production.
As one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, it’s widely known, and there are many adaptations in various forms, making it an easy choice to perform at a school festival.
From deciding who will play Romeo and Juliet to planning the costumes, it’s sure to be an enjoyable project from the planning stages and become a memorable production.
