Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

Recommended plays for a high school cultural festival: popular, crowd-pleasing ideas

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
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I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

When it comes time to put on a play for your high school cultural festival, the choice of work can dramatically change the feel of the stage.

From moving fantasies to relatable comedies and heartfelt musicals, each has its own unique appeal and key directing points.

Because it’s a production everyone in the class creates together, you’ll want to pick something that’s fun for the cast to make and a joy for the audience to watch.

Here, we introduce a wide range of plays that are perfect for high school cultural festivals.

Find the one that fits your class!

Musicals • Large cast • Recommended for moving/tear-jerking stories (11–20)

In This Corner of the World

In This Corner of the World PV [Stage Footage Ver.]

In This Corner of the World

In This Corner of the World, which drew attention when it was adapted into a musical in 2024.

It originally began as a manga and was later made into a TV drama and an animated film.

Set in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, and centered on the theme of war, it’s a recommended piece when you want to stage a powerful production that can move audiences.

Footage of the musical’s stage production has been uploaded to video sites, so why not use those as references and craft your performance with care?

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Usami-kun’s big sister

[High School Theater] “Usami-kun’s Big Sister”

Usami-kun’s big sister

This is the play that was chosen as the Best Work at the 2015 National High School Theater Festival.

As you’ll see when you watch it, it’s a heartwarming comedy that piles on the laughs and has a charm that keeps you watching.

Each character is wonderfully well-defined, and you can’t help but like every single one of them.

The level as a piece of theater is quite high, but if we’re going for it, why not aim for this level of quality? Let’s pour our theatrical spirit into it!

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Poupelle of Chimney Town

Musical “Poupelle of Chimney Town” (Kansai Okura Gakuen Cultural Festival 2019)

Poupelle of Chimney Town

The play we definitely want high school students full of dreams and hope to try is Poupelle of Chimney Town.

Based on a picture book created by comedian Akihiro Nishino, it was also adapted into an animated film.

It’s a heartwarming story of friendship, making it perfect for a school festival production that the whole class creates together.

We also recommend putting care into fantastical costumes and sound.

If you’re worried that “creating the town backdrop seems difficult…,” try projecting visuals from the original work onto a screen.

It’s a play that will deepen bonds among classmates by bringing a moving story to life.

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The Phantom of the Opera

Chikushi Jogakuen High School “The Phantom of the Opera”

The Phantom of the Opera

If you want to take on a romantic and truly classic play, I recommend The Phantom of the Opera.

It’s a stage adaptation of a novel published in 1909 by French author Gaston Leroux.

Centered on the Phantom, the story is richly layered, making it perfect for a high school production.

Paying special attention to elegant costumes and hairstyles would be a great touch.

Build excitement with the famous background music everyone knows when the Phantom makes his appearance! Although the piece features classical singing and dance, it could also be fun to switch to popular songs at your school for the performance.

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Hamlet

Tatsuya Fujiwara Stage Hamlet First Half (One) HAMLET (Part 1)

Hamlet

Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s four great tragedies.

Because the work is long, creating scripts and the like can be time-consuming, but it’s also the kind of piece that makes you feel the effort is worthwhile.

There was also a stage production starring Tatsuya Fujiwara and Hikari Mitsushima, so using that as a reference is recommended!

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