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.
Keyboard playerSAKI
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)

Your name is.

"Your Name." Trailer

Your name is.

How about recreating the 2016 film “Your Name.” with your whole class? Since the story involves a boy and a girl swapping bodies, it’s sure to be a hit with performances where the boys act in a girlish way and the girls act in a boyish way.

Depending on how you write the script, you could make it either comedic or touching.

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The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (10th Anniversary Theatrical Trailer)

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

It’s an immortal masterpiece that has inspired numerous remakes.

If you can capture a page of youthful days and portray unreality that feels real, thunderous applause is guaranteed! It’s hard to immerse yourself in the story, but that’s precisely what makes it such a rewarding theme.

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From zero meters below sea level

Trailer for the film “From Zero Meters Below Sea Level”

From zero meters below sea level

“From Zero Meters Below Sea Level” is a work that won the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award at the 44th Shikoku District High School Theater Research Competition in 2019.

The script was written by Yumeka Nakata, who at the time belonged to the drama club at Tokushima Municipal High School.

It was staged in theaters in 2021 and adapted into a film in May 2024.

The piece portrays conversations between female students and a PE teacher during pool cleaning.

Because it candidly depicts life-sized worries of students, I believe current high schoolers will find it relatable.

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Musicals · Large Cast · Heartwarming/Moving Recommendations (21–30)

Psychic Academy

[Stage] Psychic Academy / Opening Video Now Public!

Psychic Academy

The stage play “Psychic Academy: Youthful Superpower Battle” is a production by the theater unit Bakusou Otona Shougakusei.

It portrays the battles at a school where psychics gather, sometimes seriously and sometimes comically.

While it’s a comedy, it also showcases solid action scenes, which is a key point—so focusing on that in any recreation is recommended.

It’s the kind of work that will test how you depict psychics in a stylish way and how you build excitement in the story.

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In conclusion

How was it? When choosing a play for your high school cultural festival, the key point is whether everyone in the class can shine.

From moving stories and relatable characters to powerful musicals, each work has its own unique appeal.

Deepen your bonds with your classmates through practice, and create a memorable time for your audience as well.

The smiles you show on stage will surely fill the entire venue with warmth! Please use this as a reference and create a play that suits your class.