Get the Crowd Going at Your High School Culture Festival! A Collection of Ideas for Plays and Musicals

Chain of Flowers

Recommended book: "Hanano Kusari / Kanae Minato"

I’d like to introduce a work by the famous author Kanae Minato.

Published in 2011 and adapted into a film in 2013, it’s a piece whose characteristic Minato-style foreshadowing and structure I found outstanding.

Although each character’s storyline appears to stand alone, it actually serves as foreshadowing and becomes a key to the narrative.

So if you were to stage it as a play, say for a school festival, you would need to think very carefully about the structure.

However, precisely because it’s demanding, I believe the sense of accomplishment for the cast and the satisfaction it would give the audience would be immeasurable.

SPY×FAMILY

Musical SPY×FAMILY 2025 Official Trailer [Stage Footage Ver.]

SPY x FAMILY, whose lines like “Anya loves peanuts” went viral, is also a hugely popular manga among students.

Its easy-to-grasp setup—a hitman and a cute little girl—seems perfect for a stage adaptation.

Because the characters are so well-known, it’s great for audience engagement, too! It’s also reassuring that it follows a tried-and-true template: a villain appears, they fight, they win, and it ends happily.

I think creating an original script set in your own school would make a cultural festival or school play really exciting.

If you include a famous teacher or a teacher with a strong personality, it could be an even bigger hit!

Sazae-san

[Stage Sazae-san] Norika Fujiwara and Ken Matsudaira: Japan’s most famous and boisterous family reunites! New cast members include Hinatazaka46’s Honoka Hirao and wink first’s Shoma Fujishiro and Hikaru Matsuzaki! Stage “Sazae-san” dress rehearsal

Many people are probably familiar with the nationally beloved anime Sazae-san.

It’s perfect to perform at a school culture festival.

It warmly portrays a traditional family, making casting easy, so it’s highly recommended.

Try performing it with an original episode while preserving the lively atmosphere unique to culture festivals.

Imitating the costumes and hairstyles might make the stage even more exciting.

It may also evoke a sense of nostalgia or leave you feeling warm and relaxed.

Weathering with YouNEW!

Special Weather Forecast for the film “Weathering With You”

The story is set in Tokyo, where the rain never stops.

When Hina Amano, who can restore the weather through prayer, meets Hodaka Morishima, a runaway who has come to Tokyo, the tale of Weathering With You begins to unfold.

As the two become involved with each other, they grow closer and become irreplaceable to one another.

However, a sad fate awaits them both.

While prompting reflection on environmental issues and the choices we make in life, it is a moving work that captures the purity of their feelings.

Please portray the subtle shifts in their hearts with care, and be sure to convey to the audience the hope felt in clear skies and the characters’ strong emotions.

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sasashina

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Darkness in Shangri-La

Stage Play 'Tougen Anki' - Nerima Arc - Public Dress Rehearsal: Second Stage Adaptation Starring Aran Abe and Others

Based on the well-known folktale Momotaro, Togen Anki is a work that depicts the battle between the descendants of ogres and the descendants of Momotaro.

Since the story unfolds while incorporating elements of the original folktale, it gives the impression that a wide range of people can get into it.

The distinctive characters are also a major draw, so let’s carefully consider how to portray them in a way that makes them appealing.

As the narrative shifts into battles, it’s crucial to emphasize the action scenes and draw viewers into the world above all else.

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kappamaki

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Kiki’s Delivery Service

Movie 'Kiki's Delivery Service' Trailer

Among Studio Ghibli works popular with elementary school students, I’d like to recommend Kiki’s Delivery Service for a play.

The protagonist Kiki is 13 years old, which might make her feel relatable to younger students.

Plus, distinctive characters like the cat Jiji and Tombo would be adorable and amusing when played by children.

Kiki’s Delivery Service also explores the theme of becoming independent in the transition from childhood to adulthood.

Through performing the play, the children may learn something or gain new insights.

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Nakajima Junko

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The Edge of the Alps Stands

[High School Theater] “On the Edge of the Alpine Stands”

The play “On the Edge of the Alps Stands” follows high school students who come to cheer at the summer high school baseball tournament and engage in various conversations at the far end of the Alps stands.

Created by a teacher who served as the advisor to a high school drama club in Hyogo Prefecture, it has been performed at many high schools across the country.

It was adapted into a film in 2020, drawing a great deal of attention.

Since the characters are high school students, there are many parts that high schoolers in particular may find easy to relate to.

As a conversation-driven play, it is, in a sense, more challenging than a conventional stage play, but it’s a work we hope you’ll definitely try taking on!

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SAKI

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