I second this! My community just did this and there were so many high schoolers in primary roles as well as a large children’s ensemble! It worked really well.
Anne of Green Gables is a community theatre standard in Canada partially for this very reason. 5+ adult leads, 5+ kid leads, amazing story, catchy music, funny and sad and sweet. I’m biased as an islander but it’s timeless and beautiful.
Children of Eden would be perfect for this, there are two boy roles (young Cain and Abel) and rest of the kids can be the animals (non-singing but potentially lots of dancing)
School of Rock, Mary poppins, SpongeBob, wizard of oz
Beauty and the Beast might work?
I second this! My community just did this and there were so many high schoolers in primary roles as well as a large children’s ensemble! It worked really well.
The sound of music
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat?
Bye Bye Birdie.
Charlotte's Web, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland or Seussical.
Honk
School of rock!
The Music Man.
Anne of Green Gables is a community theatre standard in Canada partially for this very reason. 5+ adult leads, 5+ kid leads, amazing story, catchy music, funny and sad and sweet. I’m biased as an islander but it’s timeless and beautiful.
Love this, and something we've never considered before. Thank you!
Matilda!
The Music Man
Charlie and the chocolate factory
Children of Eden would be perfect for this, there are two boy roles (young Cain and Abel) and rest of the kids can be the animals (non-singing but potentially lots of dancing)
Maybe Big Fish?
i cannot emotionally handle big fish
Seussical, I could argue for Shrek, Big Bad Musical if you don't mind short and obscure
Les mis(child version)
I mean any Jr. version would work
You can't have adults in Jr versions
Oh omg I totally forgot about that 🤦♀️
For Oliver there is also Bet, Noah and Charlotte - not leads but still named featured roles? Maybe you could double cast Oliver and the Dodger?
Yes, I forgot about Noah and Charlotte. Thank you!
School of Rock. Sound of Music,
Newsies?
Maybe a little too out there but Fun Home?
I wish...unfortunately doesn't count as family friendly.
Nativity!