Broadway babies blossom from die-hard theatre kids, born in after-school rehearsal rooms or in the spotlight of their school gymnasium. Among the shows that make students and summer campers alike feel found (on stage and off) are those adapted from the films that inspired wonder and creativity as children. Other shows are musical theatre classics that simply make them say, "I know things now." But what shows get produced the most in America's youth companies?

Guide: How To Build Your Own Custom Program with PLAYBILLDER

We at Playbill did some research. Using data from PLAYBILLDER, Playbill's Broadway-quality printing service for schools and small events, we were able to uncover the 20 most-produced shows in schools and youth theatres. The list below was sourced from the thousands of educational institutions that designed and printed their programs through PLAYBILLDER in 2023.

Without further ado, here are the top 20 youth theatre productions inspiring the next generation of theatre kids. 

1. The Addams Family

2. Mamma Mia! 

3. Little Shop of Horrors

4. Disney's Beauty and the Beast

5. Frozen Jr. 

6. Into the Woods

7. GREASE

8. Annie Jr. 

9. The Spongebob Musical 

10. The Little Mermaid

11. Shrek The Musical Jr. 

12. The Wizard of Oz (RSC 1987)

13. Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. 

14. Footloose

15. Disney's Beauty and the Beast Jr. 

16. Legally Blonde the Musical

17. Seussical

18. Shrek The Musical

19. Chicago - High School Edition 

20. Mary Poppins

Has your school or youth theatre performed any of these shows? Well, if you're looking for Broadway-quality programs for your next event, head to PLAYBILLDER.com. It's an easy way to make your students feel like superstars. Create a program using our tools, or see what might be pre-populated in a pinch. Either way, PLAYBILLDER is sure to make your production professional, possible, and popular. And who knows, you might just be featured in our next PLAYBILLDER Spotlight!