DreamWorks Theatricals and Music Theatre International's Emerging Writers Program are developing musical versions of DreamWorks animated films How to Train Your Dragon and Trolls. Both titles will come to MTI's Broadway Junior collection, which are all tailored to be performed by actors 18 or younger.
Writing Trolls JR. is Krista Knight and Joriah Kwamé. How to Train Your Dragon JR. will be written by Veronica Mansour and Kate Thomas. Orchestrator Conor Keelan (Spirited Away) is working on both projects. Both Trolls JR. and How to Train Your Dragon JR. will premiere in the New Works Showcase at the 2026 Junior Theater Festivals in Atlanta and Sacramento.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to support the extraordinary talents of Krista, Joriah, Veronica, and Kate,” says Universal Theatrical Group (which houses DreamWorks Theatricals) Senior Vice President Lowe Cunningham in a statement. “These remarkable artists bring fresh perspectives, rich emotion, and vibrant storytelling that beautifully reflect the heart and humor of DreamWorks Animation. We are especially excited to see young audiences connect with and inhabit these beloved characters in brand-new ways through these dynamic musical adaptations.”
The How to Train Your Dragon franchise first came to the screen with a 2010 animated film—by Will Davies, Dean DeBlois, and Chris Sanders—based on the 2003 novel by Cressida Cowell. The story follows a young Viking who makes an unlikely friendship with a ferocious dragon, after which the duo joins forces to fight to save their respective worlds. The original film has spawned two sequels and a live-action remake, that itself is due to receive a sequel in 2027.
“We are so grateful to have the opportunity to work together to bring How to Train Your Dragon JR. to the stage,” says Mansour and Thomas. “It has been such an honor to step into this iconic story and make it sing for the first time. The junior talent is incredible, and we can’t wait to see where this journey continues to take us!”
Trolls comes from a 2016 film inspired by the iconic toy dolls, with a screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Broadway alum Glenn Berger. The musical version will tell a somewhat new story that sees the Trolls of Bergenland mounting a stage show to impress a tyrannical foreign emissary, in hopes that it will save the trolls from being eaten.
“When I would tell people I was doing this project for DreamWorks, they would say ‘what, you’re working?’ Not only was I working, but I was working with the genius composer Joriah Kwamé and the industry savvy producer Lowe Cunningham,” says Krista Knight. “Beyond that, Trolls is a super popular well-known IP. Even my relatives know what Trolls is. And now Trolls JR. is getting ready for the world. I can’t wait!”
“The How to Train Your Dragon and Trolls films have been an integral part of so many childhoods and family movie nights. We are overjoyed that we will be taking that even farther and adding them into the MTI catalogue for young performers and audiences of all ages to enjoy,” says MTI Chief Operations Officer John Prignano. “We can’t wait to see the way that organizations all around the country adapt these works.”
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