ABSTRACT

This essay explores musicals that have never been produced on Broadway or off-Broadway (and, indeed, are rarely produced by any professional company) and that are specifically written for children in school and community settings. These short children’s musicals are not part of the canon of musical theater, but they form an important repertoire of works, along with Broadway JR. shows and musical revues created by educators and children’s theater directors. This chapter explores these musicals designed for amateur children’s troupes, with a specific focus on how curricular and pedagogical trends in North America have affected which musicals are chosen for the classroom.