ABSTRACT
Children’s musical theater, the broad focus of this collection, consists of the children’s musical, family musical, and young adult musical. The children’s musical is an amateur phenomenon primarily occurring in non-commercial venues, whereas the family musical is a commercial genre that appeals to both children and adults. The young adult musical is a fast-growing subcategory of commercial musical theater; it speaks to the sexual and social concerns of the 15- to 25-year-olds. Theater-leasing companies play a major role in the development and promotion of musicals for children and are a driving force in children’s active participation in musical theater.
