Full of glitz, glamour, tap dancing and musical numbers, Musical Theatre can also be a wonderful way to release stress, make friends as well as learn skills in song, dance and acting.
Here at Moving Waves our facilitators are trained professionals in musical theatre performance. We are regulars at facilitating musical theatre workshops, parties and more. However, first things, first. How do you even start to wrap your head around what makes a musical? Well, fear not! As a long-standing musical theatre enthusiast, I have completed a list of musical theatre shows within London, which are perfect for kids wanting to embrace musical theatre!
A classic Disney movie based on Hamlet with songs by Elton John, Lion King, set in the beautiful Pride Lands, is a firm favourite of Disney fans all over the world. The musical version is also a masterpiece in its own right. The show opened in the West End's Lyceum Theatre in October 1999 and is still running after more than 7,500 performances. In fact, you may have seen some elements of the shows featuring in the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Close your eyes, hear the drum beat and feel the heat of the African plains. Now imagine two hundred puppets of lions, elephants and other exotic animals from Africa roaming around. Brim full of colour, magic and music, this show delights the senses and is accessible for children of all ages. The music, puppetry, set building, singing and dancing are brilliant for getting kids – and us adults – excited about theatre! Click here to learn more information about tickets!
Do you know a little bookworm? Someone who is always getting up to mischief. Someone who believes in magic and being a little bit naughty? If yes, this is the musical for you and your little ones! Watch the classic book by Roald Dahl come to life on stage.
A fun, cheeky production made by the Royal Shakespeare Company with the book by Dennis Kelly and catchy music by Tim Minchin, this is a treat for the entire family. Amazing dancing, stage effects and set plus jokes and joy all in one package. Don’t miss it! Matilda is the winner of 99 international awards, including 24 for Best Musical. The show continues to delight audiences with amazing, little stars, who can beautifully act, dance and sing.
On a more philosophical note, Matilda and Miss Honey are positive female characters that show that kindness always win in the end and that with enough imagination, you can change your destiny. Grab your tickets here!
The Wizard of Oz one of the most beloved family films of all time. Who can forget the image of those famous ruby slippers, the first sight of the yellow brick road or when Dorothy steps out of her house with the film transitioning from black and white to stunning technicolour? Perhaps, like me, you have watched the film and wondered, how did the Wicked Witch of the West become, well, wicked? What’s her backstory?
The good news is that Wicked explores that very concept and will make you rethink everything you know or thought you know about The Wizard of Oz. Except it all takes place long before Dorothy experienced the tornado. Wicked tells the story of two unlikely friends, Elphaba (later to become the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (whose name later changes to Glinda the Good Witch). The story follows the duo through university, where they first meet. Elphaba is the outcast and carer of her sister, while Glinda is the popular, blonde, pretty girl. These two are unlikely friends but their journeys show that the people you meet along your journey will change you forever.
Wicked features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz with famous songs we all know and love such as Defying Gravity, Popular and For Good. Its original stars included Idina Menzel as Elphaba (who later became Elsa from Frozen, more on that later!), Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and Joel Grey as the Wizard.
This musical is simply wonderful for children who are interested in musical theatre. Don’t miss out! Book your tickets here!
Similar to Wicked, Frozen focuses on two female protagonists, two sisters, Anna and Elsa, who are both royalty and face tragedy after their parents die in a shipwreck. Elsa has magical powers to freeze objects, create snowstorms and make snowmen. She struggles to control her powers and hides the truth from her sister. After inheriting the throne and with her ice powers discovered, Elsa flees in fear, and in her doing so, inadvertently causes the kingdom to become frozen in an eternal winter. What happens next is a journey of finding yourself, the power of sisterhood and how true love saves the day.
The show opened officially in London in September 2021 with the production staring Samantha Barks as Elsa and Stephanie McKeon as Anna. Nominated for four Laurence Olivier Awards in 2022, including Best New Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for McKeon, Frozen features familiar, beloved songs such as, Let it Go, Love is an Open Door and Do you want to Build a Snowman?
Picture amazing music, stage effects, dance and lots of magic. This is the show that makes you think, ‘How did they do that?’ Perfect for all young enthusiasts, the production highlights all the many skills needed for musical theatre. Think triple threat – these little performers can act, sing and dance. Just don’t blame me if you end up singing Let it Go for two weeks afterwards in your kitchen! Book your tickets now!
This is a famous Disney movie that reminds me of my childhood. I loved and continue to love the story of Mary Poppins, a magical nanny, who arrives via wind-charged umbrella to the Banks’ home at Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane, London, where she is tasked with minding the family’s children. This show is teeming with fun, dance and magic with songs that everyone, both old and young will know such as Chim Chim Cher-Ee, Step In Time, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and A Spoonful Of Sugar. Trust me, Mary Poppins is a musical that will make you want to get up and dance! Book your tickets here.
There you have it! Five musicals that are sure to offer something for the wannabe musical theatre person in your family – and delight you in the process! At Moving Waves we offer musical theatre clubs, featuring musical numbers from the above musicals and more. Do contact us, if you want to enrol and see what musical theatre can offer your children. For me personally, it was my entry to the theatre, a place where I learned important skills and made life-long friends.
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