Top 10 Musicals Adapted from Teen Movies
musicals adapted from teen movies, musical adaptations of teen movies, teen movie musicals, best musical adaptations, musical adaptations, hairspray, hairspray musical, newsies, newsies musical, heathers, heathers the musical, mean girls, mean girls musical, bring it on, bring it on the musical, sing street, cry-baby, cry-baby the musical, carrie, carrie musical, Musicals, Broadway, Theatre, watchmojo, watch mojo, top 10, list, mojo,
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best stage musical adaptations of teen movies and documentaries. Which teen movie do you think would make a great musical? Tell us in the comments.
Look, hear us out. Stephen King’s story about a teen girl with telekinetic powers taking revenge on her classmates doesn’t exactly sound like a musical. Critics of the original Broadway production agreed. It was a tremendous and notorious flop. However, a cult following has grown around the musical, which has some intense emotions, strong ballads, and truly spectacular moments worthy of the great actors who have performed it. It doesn’t totally gel together even in its best restagings. Still, there’s something at its core that makes people want to see if it can work as a show the way it did as a teen flick.
John Waters’ 1990 original was one of the movies that brought Johnny Depp to the fore of young Hollywood. Drawing on cheesy 1950s teen movies, Waters’ twisted but ultimately good-hearted musical flick about a squeaky clean teen and a leather-clad bad boy made it to Broadway in 2008. Despite its short run and mediocre reviews, the show was nominated for several Tonys, and said to be as “well crafted” as it was incredibly “funny”. Many were most bowled over by its incredible dance scenes. It may not have been as successful as another John Waters adaptation – more on that later – but “Cry-Baby” still has plenty of fans.
Writer-director John Carney’s 2007 movie “Once” ended up receiving a highly awarded Broadway adaptation in 2012. His 2016 coming-of-age movie musical, “Sing Street,” has the potential to follow in its footsteps. Following an Irish teen’s attempts to woo his crush by forming a band, it’s a charming story with a great ‘80s New Wave-inspired soundtrack. The stage version got pretty good reviews with its 2019 production, and even better ones for its 2022 Boston run. However, its Broadway debut in March 2020 was circumvented by the COVID shutdowns. Whenever it officially comes to Broadway, it’s sure to find more fans and more success.
Jamie Campbell made a splash in the BBC documentary “Jamie: Drag Queen at 16,” which follows him as he endeavors to become a drag queen. It’s a movie brimming with more joy than you usually see in fictional stories about queer youth, let alone real ones. When the musical premiered on the West End in 2017, it was a smash. Effervescent and spirited, the show was nominated for several awards, and it’s been toured and mounted in several different countries. Amazon Prime Video even released a well-received film adaptation in 2021, bringing its laughs and themes of acceptance and strength to audiences everywhere.
Here’s another movie you wouldn’t think would make a great musical but actually does. “Bring It On” seemed somewhat revolutionary when it was released, chronicling the rivalry between two cheerleading squads ahead of a big competition. Setting its high flying cheerleading routines and themes of racism to music was a big task. “Bring It On: The Musical” toured the U.S. before enjoying a successful limited run on Broadway. Needless to say, the dance numbers were the main event. The show was also a groundbreaker in terms of representation, as La Cienega is widely cited as the first transgender high school character in a Broadway musical.
If you’re going to tackle a movie that’s as beloved as this one, you better bring something to the table. Fortunately, original screenwriter Tina Fey returned to write the show’s script, preserving its unique and iconic brand of humor. With songs by Fey’s husband, composer Jeff Richmond, and “Legally Blonde” lyricist Nell Benjamin, “Mean Girls” is a faithful adaptation of the 2004 teen comedy. The Plastics of North Shore High School made their Broadway debut in 2018 to surprisingly good reviews. Critics generally thought the show was a worthy successor to the original movie, capturing its humor, heart, and heft. Its successful, Tony-nominated production would lead to a 2024 film adaptation.
In 1988, Winona Ryder starred in this controversial and highly quotable teen flick about a girl who feels trapped in a clique of popular girls. Her new boyfriend’s solution to her problem leads to a series of unexpected deaths and even more shocking consequences. The musical, which premiered Off-Broadway in 2014, maintains the movie’s satirical and darkly funny look at the savage and merciless social hierarchies of high school. Despite its bleak subject matter, “Heathers” is a rip-roaring good time with plenty of silliness and clever lyrics to keep you hooked. It may not be for everyone, but you can’t say it isn’t a wild ride.
Set during the real-life newsboys’ strike of 1899, Disney’s original movie was actually a failure at the box office. This didn’t stop Alan Menken, Jack Feldman, and Harvey Fierstein from resurrecting it for Broadway. The result was a musical sensation. While retaining certain tunes from the movie, the stage musical made significant changes, removing scenes, songs, and characters to make way for new ones. It paid off, as the ensemble of newsboys in caps sang and danced their way into musical history. The original Broadway production netted several Tony nominations and clinched two, for Best Choreography and Best Original Score.
The heartfelt coming-of-age film “Billy Elliot” finds a boy exploring his love of ballet. An unexpected success at the box office, audiences were charmed by Billy’s passion for dance, even if it meant defying his father. The premise feels like it almost cries out for a musical adaptation. One would make its West End premiere just a few short years after the movie’s 2000 release. With music from none other than Elton John with lyricist Lee Hall, the show eventually found its way to great success in America as well. A barnburner of a musical, “Billy Elliot: The Musical” is a showcase of young talent that has to be seen to be believed.
John Waters’ 1988 movie may have been his most mainstream project to date, but his story about Tracy Turnblad had to have its edges softened before hitting Broadway. It follows the irrepressibly optimistic Tracy as she lands a spot on a teen dance show and ends up fighting for racial integration in 1960s Baltimore. When it comes to this show, upbeat is an understatement. The songs are unforgettable, mixing musical theater pep with pop friendly catchiness. Outfitted with the costumes and hairdos of the period, this Best Musical Tony winner is designed for maximum joy.
#10: “Carrie”
Look, hear us out. Stephen King’s story about a teen girl with telekinetic powers taking revenge on her classmates doesn’t exactly sound like a musical. Critics of the original Broadway production agreed. It was a tremendous and notorious flop. However, a cult following has grown around the musical, which has some intense emotions, strong ballads, and truly spectacular moments worthy of the great actors who have performed it. It doesn’t totally gel together even in its best restagings. Still, there’s something at its core that makes people want to see if it can work as a show the way it did as a teen flick.
#9: “Cry-Baby”
John Waters’ 1990 original was one of the movies that brought Johnny Depp to the fore of young Hollywood. Drawing on cheesy 1950s teen movies, Waters’ twisted but ultimately good-hearted musical flick about a squeaky clean teen and a leather-clad bad boy made it to Broadway in 2008. Despite its short run and mediocre reviews, the show was nominated for several Tonys, and said to be as “well crafted” as it was incredibly “funny”. Many were most bowled over by its incredible dance scenes. It may not have been as successful as another John Waters adaptation – more on that later – but “Cry-Baby” still has plenty of fans.
#8: “Sing Street”
Writer-director John Carney’s 2007 movie “Once” ended up receiving a highly awarded Broadway adaptation in 2012. His 2016 coming-of-age movie musical, “Sing Street,” has the potential to follow in its footsteps. Following an Irish teen’s attempts to woo his crush by forming a band, it’s a charming story with a great ‘80s New Wave-inspired soundtrack. The stage version got pretty good reviews with its 2019 production, and even better ones for its 2022 Boston run. However, its Broadway debut in March 2020 was circumvented by the COVID shutdowns. Whenever it officially comes to Broadway, it’s sure to find more fans and more success.
#7: “Everybody's Talking About Jamie”
Jamie Campbell made a splash in the BBC documentary “Jamie: Drag Queen at 16,” which follows him as he endeavors to become a drag queen. It’s a movie brimming with more joy than you usually see in fictional stories about queer youth, let alone real ones. When the musical premiered on the West End in 2017, it was a smash. Effervescent and spirited, the show was nominated for several awards, and it’s been toured and mounted in several different countries. Amazon Prime Video even released a well-received film adaptation in 2021, bringing its laughs and themes of acceptance and strength to audiences everywhere.
#6: “Bring It On: The Musical”
Here’s another movie you wouldn’t think would make a great musical but actually does. “Bring It On” seemed somewhat revolutionary when it was released, chronicling the rivalry between two cheerleading squads ahead of a big competition. Setting its high flying cheerleading routines and themes of racism to music was a big task. “Bring It On: The Musical” toured the U.S. before enjoying a successful limited run on Broadway. Needless to say, the dance numbers were the main event. The show was also a groundbreaker in terms of representation, as La Cienega is widely cited as the first transgender high school character in a Broadway musical.
#5: “Mean Girls”
If you’re going to tackle a movie that’s as beloved as this one, you better bring something to the table. Fortunately, original screenwriter Tina Fey returned to write the show’s script, preserving its unique and iconic brand of humor. With songs by Fey’s husband, composer Jeff Richmond, and “Legally Blonde” lyricist Nell Benjamin, “Mean Girls” is a faithful adaptation of the 2004 teen comedy. The Plastics of North Shore High School made their Broadway debut in 2018 to surprisingly good reviews. Critics generally thought the show was a worthy successor to the original movie, capturing its humor, heart, and heft. Its successful, Tony-nominated production would lead to a 2024 film adaptation.
#4: “Heathers: The Musical”
In 1988, Winona Ryder starred in this controversial and highly quotable teen flick about a girl who feels trapped in a clique of popular girls. Her new boyfriend’s solution to her problem leads to a series of unexpected deaths and even more shocking consequences. The musical, which premiered Off-Broadway in 2014, maintains the movie’s satirical and darkly funny look at the savage and merciless social hierarchies of high school. Despite its bleak subject matter, “Heathers” is a rip-roaring good time with plenty of silliness and clever lyrics to keep you hooked. It may not be for everyone, but you can’t say it isn’t a wild ride.
#3: “Newsies: The Musical”
Set during the real-life newsboys’ strike of 1899, Disney’s original movie was actually a failure at the box office. This didn’t stop Alan Menken, Jack Feldman, and Harvey Fierstein from resurrecting it for Broadway. The result was a musical sensation. While retaining certain tunes from the movie, the stage musical made significant changes, removing scenes, songs, and characters to make way for new ones. It paid off, as the ensemble of newsboys in caps sang and danced their way into musical history. The original Broadway production netted several Tony nominations and clinched two, for Best Choreography and Best Original Score.
#2: “Billy Elliot: The Musical”
The heartfelt coming-of-age film “Billy Elliot” finds a boy exploring his love of ballet. An unexpected success at the box office, audiences were charmed by Billy’s passion for dance, even if it meant defying his father. The premise feels like it almost cries out for a musical adaptation. One would make its West End premiere just a few short years after the movie’s 2000 release. With music from none other than Elton John with lyricist Lee Hall, the show eventually found its way to great success in America as well. A barnburner of a musical, “Billy Elliot: The Musical” is a showcase of young talent that has to be seen to be believed.
#1: “Hairspray”
John Waters’ 1988 movie may have been his most mainstream project to date, but his story about Tracy Turnblad had to have its edges softened before hitting Broadway. It follows the irrepressibly optimistic Tracy as she lands a spot on a teen dance show and ends up fighting for racial integration in 1960s Baltimore. When it comes to this show, upbeat is an understatement. The songs are unforgettable, mixing musical theater pep with pop friendly catchiness. Outfitted with the costumes and hairdos of the period, this Best Musical Tony winner is designed for maximum joy.
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