History Main / SchoolPlay

* Karen Kingsbury's novel ''Unlocked'' has its teenage heroine Ella cast as the heroine in what might be her high school's final production (due to impending budget cuts), the stage adaptation of Disney's ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast''. The events of the story are reflected in the rekindling of her toddlerhood friendship with Holden, an autistic boy who is the brunt of bullying by such people as her JerkJock boyfriend Jake. She helps Holden to not only participate in the show (he's cast as the Beast's human form in the final scene) but also be accepted by her family, friends, and community.

->''The school play is, in theory, a wonderful opportunity for pupils to experience first-hand the skill of the classic dramatist. In practice, however, it's a golden opportunity to get your own back on the boring old bloke for writing the thing in the first place!''
-->-- '''Peter Corey''', ''Coping with School''

->''25 kids in food suits, forgetting their lines. I'll definitely be at work.''
-->-- '''Calvin's Dad,''' ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes''

* ''HomeMovies'' had ''Bye Bye Greasy'', a parody of the 1950s-set high school theater warhorses ''Bye Bye Birdie'' and ''Grease''.
* ''TheSimpsons''' episode "I Love Lisa" climaxes with the elementary school pageant ''Hooray for Presidents' Day'', in which Ralph Wiggum and Lisa Simpson play George and Martha Washington -- Ralph, whose crush on Lisa was rebuffed, channels his heartache into his performance. Meanwhile, Bart's performance as [[AbrahamLincoln John Wilkes Booth]] by way of TheTerminator was not well received by Mrs. Hoover (especially once he tried to go after ChesterAArthur after "killing" Lincoln,).

* LoveActually has the traditional British Nativity play, and lampshades the practice of shoehorning every kid who wants a part into the production.

* Done way too many times to count, usually as an excuse to hook up the author's favorite pairing, to the point that it's a huge fanfiction cliche.

* In ''AlvinAndTheChipmunksMeetTheWolfman'', the school the Chipmunks attend is putting a production of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (arguably a sort of werewolf story as well). The shy Theodore is tapped to play the lead in hopes that it'll improve his self-confidence, but his performance really starts improving [[spoiler:after he is infected with lycanthropy]].

* In ''AlvinAndTheChipmunks Meet the Wolfman'', the school the Chipmunks attend is putting a production of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (arguably a sort of werewolf story as well). The shy Theodore is tapped to play the lead in hopes that it'll improve his self-confidence, but his performance really starts improving [[spoiler:after he is infected with lycanthropy]].

* In the Canadian show ''RadioActive'' English teacher Ms. Atoll "suggests" (read: insists) that the main cast put on a Radio Play. After each suggesting various strange and/or self-centred ideas (dramatic readings of things like ingredients on cereal boxes, a self-centred character's bank book statements, famous NHL games, a stand-up comedy routine, ect...) Atoll just decides that they should do "Beauty and the Beast". The play is a complete failure, with the lead passing out from just TALKING about romance, receiving phone calls in the middle of broadcasting, and the sound effects guy using some very strange sound effects, including an explosion that causes everyone to lose their scripts. Eventually, they decide to get their act together, and put the play on again, this time combining everyone's ideas and working them into the script. The play goes off without a hitch, but Ms. Atoll comes in as the gang is cheering their success with a deadpan "It still sucks."

* LoveActually has the traditional British Nativity play, and lampshades the practice of shoehorning every kid who wants a part into the production
-->[[AC:'''Daisy-'''[I'm] first lobster]]\\
[[AC:'''Karen-'''There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?]]

** ''Sabrina's Secret Life'' recycled this storyline only this time it was ''AMidsummerNightsDream'' and Sabrina and Cassandra were gunning for the role of Titania the fairy queen. Sabrina doesn't get the part and is made producer instead.

Amateur theater productions are the most realistic excuse to put characters in [[{{Costumer}} unusual costumes]]. If the play has any romantic overtones at all, the most important casting will not be arbitrary. For that matter, even if the play has no romantic overtones, the most important casting will not be arbitrary. Usually either people will get parts in the play that match their roles in the larger show, or this will be inverted and they will get parts that are horrible matches. The most hapless character will likely play [[YouAreATreeCharlieBrown an inanimate object]].

In HighSchool [[SitCom sitcoms]], the play is usually ''RomeoAndJuliet'', with the main characters cast in the lead roles. This is especially likely in a SheIsNotMyGirlfriend situation. The balcony scene is ''always'' shown, and the specific line "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" is ''always'' uttered. ([[YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe Expect the writers not to realize that "wherefore" means "why" and not "where".]]) Once in a while, the main plot is a less-lethal parallel of the tragedy of the play. All this is probably because the general public knows [[SmallReferencePools only a handful of actual plays]]. Also, Creator/WilliamShakespeare plays are public domain and therefore are free to show. The plot of these episodes usually revolves around the characters struggling to memorize their lines, trying to manoeuvre themselves into the lead roles, complaining/boasting about the roles they did get, or working up the confidence for a kiss scene.

* In his commentary for ''[[HarryPotter The Tales of Beedle the Bard]]'', Albus Dumbledore mentions an occasion when Hogwarts tried to put on a school play -- an adaptation of the wizarding {{fairytale}}, ''The Fountain of Fair Fortune''. [[HilarityEnsues The play ended badly]], resulting in a ban on any future productions.

* Not really the main focus of the episode, but the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "The Cutie Mark Chronicles" has Filly!Rarity designing costumes for a play. Despite the teacher liking them, she thinks they're horrible...until her horn takes her to a geode that she uses to for some reason put gemstones all over the other costumes, and for some reason the show is a hit. And the play doesn't seem to have any real plot either, it's just a group of foals in food costumes bobbing back and forth to music.

* A 2013 arc in ''KevinAndKell'' had the Caliban Academy do ''[[WestSideStory West Habitat Story]]'', with Fiona as Maria and Rudy originally cast as Bernardo - then, when [[CastIncest that got weird]], Chino.

* It's not really school, but ''[[Series/TheAddamsFamily Addams Family Values]]'' featured a play about Thanksgiving in which Wednesday takes her revenge on the AlphaBitch.

* ''[[KareKano Kareshi Kanojo No Jijou]]'' featured the production of a play based off a script written by one of the characters entitled "Steel Snow". The actual play itself is found only in the manga as the anime ended before these chapters could be animated. Quite the pity that the odds of a sequel made by Gainax for these chapters has about as much probability as the Tenchuu arc of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' being animated. In both cases, they are one of the highlights of the manga.

* ''TheBradyBunch'' did ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' with Marcia playing Juliet, Cindy's fairy princess play, plus a play about the American Revolution where Peter played Benedict Arnold. (The family also did a backyard production of "Literature/SnowWhite" and a home movie about the Pilgrims.)
* ''GrowingPains'' and ''TheWonderYears'' both did ''Our Town'', but in the former the emphasis was on George (played by Mike) and in the latter the focus was on Emily (played by Winnie.)
* ''MySoCalledLife'' also did ''OurTown'', or would have if it hadn't been cancelled. However, it was unique in that the build-up lasted longer than just one episode.

* ''SavedByTheBell'' did "Literature/SnowWhite" (titled [[TotallyRadical "Snow White And The Seven Dorks"]]), but turned it into a rap that lasted approximately 45 seconds.

* ''[[SuzumiyaHaruhi The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'' contains a minor subversion in its SchoolFestival episode. The play in question has almost no effect on the plot of the episode, and is actually ''RosencrantzAndGuildensternAreDead'' by TomStoppard, rather than the ubiquitous ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''.
** Knowing the play, this troper thinks the choice is to help highlight some of the show's themes.

* Karen Kingsbury's novel ''Unlocked'' has its teenage heroine Ella cast as the heroine in what might be her high school's final production (due to impending budget cuts), the stage adaptation of Disney's ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast''. The events of the story are reflected in the rekindling of her toddlerhood friendship with Holden, an autistic boy who is the brunt of bullying by such people as her JerkJock boyfriend Jake. Holden turns out to have a lovely singing voice, and she helps him not only to participate in the show (getting him cast as the Beast's human form in the final scene) but to be accepted by her family, friends, and community.

* ''TheBerenstainBears Get Stage Fright'' has Sister Bear dealing with the titular problem when she's cast as the heroine of "Rumpelstiltskin"; specifically, she's afraid she'll forget her lines. This book was adapted into an episode of the SaturdayMorningCartoon in TheEighties.

* The reunion special ''[[TheManyLovesOfDobieGillis Bring Me The Head of Dobie Gillis]]'' featured a subplot in which a drama teacher fanatically pursues his decades-long dream of staging his play titled, literally, "A Musical Version Of Romeo and Juliet With A Happy Ending". (The happy ending? [[spoiler:They are reunited in heaven after offing themselves.]])

* A production of ''TheWizardOfOz'' is chronicled in one stretch of ''DiaryOfAWimpyKid'' (see YouAreATreeCharlieBrown); a talent show appears in the first sequel.

* ''SavedByTheBell'' did "Literature/SnowWhite", but turned it into a rap that lasted approximately 45 seconds.