"musicals for middle schools"
Over the past five summers, Usdan has commissioned six (6) new works of musical theater for Middle School Students to perform for their peers. Each work is about a specific issue that kids care about, and is designed to feature many students in small and large roles. They are written by working theater artists, who teach our campers as well. If you would like to perform any of our new works in your school, please contact the Creative Director of our New Works program: bboecker@usdan.org
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Six Musicals in Four Busy Years
Listen to Audio Demos, See Photos of our Productions, Video Clips, and MORE!
Book Music and Lyrics by Ben Boecker
Camp U was commissioned in 2023, and inspired by author Ben Boecker’s actual camp experience at Usdan. Equal parts Camp fantasy, and LGBT awareness piece, It tells the story of “Fawn,” a senior Camper, and her final summer at Camp U.
Book Music and Lyrics by Billy Recce
A laugh out loud comedic romp by Billy Recce, “Good Rats” tells the story of a troupe of performing rats, touring through Europe in the year Sixteen-Sixty-Something, and accidentally spreading the plague. Throughout the play, the rats discover the power of hygiene, and learn that they too can make art that matters.
Book Music and Lyrics by Ben Boecker
Based on the books by Tina Levine
Annie is made fun of by the kids at school on account of her red hair. They call her Carrot-Top. She dreams of singing in the choir concert, but she is to afraid to do so. Follow her story as she builds friendships, develops new skills and strategies, and deals with her bullies head-on!
Book Music and Lyrics by Billy Recce
Inspired by the kids television variety shows of the 1970s like Zoom and the Electric Company, Kablam is all about a children's TV show facing hard times, and the ways they find creative solutions to their problems, like a money hungry producer and the arrival of performing robots on set!
Book Music and Lyrics by Ben Boecker
Additional Lyrics by Rachel Aberman
Based on the book by Mari Lowe
A tale of grief and belonging, “Aviva Vs. The Dybbuk” follows Aviva, a Modern Orthodox Jewish girl who discovers a Dybbuk haunting the Mikvah above which her family lives. On a deeper level, the story’s about Aviva and her mother, and how they come together to support each other after the passing of Aviva’s father.
Book Jim Incorvaia
Music and Lyrics by Ben Boecker
Mix “Rip Van Winkle” with “Sleepy Hollow”, throw in “The Devil and Tom Walker,” and you get “Sleepy Hollow Awakens: A Washington Irving Remix.” This hip-hop/pop & classical mashup of these 3 iconic Washington Irving tales reframes the stories for modern audiences, giving Katrina the leading role, turning Rip Van Winkle into a father figure, and adding new characters galore!