Among the musicals currently playing on Broadway, five are adapted from bestselling stories that children love: The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Shrek, and Wicked.

Disney’s Little Mermaid and Lion King, as well as DreamWorks’ Shrek, have grossed millions at the box office. Moving on to Broadway, the stage personas of Ariel, Simba, and Shrek are enjoying the same success as their animated forms. Life-size puppets, extravagant costumes, and spectacular musical performances have made these Broadway shows a hit among theater fans of all ages.

Another big-screen favorite who made a leap to Broadway is Mary Poppins, the famous English nanny with magical powers. Mary Poppins is an eight-book series penned by children’s book writer P. L. Travers.

Based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is a musical tale of two witches: the Good Witch of The North and the Wicked Witch of the West. The Wicked Witch plays a major role in another award-winning Broadway musical – The Wizard of Oz.