These Movies Have Been Adapted Into Stage Musicals

While theatres across the world have shut down right now, what you may not realize is lots of popular musicals were based on movies you can watch from the comfort of your own home! Here are several films that inspired theatrical productions that are worth checking out!

Hey there, teenage Baltimore! While Hairspray might be more known to audiences after its 2007 film remake, which featured stars such as Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes, and Allison Janney, it first came into existence as a film in 1988! Directed by John Waters, the original film has become something of a cult classic. The stage musical integrated elements of both movies, and continues to be popular to this day!

This story of mild-mannered shop assistant Seymour and the terrifying plant Audrey II first terrorized moviegoers in 1960. The dark comedy was then turned into a musical in 1982, after which it spawned a remake that included songs from the show!

Yes, this vibrant musical about a shoemaker forming an unlikely friendship with a drag queen that features a soundtrack by Cyndi Lauper was actually a movie first... and inspired by true events! The British film Kinky Boots was released in 2005, and didn't hit the stage until 2012.

The animated fairytale parody about an ogre who falls in love with a beautiful princess charged onto the Broadway stage in 2008. While the original film had a memorable soundtrack, it's now been turned into a full-fledged musical, which still has performances playing around the world!

The 1994 Disney classic roared onto the stage just a few years after its release, first coming to theatregoing audiences in 1997. Featuring many of the film's hit songs, such as "The Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", as well as adding a few new ones, The Lion King lives on to this day!

This indie romantic musical drama about an Irish musician who falls in love with a Czech woman won hearts in 2007 when the film was first released. 4 years later it reached the stage, bringing songs like "Falling Slowly" to theatregoers for the first time! To this day it continues playing performances worldwide.

Now is the time to seize the day! Disney's 1992 musical film inspired by a true story about a group of newsboys who went on strike against an oppressive system hit the stage in 2011. There's even a filmed version of the Broadway musical that was released in 2017 for a more authentic theatre experience!

While the 2003 comedy starring Jack Black as a substitute teacher who gets his students to form a band had lots of music in it, it only recently became a musical! School of Rock rocked onto the stage for the first time in 2015, and the show has toured around the world since then!

With a score by Grammy award winner Sara Bareilles, Waitress brings a lot of love, laughter, and pie to the stage! This uplifting show made its Broadway debut in 2016, and has played performances throughout North America and the United Kingdom. The original film it's based on was released in 2007 and stars Keri Russell as the protagonist, "Jenna".