This is Big! The Big One-Oh! Theatre for Young Audiences version is now available for licensing.

The Big One-Oh! TYA is designed for a small troupe of adult actors to perform for children and families or easily staged by young performers. This whimsical musical features lyrics by Academy Award-winner and author of the acclaimed novel Dean Pitchford (Fame, Footloose), music by three-time Tony-winner Doug Besterman (The Producers,Elf, Young Frankenstein), and book by iTheatrics award-winning playwright Timothy Allen McDonald ( Between the Lines, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, James and the Giant Peach).

The Big One-Oh! TYA joins an MTI catalogue that contains two other versions of the show including the 60-minute Broadway Junior^®musical as well as an Online Edition.

Based on the beloved novel of the same name, the show features Charley Maplewood, a kid who has never been one for parties – that would require friends, which he doesn’t have…unless you count his monster friends, but they’re only imaginary. But now that he’s turning ten—the big one-oh—he decides to throw a birthday party for himself, complete with a “House of Horrors” theme. Of course, things don’t work out as he plans. Will Charley be able to pull it together before the big one-oh…becomes the big OH-NO!?

A spectacular production of The Big One-Oh! played Off-Broadway at The Atlantic Theater Company in New York City in 2019. It starred Aaron Banes as Charley with direction and choreography by MK Lawson. This production marked the world premiere of the TYA version of the show.

“Over the past two years, we have greatly enjoyed seeing productions of The Big One-Oh! come to life online and through Broadway Junior  performances,” said Drew Cohen, the President and CEO of Music Theatre International. “The TYA version of the show that played so successfully at The Atlantic is now ready to delight audiences of families across the country. We can’t wait to see how theatres bring their creativity and new ideas to this monster of a musical.”

Book writer Tim McDonald commented, “Creating a musical with Dean Pitchford and Doug Besterman for young people to perform was a must. Both Dean and Doug are songwriting geniuses and our young people deserve shows created by the very best.”

“Not only is The Big One-Oh! joyous, inventive and uplifting,” adds Dean Pitchdord. “But - because of the contributions of my amazing collaborators, Tim McDonald and Doug Besterman - is it also the funniest project I’ve ever worked on! (And audiences all over the world seem to share my opinion!)”

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International restrictions may apply.

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Photo: Marcus Woollen