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See these Broadway shows for back-to-school season

Get schooled by these Broadway musicals and plays that students and any curious mind can learn from — and they're more entertaining than a history lecture.

Gillian Russo
Gillian Russo

Summer is now winding to a close, and it's almost time for kids to go back to school. But just because school is starting up again doesn't mean you can't still take them to the theatre. This season, there are plenty of shows that aren't just entertaining, but they'll put students in the back-to-school mindset.

Some teach you and your kids about real-life historical figures, and with electrifying performances and catchy songs, students won't feel like they're sitting through yet another long lecture. Others feature teenage students going through their own day-to-day lives at school, perhaps making students feel less alone or nervous about returning themselves.

Get schooled at these Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for back-to-school season, and get tickets to them now for less than class tuition.

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Six

Any student learning about European history will no doubt hear about British King Henry VIII, the father of Queen Elizabeth I who had six wives. The musical Six is about those wives, who each sing energetic pop songs about their lives and what it was like to be married to a king (hint: it's not all gowns and giant ruffles). Besides telling you about their relationships with Henry, though, they also share what their lives were like beyond him. You will leave humming the songs, and you won't even need that "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived" rhyme to remember which wife is which.

Get Six tickets now.

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Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton is one of those founding fathers whose name you may know since he is on the $10 bill, but whose life you might not otherwise know about, aside from how he died in a duel. Thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical Hamilton, you will learn all about his poor boyhood in the Caribbean, how he was a powerful member of George Washington's cabinet, and his friendships and rivalries with other Revolution-era figures. This whole story is told with rap and hip-hop music and a diverse cast of actors, so Hamilton will help you see American history through fresh, modern eyes.

Get Hamilton tickets now.

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

School isn't just starting up for those of us in the Muggle world, but for everyone at Hogwarts as well. In this stage sequel to J. K. Rowling's beloved books, Harry Potter's son Albus and Draco Malfoy's son Scorpius become fast friends at school and go on a magical adventure through time. If you're worried about the school year ahead, look on the bright side: At least you won't have to worry about accidentally changing the course of history while time-traveling backward to right past wrongs.

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Kimberly Akimbo

Heading into another school year means being another year older and wiser. And no one knows that better than the title character of this Tony-winning Best Musical, about a teenager aging four times as fast as her classmates. While coping with that unique challenge, she's also figuring out how to fit in with her peers, navigate her first crush, and just be as normal a teenager as possible. That search for belonging and happiness, at school or otherwise, is something people of all ages can relate to.

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Back to the Future: The Musical

Ever wondered what high school was like in 1985 and 1955? See Back to the Future: The Musical and find out for yourself. It's not all that different from today: there were still school dances, friend cliques, and, unfortunately, bullies. And there were high school sweethearts, like the parents of teenager Marty McFly. But when he accidentally time-travels 30 years into the past and meets his teenaged parents, he nearly breaks them up and has to make it right to save his own future existence. Talk about a tight deadline!

Get Back to the Future: The Musical tickets now.

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Hadestown

Get a step ahead of the game on your Greek mythology lesson and hear some gorgeous music while you're at it. The eight-time Tony Award-winning Hadestown puts a modern spin on the ancient story of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, telling how Orpheus takes a dangerous journey to the underworld to rescue Eurydice from near-death. Gods Hades, Persephone, and Hermes make appearances, too, along with the three all-knowing Fates. Hadestown is a lesson in old folklore, but on stage, it's a captivating romantic tragedy set to a soaring folk and jazz score.

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& Juliet

After attending this pop-tastic party, you'll never see Shakespeare the same way again. Yes, Shakespeare and pop music meet in & Juliet, which features 30 hit songs by Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, the Backstreet Boys, and more. The story imagines what Juliet, of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, would do instead if she didn't die when Romeo does. A lot of self-discovery happens at school, and so it goes — albeit in Paris — for the courageous young Juliet.

Get & Juliet tickets now.

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Sesame Street: The Musical

Prepare your youngest children to start school, perhaps for the first time, by taking them to this all-ages show. At only an hour long, Sesame Street: The Musical is perfect for preschool-aged kids. Like any Sesame Street episode, the musical teaches basic letters, numbers, and kindness, while also teaching the importance of the arts and creativity. Even adults will have fun tapping into their inner school-aged kids again at this endearing show.

Get Sesame Street: The Musical tickets now.

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