The best Broadway shows for kids right now

There's a reason Simba's story continues to draw in crowds year after year: It's an amazing production with gorgeous sets, unique puppetry and a moving score from Elton John and Tim Rice. Most importantly, the cast is fresh and the musical numbers are sharp. This isn't some faded, tired musical for out-of-towners—it's for lovers of the theater, and seeing The Lion King live is something like a rite of passage for New York kids. Unconvinced? Ask the 100 million+ audience members worldwide who've seen the performance. Ages 8 and up.

Based on novelist Gregory Maguire's 1995 adult variation on L. Frank Baum's Oz mythology, Wicked provides a prequel to the children's book and movie. The musical addresses complex themes, such as standards of beauty, morality and–believe it or not–opposition to fascism. Thanks to a witty book by Winnie Holzman (creator of ’90s angstfest My So-Called Life) and Stephen Schwartz's robust score, Wicked soars. While children five and up are permitted in the theater, little ones might be afraid of the flying monkeys—we recommend this show for kids that are a tiny bit older. Ages 8 and up.

On a mock concert stage, backed by an all-female band, the six wives of Tudor monarch Henry VIII air their grievances in the form of modern pop, and most of them have plenty to complain about. The queens sing their heads off, and the audience loses its mind. Some of the stories are pretty dark—the 16th century wasn't always pretty—but the girl-power spin and killer bops will be catnip for older kids. Ages 10 and up.

The world of Harry Potter is now on Broadway, Hogwarts and all, and it's a triumph of theatrical magic. Set two decades after the final chapters of J.K. Rowling’s world-shaking kid-lit heptalogy, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child combines grand storytelling with astonishing stagecraft. Richly elaborated by director John Tiffany, the show looks like a million bucks (or, in this case, a reported $68 million); the Lyric Theatre has been transfigured from top to bottom into an immersive experience. It works: The experience is transporting. Ages 10 and up.

One of the more unlikely musicals on Broadway is an excellent choice for the family: Come from Away is the tense but humane story of an airport in Gander, Newfoundland, where 38 planes and more than 6,000 passengers were forced to land on September 11, 2001. It raises big topics, but in such a way that invites thoughtful discussion. Ages 10 and up.

In this captivating original musical, a high school student is thrust into social relevance after a classmate's suicide. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's score combines well-crafted lyrics with an exciting pop sound, and Steven Levenson’s book gives all the characters shaded motives. Since the subject matter can be heavy, we suggest saving this one for the older kids in your brood. Ages 12 and up.

This adaptation of the Disney classic features kiddie-crowd-pleasing laughs and upbeat music, which includes songs such as "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me," plus several new tunes. Kids will be dazzled by the color-drenched production and awe-inspiring special effects: confetti cannon, anyone? Ages 8 and up.

The jury's still out on this new musical adaptation of the 1993 movie about a divorced dad turned cross-dressed Scottish housekeeper: It hasn't oficially opened yer. But the show is directed by musical-comedy ace Jerry Zaks (Hello, Dolly!), and Rob McClure, most recently seen in Beetlejuice, fills Robin Williams's sensible shoes in the title role, so there's reason to hope for the best. Ages 10 and up.