9 family-friendly musicals to stream after watching ‘Hamilton’

With no live Broadway performances at least until January 2021, mamas are doing what we can to survive life without live musical entertainment. Thankfully, Disney+ blessed us with Hamilton over the weekend—we’ll be belting the lyrics (with our kids) to our favorite songs all summer long.

But what are our other options? We checked out other family-friendly musicals that are currently streaming and we found classics and new musicals from the past five years.

And, if you still need more from your normal streaming devices, be sure to check out BroadwayHD, which offers almost 300 titles in its catalog with old and new hits—including hits for little ones. Plus, HBO will present Spike Lee’s David Byrne’s American Utopia later this year. The year of 2020 is shaping up to be a banner year for musicals and we couldn’t be more excited. Cue all the Jazz hands!

Here are top family-friendly musicals to stream now:

Fame (1980): Ages 13+

Follow the life and times of students studying at New York City’s High School of the Performing Arts, which is now LaGuardia High.

Watch on: Amazon Prime

Annie (1982): Ages 10+

Annie debuted on Broadway in 1977 and it was an instant hit. The story highlights Annie’s life as an orphan growing up in a facility run by mean people. Her life takes a turn when a rich man decides to bring her into his home to promote his image. It won seven Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical.

Watch on: Amazon Prime + iTunes

Chicago (2002): Ages: 13+

Enjoy the dealings of celebrity, scandal and corruption in Chicago between the 1920s and 1930s.

Watch on: Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube, HBO

Rent (2005): Ages 13+

New Yorkers living in the East Village, learn to survive while dealing with poverty, illness and the AIDS epidemic. A great conversation-starter for older kiddos.

Watch on: Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix

Dreamgirls (2006): Ages 13+

Staring Beyonce, this is an adaptation of the 1981 Tony-nominated musical of the 1960s girls group, The Dreamettes, rise to stardom.

Watch on: Amazon Prime, Hulu, iTunes

The Greatest Showman (2017): Ages 10+

Inspired by the work of P.T Barnum, this movie highlights the highs and lows of show business.

Watch on: Amazon Prime, YouTube

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018): Ages 13+

Sophie prepares for the reopening of the Hotel Bella Donna while dealing with her mother’s past.

Watch on: Amazon Prime, Hulu, Vudu

Mary Poppins Returns (2018): Ages 6+

When Michael Banks, dad of three, experiences the loss of his wife, he finds himself seeking the lovable nanny of his past. Lin-Manuel Miranda (yep, from Hamilton!) can be seen dancing and singing throughout the film.

Watch on: Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix

Cats (2019): Ages 10+

Based on the 1981 musical version of T.S. Eliot poems from Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, viewers will enjoy watching cats make a decision to determine which cat will move onto a new, non-human world.

Watch on: Amazon Prime

Related Stories

What To Watch

‘Bluey’ is back—everything to know about the upcoming minisodes available this fall

Our Partners

From on-screen adventures to playtime magic, “Unicorn Academy” delivers the extraordinary this summer

What To Watch

Here’s the first trailer for ‘Moana 2’—and it’s everything