A New Musical in Development

Schooled

Hamilton meets The Sound of Music meets Good Night, and Good Luck —
all set in and around a contemporary high school

classical·hip-hop·Latin·pop·jazz·spiritual

Book, music & lyrics by Peter Nilsson

Schooled follows a brother, a sister, and a friend from the hallways of high school through the decade that reshapes them.

How the SXSW EDU Audience Described Schooled

A joyful and celebratory show, wrapped around authentic, unflinching narratives.

67
Net Promoter Score
n = 96
75%
promoters
69%
perfect 10
NPS above 50 is excellent by Bain & Company standards; 70 is world-class. 67 is exceptional for a first reading of a work in development.
“A musical for our times, from the voice of young people who need to be listened to.”
“This writer captured the souls of students hungry for relevancy and action.”
“It was funny while also asking very important questions.”
“SO refreshing that it’s not the typical Hollywood disdain and boredom of high school.”
“Being from Loudoun County, VA — this is exactly what we went through.”
“I literally cried. I NEED MORE OF THIS IN MY LIFE!”
“It was a joyful, engaging, and honest perspective of modern school! You’ll smile, laugh, and get teary eyed at how beautiful and real it is!”
“A necessary musical to watch to see how students feel and learn about what they are ACTUALLY thinking.”
“The variety of musical styles was incredible!”
Cast performing at SXSW EDU Classroom scene Dramatic scene Two leads performing Emotional moment on stage Creator and director at SXSW EDU

The Show

Who you are,
who you dream to be,
and what you can and cannot learn in school.

Starting with the thrill of the first day of class, Act I follows their adolescent years amidst turbulent times — classes, romance, a letter that goes viral, a rally that ends in gunfire, and the surprising, often humorous work of growing together. Act II jumps ahead ten years, tracing how those years shape their early adulthood, and how their dreams grow, shift, and collide with reality. Told through a joyous blend of classical, contemporary, and hip-hop, it’s a show about awe, ambition, and justice.

Schooled is the first in a trilogy.

The full vision →

Telling a story about school requires
school for how to tell a story.

Here is our learning made visible:

2019
School meeting
A 35-minute show composed for 25 teachers to perform for their students.
Oct 2023
NY Times Center, NYC
Distilled to a 15-minute core; staged reading by 12 on- and off-Broadway actors.
Apr 2024
San Diego
Another reading of the core for a larger audience at a national conference.
Mar 2026
SXSW EDU, Austin
60-minute Act I staged reading with Q&A. 96 survey responses. NPS 67.
Oct 2026
Pittsburgh
First full two-act staged reading — workshopped with director, music director, and cast.

Latest Dispatches

  • Update #2 · June 2026 Director Ryan Dobrin and music director Mike Mackey join the team; Pittsburgh is set for October 18, and the Act II score begins to take shape.
  • Update #1 · May 2026 Act I’s reading at SXSW EDU lands an NPS of 67 — and a full two-act staged reading is booked for Pittsburgh in October.
Read the full updates →

What’s on our bookshelf

Currently reading

The Making of Cabaret

Keith Garebian

On the nightstand up next

Lyrics on Several OccasionsIra Gershwin
Marsha Norman: Collected WorksMarsha Norman
Musical Stages: An AutobiographyRichard Rodgers
Spring AwakeningSteven Sater & Duncan Sheik
See the full reading list →

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