HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, JR. Is Now Available for Licensing

DreamWorks Theatricals, a part of Universal Theatrical Group, and Music Theatre International (MTI) announced that How to Train Your Dragon JR. is now available for licensing. 

Based on the DreamWorks Animation hit, How to Train Your Dragon JR. brings fire-breathing action, epic adventure, and big laughs to the stage. Hiccup is a young Viking who defies tradition and befriends one of his deadliest foes – a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless. Together, the unlikely heroes fight against the odds to save both their worlds in this wonderful theatrical adaptation. 

The Broadway Junior® production features a book by Kate Thomas, lyrics by Veronica Mansour and Thomas, and music by Mansour. The DreamWorks Theatricals Emerging Writers Program was created to identify diverse teams of book writers, composers and lyricists with unique voices and points of view to develop musical adaptations of popular DreamWorks Animation titles intended for the Music Theatre International catalogue.

“We’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with MTI in bringing How to Train Your Dragon, JR. to young performers and audiences. This title represents an exciting evolution of our family catalogue—expanding stories we love into dynamic, accessible theatrical experiences. A core part of that excitement is creating work for young people to perform, fostering a love of theatre while connecting with these stories and characters in a new and meaningful way. Kate Thomas and Veronica Mansour have done beautiful work in crafting an adaptation that captures the heart, humor, and adventure of the original, while creating something truly special for the stage,” said Lowe Cunningham, SVP, Head of Creative and Strategy, Universal Theatrical Group. 

“We are so grateful to have the opportunity to work together to bring How to Train Your Dragon JR. to the stage,” shared authors Veronica Mansour and Kate Thomas. “It has been such an honor to step into this iconic story and make it sing for the first time. The junior talent is incredible, and we can’t wait to see where this journey continues to take us!”

How to Train Your Dragon JR. was featured in the New Works Showcase at the 2026 Junior Theater Festivals in Atlanta and Sacramento. 

“The How to Train Your Dragon films have been an integral part of so many childhoods and family movie nights. We are overjoyed that we will be taking that even farther and adding this musical into the MTI catalogue for young performers and audiences of all ages to enjoy,” said MTI Chief Operations Officer John Prignano. “We can’t wait to see the way that organizations all around the country adapt these works.”

Licensing and additional information can be found here. Regional and international restrictions may apply. 

About Music Theatre International

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.

About DreamWorks Theatricals 

DreamWorks Theatricals, a division of Universal Theatrical Group (UTG), was formed in 2016 to develop live entertainment inspired by the studio’s acclaimed library of animated films, including the Tony-winning musical adaptation of Shrek and the West End production of The Prince of Egypt. UTG is represented by the record-breaking musical phenomenon Wicked, currently in its twenty-first smash hit-year on Broadway. Wicked has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide, making it one of the most successful theatrical ventures of all time. In 2025, DreamWorks Theatricals and Music Theatre International's Emerging Writers Program announced the development of How to Train Your Dragon and Trolls as junior titles to be added to MTI's Broadway Junior Collection. Universal Theatrical Group is currently represented on Broadway by the Tony-winning musical comedy Death Becomes Her currently at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.