HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and TROLLS Are Being Developed Into Broadway Junior Musicals

DreamWorks Theatricals, a part of Universal Theatrical Group, and Music Theatre International (MTI) announced the Broadway Junior® musicals being developed by the participants in the Emerging Writers Program. 

Two teams have developed Trolls JR. and How to Train Your Dragon JR., respectively: Krista Knight and Joriah Kwamé, Veronica Mansour and Kate Thomas.

The DreamWorks Theatricals Emerging Writers Program was created to identify new 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 MTI catalogue. 

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to support the extraordinary talents of Krista, Joriah, Veronica, and Kate,” said Lowe Cunningham, Senior Vice President, Universal Theatrical Group which houses DreamWorks Theatricals. “These remarkable artists bring fresh perspectives, rich emotion, and vibrant storytelling that beautifully reflect the heart and humor of DreamWorks Animation. We are especially excited to see young audiences connect with and inhabit these beloved characters in brand-new ways through these dynamic musical adaptations.”

Joining the pairs of writers on this project is noted orchestrator Conor Keelan whose past work includes Spirited Away, Dot and the Kangaroo JR., and Pride and Prejudice. 

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. 

“We are so grateful to have the opportunity to work together to bring How to Train Your Dragon JR. to the stage,” said 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!”

Trolls JR. is based on the DreamWorks Animation movie franchise and features a colorful, wondrous world populated by hilariously unforgettable characters. The thespians in Poppy’s company live by their motto: the show must go on. But when a tyrannical foreign emissary arrives in Bergenland, expectations are raised, forcing the Trolls to totally rework their show or risk being served up in the name of diplomacy by a Chef rehired and out for revenge. The show follows the overly optimistic Trolls, with a constant song on their lips, and the comically pessimistic Bergens, who are only happy when they have Trolls in their stomach. 

“When I would tell people I was doing this project for DreamWorks, they would say ‘what, you’re working?’ Not only was I working, but I was working with the genius composer Joriah Kwamé and the industry savvy producer Lowe Cunningham,” said author Krista Knight. “Beyond that, Trolls is a super popular well-known IP.  Even my relatives know what Trolls is. And now Trolls JR. is getting ready for the world. I can’t wait!” 

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

“The How to Train Your Dragon and Trolls 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 them 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.”

Additional licensing information is forthcoming, but in the meantime, show pages are now available on the MTI website: How to Train Your Dragon JR. / Trolls JR. 

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.

MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City with additional offices in London (MTI Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).

About DreamWorks Theatricals

DreamWorks Theatricals, a division of Universal Theatrical Group, was established to develop and produce live stage productions inspired by the company’s acclaimed animated films, including Shrek The Musical and The Prince of Egypt. Universal Theatrical Group, the live theatre division of Universal Pictures, is currently represented on Broadway by the musical phenomenon Wicked and Death Becomes Her. Additional credits include Billy Elliot, Bring It On, Shrek, Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, and the West End production of The Prince of Egypt. Universal Theatrical Group (UTG) is overseen by Jimmy Horowitz (Chairman of Business Affairs and Operations, NBCUniversal), and led by Lowe Cunningham (Senior Vice President, Universal Theatrical Group).