Grimm - Once Upon A Musical

Grimm - Once Upon A Musical

By Emily Martin, Matthew Crossey & Fleur Crossey

Ages 7-11

Duration 60 mins
Speaking Roles 42
Cast Size 20-50+

Packs

Book & CD: Book includes full script, character list, curriculum-linked material, sheet music and lyrics. CD includes all songs recorded with children’s voices and full backing tracks.

Book & Digital Downloads: Book as above, with digital downloads that include MP3s of all of the songs and backing tracks, plus a PDF version of the full book. Where available, a complimentary pdf version of the abridged script is also included.

No Pack: If you have already purchased a product but didn't buy the licence at the time, choose No Pack under this menu, and the relevant licence/s in the Licences menu.

Licences

Performance Licence: You need a performance licence to perform our show to anyone other than pupils and staff. Our licences are simple - one price allows you to perform the show as many times as you like during a twelve month period.

Filming/Streaming Licence: If you plan to film your performance and manufacture DVDs for distribution, stream content on an internet site or on social media, you will also need to purchase this licence.

Extras

The EDITABLE VERSION of the script in WORD format is not available as a stand-alone purchase. However, it can be purchased alongside one of the Pack options when a performance or filming/streaming licence is also purchased. It is an additional item (script only, no music or production information) and is not a substitute for the main resource.

£39.95
In stock. Dispatched within 24 hours

Product Details

NEW MUSICAL! - Digital Download files now available. 

Cinderella, Prince Charming, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel & Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf - we know them all so well, at least ... we think we do!

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, revered fairy-tale writers and compilers, are lauded by their villainous creations at the annual Villains' Convention, praised for their unhappy endings and for the baddies always coming out on top! But then some of the goodies decide it is time they stood up for themselves and fought for a different ending, a happier ending to their stories. Suddenly, the baddies aren't getting their own way all the time - and boy are they unhappy about it!

This wonderful mash-up of fairy tales and fairy tale characters is a laugh-a-minute, complete with nine evocative, oh-so-catchy songs perfectly pitched for primary-age performers. 

Order now for immediate access to the digital download files - published books available from 12th December 2025.  Email info@theschoolmusicalscompany.com with any queries.

  • Overview
  • Songs
  • Synopsis
  • Sample Scripts & Character Info
  • Reviews

Overview

The fairy tales written and collated by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are so embedded within British and European culture that the assumption is, if a fairy-tale exists, they must have had something to do with it: ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘Rapunzel’, ‘Hansel and Gretel’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and ‘Snow White’ (to name but a fraction) all owe their popularity – if not their origins – to the conscientious brothers, and most have found their way into innumerable plays, films, cartoons, comics, books and songs. This new musical, an original story from Emily Martin, weaving together elements of three fairy-tales in an innovative tale of good (eventually) triumphing over evil, is as fun as it is clever, with some ‘wicked’ songs from Matthew Crossey to boot. 

Synopsis

Imagine a world where the villains always win and good always suffered!

At the villain’s convention [GREAT TO BE A VILLAIN], iconic villains mingle and boast about their successes. The guests-of-honour, writers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, reassure their villainous characters that happy endings will continue to be forbidden.

Poor Cinders is heartbroken after learning that the prince is to marry one of her evil stepsisters. The caring household staff do their best to cheer her up, but Cinders still feels invisible and forgotten [INVISIBLE]. Fifi and Gigi enter, making demands and bickering over which one of them the prince will actually marry. The loyal staff secretly plot to help Cinders by going to visit the Grimm brothers to persuade them to change her unfair story.

Inside the witch’s gingerbread house, Hansel and Gretel find themselves trapped as the witch stokes her fire. The siblings fear they are about to be turned into lunch. But clever Gretel remembers the helpful birds who ate their breadcrumb trail. Calling the birds to their aid, Hansel and Gretel beg them to fly off and find the writers who might be able to intervene [WE’RE COOKED].

At home, Jacob and Wilhelm craft their dark tales while their faithful assistant, Frank, suggests a new idea – that goodness might triumph [A LITTLE GOODNESS]. Before they can discuss this, a pack of wolves arrives to complain that not enough children are walking in the forest and Red Riding Hood has become too bold to frighten. The Grimm brothers apologise and assure the wolves that they will add some children to the forest. When the wolves have left, the Grimms tell Frank that they won’t be adding any happy endings – they prefer their world ‘grim’.

Outside her home, we hear Millie telling her baby about the time that Rumpel stepped in by spinning straw into gold. Suddenly, Rumpel appears to reclaim the prize she promised him – her baby! The trickster snatches the child and runs off. Thankfully, the kind birds are there to comfort the devastated mother, and persuade her to come with them to find the Grimm brothers. Just then, Bernie and Ernie (part of Cinderella’s household staff) walk by, and the unlikely group join forces, uniting to fight for a happier ending [BELIEVE IN YOURSELF]. 

In the woods, Wulf rallies his nervous wolf pack to finally capture Red. At that moment, she skips through the forest and the wolves hide [GRANDMA’S HOUSE]. Red crosses paths with Millie, Bernie, Ernie and the birds and walks with them. Though Red insists that the woods are safe, the wolves secretly stalk the group [THE WOLF WALTZ]. Eventually, Red goes to granny’s house and the group arrives at the Grimms’ home. They confront the authors about the cruel endings and, with Frank’s encouragement, Jacob and Wilhelm agree to add more hope to the endings. They give Frank their magic quill and he sets off with the group to set things right.

Back at the gingerbread house, Hansel has been eaten and Gretel awaits her turn to be supper! The birds and Frank arrive and Frank ‘rewinds time’ with his magic quill so Hansel is back in the cage with Gretel and the witch is once again preparing the oven. Gretel follows Frank’s whispered instructions to trick the witch into checking that the oven is hot, then pushes her in! Overjoyed, Hansel and Gretel are free and set off home again.

Frank joins Millie in the woods. With the help of Frank’s rewrite, Millie is reunited with her baby and they hear Rumpel singing his own name [RUMPELSTILTSKIN]. Frank’s rewrite means that Rumpel is outsmarted, and Millie guesses his name and gets to keep her baby. Rumpel is fuming and storms off to complain to the Grimms.

At Cinderella’s palace, Frank employs the help of the Fairy Godmother to rewind time so that Cinderella attended the ball after all. At that moment, Prince Charming arrives at the house with a glass slipper. Fifi and Gigi both try it on but it is too small for them. Cinders steps forward, tries on the shoe and is recognised as the prince’s true love.

At the Grimms’ house, Frank returns to find a long line of angry villains demanding an explanation for their losses. Just as tensions peak, Red’s scream is heard off-stage as Wulf devours her. Frank encourages Jacob to intervene and, with the magic quill, a huntsman appears to rescue Red and her granny. The heroes arrive to celebrates their successful rescues, and the Grimms tell the villains that the tales will now focus on hope and bravery. Initially, the villains are upset by this until they are all given ideas to help them reform. The entire cast celebrate this new world where, finally, good wins out [GOOD WINS OUT].

Song Samples

TitleListen
Great To Be A Villain
Invisible
We're Cooked
A Little Goodness
Believe In Yourself
Grandma's House
The Wolf Waltz
Rumpelstiltskin
Good Wins Out

Reviews

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