For school plays and other indoor events, low-light performance is usually the deciding factor. A longer zoom helps you frame a distant subject, but if the lens is slow and the camera is weak at high ISO, you may end up with blur from camera shake or subject movement.

Key things to compare:

• Maximum aperture: A wider lens aperture lets in more light, which helps keep shutter speeds usable indoors.
• High-ISO image quality: Better ISO performance means less noise and more flexibility in dim light.
• Zoom at the long end: Useful for stage shots, but many zoom lenses get slower as you zoom in.
• Shutter speed needs: Reach is less helpful if shutter speed becomes too slow for sharp photos.
• RAW support: Helpful for getting the most out of difficult indoor images.

For your stated priorities, the better low-light camera is likely the better fit unless you absolutely need much more telephoto reach. If you move up to a larger-sensor system with interchangeable lenses, you can later add a longer lens and get both better image quality and more reach.