Birmingham Children's Theatre

Birmingham Children's Theatre Professional theatre for young audiences since 1947. Educate. Enrich. Entertain. WWW.BCT123.ORG

Birmingham Children's Theatre exists to Educate, Enrich, and Entertain through the magic of professional theatre. One of the nation's oldest and largest professional theatre companies for young audiences, BCT produces high-quality, professional theatrical entertainment and curriculum-relevant arts education experiences for children and families. BCT offers performances to school and public audienc

es throughout the year as well as numerous classes and camps for students ages 4 - 18 years. Established in 1947, BCT has touched the lives of over thirteen million students throughout its seven-decade history. BCT is the resident professional theatre company of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) and in-house productions annually play to over 90,000 school students in grades K-12, while BCT On Tour reaches over 80,000 additional students each year in approximately 100 cities across Alabama and the Southeast.

🍃 Sneak Peak at the first photos from The Jungle Book! 🍃Costumes, sound, a jungle gym(?!), and a whole lot of storytelli...
06/18/2026

🍃 Sneak Peak at the first photos from The Jungle Book! 🍃

Costumes, sound, a jungle gym(?!), and a whole lot of storytelling magic: tech week is here and audiences join us on Saturday.

We are sold out for our first performance, and at capacity for most of the others so grab those last couple spots, and keep an eye out here for updates -- we're going to try to make sure as many families can see this show as possible!

It is with incredible sadness that we share the passing of Jean Prescott Pierce this past weekend. Jean Pierce was the r...
06/16/2026

It is with incredible sadness that we share the passing of Jean Prescott Pierce this past weekend.

Jean Pierce was the resident playwright at BCT for over 40 years. She first became associated with BCT as a Board Member, then an actress, director and writer. In May of 2012 Mrs. Pierce received the Governor’s Arts Award at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery, AL for her work.

A Birmingham native, Mrs. Pierce got the acting "bug" while at Birmingham-Southern College, where she received her B.A. in theatre. She did some graduate work in theatre at the University of Utah but soon came back to Birmingham and worked locally as an actress. She began writing short plays for her church, South Highland Presbyterian, before beginning to co-write plays with her dear friend, Betty Pewitt. She has written over two dozen plays for BCT, including fairytale adaptations for our Wee Folks audiences and original scripts that have been performed on BCT’s MainStage. Her plays are fan-favorites and still produced each season -- it is almost certain you have seen one of them in our Wee Folks Theatre.

In an interview in 2013, she said, "I hope I've made some children happy – if just for an hour! Many in our audience don't have a lot of happiness in their lives. If I can create some magic for them and give them something to remember, that's what I want to do."

Ms. Jean, you've spread more magic than you can possibly know and your legacy will live on for generations. May your memory be a blessing to us all. 💛

You can find her obituary here: https://obits.al.com/us/obituaries/birmingham/name/jean-pierce-obituary?id=61704878

✨ Save the Date for BCT's 2026 Enchanted Evening: Thursday, September 24th at The Fennec!  💫Step into the pages of a sto...
06/13/2026

✨ Save the Date for BCT's 2026 Enchanted Evening: Thursday, September 24th at The Fennec! 💫

Step into the pages of a storybook and wander through an enchanted forest filled with magic, music, and imagination. An Enchanted Evening is a whimsical fundraising event supporting Birmingham Children’s Theatre and our mission to educate, entertain, and enrich the lives of children through the magic of professional theatre!

Enjoy musical performances inspired by the upcoming season, crafted cuisine, delightful drinks, and a vibrant celebration of community. Surrounded by fairy lights and forest fantasy, guests will be treated to a night where every detail inspires the imagination!

Early Bird tickets are available now at https://www.bct123.org/enchanted-evening so get yours today! We can't wait to see you in the enchanted (Fennec) forest!

Last week we wrapped up BCT's first ever Stagecraft Players Lab Camp! Over the course of one week these students learned...
06/12/2026

Last week we wrapped up BCT's first ever Stagecraft Players Lab Camp! Over the course of one week these students learned about storytelling through scenery, costumes, props, puppets, lighting, sound, and lots of googly eyes! We could not be more proud of their creativity, artistry, silliness, bravery, kindness, and confidence as they presented in their own design expo!

Theatre + Library = 💚We are just a couple weeks away from bringing "The Jungle Book" off the page and onto the stage at ...
06/11/2026

Theatre + Library = 💚

We are just a couple weeks away from bringing "The Jungle Book" off the page and onto the stage at Birmingham Public Library!

What happens when a curious kid gets lost in the jungle? A whole lot of fun! Your family will be on the edge of your seats as Mowgli befriends Baloo the Bear and Bagheera the panther, outwits a gang of sneaky monkeys, and comes face-to-face with the fierce tiger, Shere Khan, in this fast-paced retelling of the classic Rudyard Kipling tales. It's a perfect outing for young adventurers: great live theatre at your neighborhood library this June and July.

Saturday, June 20th at BPL Central Branch
Saturday, June 27th at Five Points West
Saturday, July 11th at Springville Road
Saturday, July 18th at Avondale Library
Saturday, July 25th at BPL Central Branch

All library performances are at 10:30am

Performances are free but space is limited so make sure to reserve your spot today! https://www.bct123.org/jungle-book

We've asked our artists and audiences to tell us about their first theatre memories, and the responses have been magical...
06/10/2026

We've asked our artists and audiences to tell us about their first theatre memories, and the responses have been magical 💫

We want to hear from you! Share you thoughts at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6JN9PJL

--

"Theatre has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My first memory of live performance is being a flamingo in an Alice in Wonderland ballet. I was the Queen of Hearts croquet mallet!" --Elise

"I remember being enchanted by a production of The Music Man as a child. The JOY I felt radiating from the stage made me want to run up and join the band marching. I loved the way characters would leap into the air during big dance breaks when the emotion was at its highest!" --Alie B

"My mother took me to a performance of Peter Pan. I was 7 or 8. When Peter flew for the first time, magic became real to me." -Roy

The jungle is coming to life! 🌿 Rehearsals are officially underway for our production of The Jungle Book, and our incred...
06/04/2026

The jungle is coming to life! 🌿 Rehearsals are officially underway for our production of The Jungle Book, and our incredible Director and performers are already bringing Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and Shere Khan off the page.

"Bringing a show to life in a space that houses so many stories, characters, and creativity is an honor. It is inspiring and makes me feel like a kid visiting a candy store for the first time, so many possibilities!" says show Director Irealle Sylvas. "This show is so well written with many lessons and take aways that the audience can connect to in real life. I was very intentional about making sure there is something for every age group in this show, from the youngest to the oldest. The cast is amazing! I can not wait for the audience to experience all we have in store for them."

We can't wait to share this one with y'all. Library performances are free but space is limited so save your spot today: https://www.bct123.org/jungle-book

Stay tuned, this is going to be one wild adventure!

The creative energy is in full swing at SPARK Summer Camps! 🎭✨Our Stage Craft Players Lab artists are deep in the design...
06/03/2026

The creative energy is in full swing at SPARK Summer Camps! 🎭✨

Our Stage Craft Players Lab artists are deep in the design process, exploring the many elements that bring a production to life behind the scenes. From brainstorming concepts to developing their own creative visions, these young designers are hard at work turning ideas into reality.

Meanwhile, over in Players Studio, students spent the afternoon diving into the world of Commedia dell’Arte, designing and creating their very own character masks while exploring the rich history, storytelling, and larger-than-life characters of this classic theatre tradition.

Whether on stage or behind the scenes, our campers are building creativity, confidence, and artistry every day. We can’t wait to see where their imaginations take them next! 🌟

This week, our Artistic Director and Director of Education had the privilege of joining theatre makers, educators, artis...
05/29/2026

This week, our Artistic Director and Director of Education had the privilege of joining theatre makers, educators, artists, and advocates from across the country at TYA/USA.

From inspiring learning sessions and meaningful conversations with colleagues from across the field, to exploring the incredible work of the Center for Puppetry Arts, meeting hundreds of puppets, and laughing through unforgettable performances at the Alliance Theatre, this week has been a powerful reminder of why Theatre for Young Audiences matters.

Tonight, we have the honor of attending the final dress rehearsal of Basura, a new musical by Gloria Estefan and Emily Estefan. We cannot wait to experience this new work and celebrate the artists bringing it to life.

Most importantly, this week has given us space to reconnect with our purpose, to dream bigger, and to reflect on the life-changing impact theatre can have on young people. Theatre sparks imagination, builds empathy, creates connection, and helps young people discover their voices and their place in the world.

We return to Birmingham inspired, energized, and excited for what lies ahead.

Thank you to TYA/USA and our friends at Alliance Theatre for hosting such an intentional, welcoming, and inspiring conference. We are grateful for the community, the learning, and the reminder of why this work matters so deeply.

Now Announcing BCT's 2026-2027 Season: Unlikely Friends, Unforgettable Stories!Some friendships make you laugh. Some mak...
05/27/2026

Now Announcing BCT's 2026-2027 Season: Unlikely Friends, Unforgettable Stories!

Some friendships make you laugh. Some make you brave. Some change everything. This season, we're telling the stories of the friends you never saw coming, and the magic they make together!

On the MainStage:
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!
Santa's Boots: A World Premiere Production
The Trumpet of the Swan, in partnership with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
A Year with Frog and Toad

In the Wee Folks Theatre:
Flora Meets a Bee
Rapunzel and the Rabbit

Theatre for the Very Young:
Stay Awake
Hurry Up!...and Wait

All Access Passes will go on sale in June, and individual tickets will be available later this summer. Stay tuned -- we can't wait to see you back at BCT in the fall!

Address

2130 Richard Arrington Jr Boulevard N
Birmingham, AL
35203

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