School Groups
Wee Folks Theatre - Grades PreK - 1st
Mainstage Theatre - Grades K - 6
Special Events - Christmas, and shows produced outside of BCT
(Ticket prices are the same regardless of which theater you attend)
$7 or $8 per child (booking 3 or more shows in a season will reduce the ticket price by $1 per ticket)
$8 per child for Special Events
Teachers receive one free ticket for every 10 student tickets purchased (tickets for chaperones/teachers)
BCT provides Free Study Guides created by teachers for teachers and are based on the current Alabama Course of Study Curriculum Standards. Study Guides can be downloaded from BCT's website. Please click here to be directly linked to BCT's Study Guide page.
Wheelchair seating and sign language interpreters are available for students with special needs - please let us know in advance
Advance reservations allowed for busy teachers - payment is due 3 weeks before the performance
Free parking for school buses and vans
Seating is arranged in a rotating manner and based on the age of the children - this is at the discretion of Birmingham Children's Theatre's House Manager and School Groups Coordinator.
Look on our calendar for special Home School Days
With 61 years of educational experience, BCT offers at least 7 shows a year in three theaters producing at least 400 performances annually
Teachers may use the order form below to complete their order. Please print and fax to BCT.
Talk Back for Teachers
We are interested in your input and ideas. Comments from educators are always welcomed. Feel free to use the convenient Talk Back Form for Teachers to submit instant feedback to us.
Behind the Scenes
BCT produces and builds seven to eight shows per season. Each set, prop, and costume is hand crafted by the talented production staff.
Each Mainstage and Wee-Folks show that Birmingham Children's Theatre produces goes through a lengthy production process. Each show requires a production staff and design team. The design team includes a Director, a Scenic Designer, Costume Designer, Light Designer, and Sound Designer. Sometimes shows require a Composer, Dance Choreographer, or Fight Choreographer. At BCT, our production team includes an Production Manager, Technical Director, Master Carpenter, Carpenter, Charge Scenic Artist, Costume Shop Manager, all who work on a seasonal basis.
The Design team and Production team meet many times to go over specifics in design concepts, schedules, casting, and a number of other concerns that come up while planning a show. Once the Director and creative team reach a decision, the design team draws up plans and sketches for the production team to plan, troubleshoot and construct.
The scenery in each BCT production is built and painted in BCT's scene shop from our Scenic Designer's plans and by our Master Carpenter, Carpenter and Technical Director. Many scenery elements require extensive knowledge in drafting, carpentry, and metalworking, as well as many other skills. Once the set constructed, it is then sent to our Charge Scenic Artist, who communicates with the Scenic Designer about paint techniques, color, and texture. Our Charge Scenic Artistic schedules and supervises all painting, and sometimes an Actor Technician is able to lend a helping hand. All of this is completed before dress rehearsal.
Our Local IATSE crew and our Light Designer configure the lighting for each show in several stages. The first stage is a Light Hang, where approximately 150 lighting instruments are configured, put in place and circuited into the BJCC lighting system. The second stage is a Light Focus, when our Light Designer directs the lighting crew as to where each instrument should be pointed on stage according to the Lighting Design Plot. Once the lighting instruments are hung and focused, the Light Designer configures a computer controlled lighting console, to create separate looks according to what the script and Director specify's.
Sound for the shows is conducted with either live music or using a synthesizer to create sounds. The Sound Designer takes the music from the show and produces is on a CD. Each cast member helps to create the effects, voiceover's, and sound tracks necessary to create fullness in each production.
The costume Shop is filled with some of the most talented costume technicians in the Southeast. Each costume is designed specifically for the character in the play and made for the individual actor. The fabrics are selected to the design specifications of color and texture. Trim and other accent pieces are added to complete each masterpiece for the shows. Any hats, accessories, masks and puppet costumes are also created in the costume shop. BCT has a wide range of costumes that are preserved and stored for future use after each show.
Back Stage at BCT is a remarkable place. With many departments constantly creating shows, the magic never ends! To have a group tour backstage, please call (205) 458-8181.
