A NOTE FROM OUR DIRECTOR

Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is a story about a little girl navigating her way through a neurodiverse family while finding ways to still be a kid.

This iteration of Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is near and dear to my heart as a neurodivergent person. I am just now, at my big age of 34, really getting a grasp on what it means to live with brain differences and what it means to encounter and care for others with brain differences.

I wonder who I would be today if I had encountered neurodivergence as a normal part of life in the form of entertainment as a child.

Telling a story about neurodivergence to children is a tall task. I wanted to ensure we were being respectful of the text while making it understandable by children. In directing this show, I desired to present this truth: sometimes we don’t get to choose our environment, but we always get to choose joy. 

Set in the mid 1960s, Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is written like a sitcom. The beats of heaviness are so eloquently balanced with light hearted and sometimes slap stick moments of comedy. The direction of this piece was inspired by all of the sitcoms I loved watching on Nickelodeon’s Nick at Night from the 50s, 60s and 70s like "I Dream Of Jeanie," "The Jefferson’s" and "The Brady Bunch." 

I direct from a place of musicality, so I sound designed my own show. I was equally inspired by the music of the time. The sounds of Motown and the Carpenters are where the sound design meets in the middle. 

I truly hope you all enjoy this version of Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly as filmed in front of a live studio audience. I hope you all laugh, cheer and sigh. I hope it is fun experience for all who come to see it. Most importantly I hope you leave this space a little more empathetic, understanding and seeking the joy that finds itself all around us.

~Aija Penix

Lift Every Voice a Black History Month Festival 

Friday, February 10th - Sunday, February 12th, 2023

Lift Every Voice is a three day celebration honoring achievements of Black artists in our community through theatre, dance, music, poetry, art, literature, panels, talkbacks, and workshops.

This FREE event is open to all ages and all communities. A variety of performances and workshops will be offered from collaborating Black artists, educators, and organizations. Tickets are free but we are requesting families make reservations for the larger events. You can reserve your spot HERE

Lift Every Voice is made possible through a generous grant from

the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

SPRING BREAKOUT! CAMP

A Spring Break Camp for ages 8-18!

BCT’s Spring Break-out Camp is a fast-paced theatrical learning experience designed to take a script from the page to the stage in just one week! Our camp will introduce your child to all aspects of theatre: rehearsal etiquette, character development, self-confidence and expression, design and technical opportunities, vocal exercises, acting and movement techniques, and more!

Each day start with specialized activities for each age group.

• Younger students (ages 8-13) will focus on “actor toolbox” basics such as creating characters, understanding a script, and story-telling fundamentals.

• High-school students (ages 14-18) will explore the behind-the-scenes and design aspects that bring magic to any theatrical performance and work to create the scenery, costumes, props, and sound for their production.

Both groups will come together after lunch to rehearse and prepare for the showcase performance on Friday, March 31st.