“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.” These wise words, spoken by Malvolio from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, ring true because the Benet Theatre Association is sure to achieve greatness this year! The BTA is planning many plays, showcases, and musicals that cannot be described with any other word than great.
For the 2026 to 2027 season, the BTA has added all kinds of shows never seen before, such as the Black Box Show, dinner theater, and Shakespeare Slam! New opportunities are available for seasoned thespians and amateur novices alike, and the BTA is always looking for new talent.
The fall play this year is Puffs, a parody on the Hufflepuff house from Harry Potter. The “Puffs” must try to survive their seven years at a well-known magic school. There may be some appearances from familiar characters! This show will take place on November 5th, 6th, and 8th and is sure to be great!
Throughout the fall, a BTA team will be competing in Shakespeare Slam. The team will go to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater to perform scenes from Romeo and Juliet on October 3rd. Additionally, a new program called the Black Box Show will showcase improv and scenes! This performance will take place on February 4th. The final new opportunity this year is a dinner theater show on May 7th and 8th called The 39 Steps: The Live Radio Play, which is an adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s spy thriller.
The spring musical, a fan favorite, will be Twelfth Night this year. An adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the updated musical has a jazz-funk score that will get the audience singing along. The show follows the story of Viola, a lady shipwrecked on the land of Illyria who must disguise herself as a man for safety and survival. This show will happen from March 4-7th and 11-13th. Theater enthusiasts will also have a chance to view a second musical during the Theater for Young Audiences (TYA) show. This year’s TYA production will be James and the Giant Peach, performed on April 23rd. Cast members perform for different schools around the Benet area, which is a great way to encourage young students to get involved in theater!
All in all, there are many opportunities to join the great Benet Theatre Association this year. Actors of all levels of experience are eagerly looking forward to each production, with sophomore Ellie Markos saying, “I’m really excited for the shows this year! This season is a good mix of classic Shakespeare and modern writings. I’m also really excited for some of the new additions, like the Black Box Show and improv. I think it’s awesome having a variety of everything!” The BTA made it a goal this year to have more chances for people to get involved, and it appears to have succeeded. So, even though the BTA has already experienced significant success, it is sure to achieve greatness this year and beyond.
