Brighton High's theatre students will kick off a packed performance season with Shakespeare’s “Henry VI, Part III,” fresh off their return from the 49th annual Utah Shakespeare High School Festival in Cedar City. In addition to the ensemble piece, students will compete in scenes, monologues and the Tech Olympics.

The community is invited to a free showing of the play at 7 p.m. on Oct. 6 in the school auditorium, 2220 Bengal Blvd. The 30-student cast explores the theme, “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”

“The histories center around who deserves the crown and what it means to be a good leader,” said theatre teacher and director Makayla Conner. “Our piece captures the finale of the War of the Roses, where heroes meet their fate.”

Next up, about 100 students will stage “Cinderella” with performances set for 7 p.m., Nov. 20-22, and a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under and can be purchased at brightonbengals.org. 

Students began preparing this summer, learning waltzes and conceptualizing sets. 

Conner described the show as “a modern take” where Cinderella is more outspoken and emphasizes kindness. 

“It’s a valuable lesson for kids to learn how to raise each other up rather than tear each other down,” she said.

In January 2026, students will travel to Los Angeles to attend workshops at UCLA and Stella Adler Academy of Acting & Theatre, tour major television studios and see the Broadway tour of “The Notebook.”

A classical drama—still to be announced—will run March 5-7, 2026, at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. 

“We're looking at Greek theatre options, because the kids don't really get exposed to a lot of classics other than Shakespeare,” Conner said.

The competition season follows, with regionals March 18-19, 2026. State individual events will be hosted at Brighton April 18 and the ensemble competition April 16-17.

Brighton’s season closes with “Peter and the Starcatcher,” running April 30-May 2, 2026, at 7 p.m., plus a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for youth. The show, ideal for middle schoolers and up, is led entirely by 20 advanced production students handling everything from costumes to directing.

“It’s a good learning experience for them to take on different aspects of the show,” she said. “I picked it because I love the story and how it is a creative. They won’t build a very visual set. It will come from their imaginations. I love the idea of the kids collaborating on ways they can show and create something that isn't there.”

Students will offer three improvisation shows, with the first one at 7 p.m., Dec. 5. There also will be shows in March and May 2026. Tickets are $5. 

“Improv helps students develop muscle that allows them to kind of think on their feet. As an actor, you need to be able to come up with different ideas and bring different energies to characters, so that muscle they use during improv allows them to get more comfortable making choices they wouldn't normally make,” Conner said.

About 90 students are active in Brighton’s drama club, which hosts monthly social events such as kickball, candy corn bingo, and a fall Friendsgiving. They also attend Hale Centre Theatre productions and support the Utah Food Bank through a food drive.