News

We're going to the National Drama Festival

14 June 2026

We are thrilled to announce that Brightlight Theatre has been selected by the National Drama Festivals Association (NDFA) to perform The Aviary at this year’s National Drama Festival - the UK’s premier celebration of amateur theatre. This marks the second consecutive year Brightlight has earned an invitation to the nationals, confirming our place among the finest community theatre companies in the country.

The Road to the Nationals

The journey began in May at the 54th Henley Drama Festival, where The Aviary claimed four awards on its debut outing:

• Overall Winners
• Best Original Play for Jamie Lakritz’s script
• Best Stage Presentation
• Best Actress for Megan Kaliniak

Buoyed by that success, we took the production to the 91st Welwyn Drama Festival just two weeks later, where The Aviary continued to impress, claiming:

• Runners Up
• Best Stage Presentation
• Best Actress for Megan Kaliniak
• Best Director for Judy Price

— With nominations for Best Actor (Liam Badcoe), Best Actress (Becky Griffiths) and Best New Play.

About The Aviary

Written by Brightlight’s own Jamie Lakritz and directed by Judy Price, The Aviary is an ambitious, physical and deeply collaborative ensemble piece exploring groupthink, social media and the paralysis of opinion in a world where nothing can ever be wrong. Not ever.

Festival adjudicator Dr Tristan Marshall described it as “one of the most challenging scripts I’ve read in years,” closing his adjudication by saying “Some people laugh in the face of danger. I think Brightlight Theatre poke danger in the eye and steal its car.”

What’s Next

The Aviary will now represent Brightlight Theatre at the National Drama Festival on Thursday 30th July at the Artrix Theatre in Bromsgrove, performing alongside the finest amateur theatre companies from across Europe.

We couldn’t be prouder of everything this cast and creative team have achieved - and we can’t wait to let the birds fly one more time.

In the name of the feed, the follow and the forever. Amen.