Our History

Best was launched in 1998 by two performing arts professionals, Annette Holland and David Bevan. In its 20 years it has established a fantastic reputation for the quality of its teaching, its pastoral care and its culture.

2018

Best celebrates its 20th anniversary with ‘Daydreaming’ – a show bringing together its favourite characters and songs from across the years.

TheBYTE’s phenomenal performance of ‘These Bridges’ takes the Maltings Art Theatre and the ArtsDepot in Finchley by storm.

TheBYTE’s younger group performs again at the Roman Theatre of Verulamium with ‘Are We Connected?’

2017

TheBYTE’s production of ‘Just’ wins the senior award and the Adjudicator’s Award at the Welwyn Youth Drama Festival. And it’s open-air production of ‘The Birds’ at the Roman Theatre of Verulamium is lightning-ed off during its second night!

Best revives ‘Dreamcatcher’ and performs for the first time at Hertford Theatre.

2016

Histeria  performed in March

2015

Timonfeya lights up the SandPit stage for all Best schools

The Boy Preference is performed to huge acclaim, in March, at The Maltings and, in May, at the Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton. TheBYTE is selected from nearly 300 UK groups to perform the show again at the National Theatre.

New younger BYTE group launched.

2014

Best raises £763 for The Children’s Society through DVD sales

This Is My Elephant devised and presented by TheBYTE at The Maltings and Greenwich Young People’s Festival

A Night at the Oscars rocks The SandPit

Best School of Acting shows Reality Bites at The Maltings

TheBYTE announces move to The Maltings as its new base in September.

2013

Best celebrates its 15th anniversary!
A Night at the Musicals brings the full showtime experience to The SandPit
Best School of Acting shows its first monologues at the Abbey Theatre Studio

2012

Best School of Acting launched
Imagine provides students with a new experience in mounting ‘serious’ theatre.
Feelgood Factor storm it at Trestle

2011

Best revives its musical version of Twelfth Night as What U Will to great acclaim

2010

Sunlight, another new play from Best, is performed at the SandPit Theatre

2009

Bestbeans launches at Trestle Theatre
Histeria! grips both St Albans and Hertford schools as we tell the history of Britain from the Neolithic times to the present day in just 90 minutes
TheBYTE take The Runaways to the Welwyn Youth Drama Festival
Best launches LAMDA classes
The Feelgood Factor is launched to give adults a chance to let their hair down

2008

Best celebrates its 10th anniversary! Bears and bags for everyone! Parents join their children in class for ‘Act Your Shoe Size’
St.Albans’ Best of Dreams at The SandPit Theatre brings together all our favourite goodies and baddies from the last 10 years
Hertford revels in Dreamcatcher

2007

Hertford Shake, Ripple and Roll in a wonderful celebration of song and dance.
St Albans revives ‘Dreamcatcher‘ with a huge new fully orchestrated score – 6 shows!
July/August 2007 New record numbers as well over 400 children attend our Summer courses in St Albans and Hertford
October 2007 New website launched!

2006

Hertford’s first show, The Seven Sided Dice is performed at Simon Balle School
Earthcycle – a new musical trilogy for children written by David Bevan, is premiered at the SandPit Theatre, St.Albans
‘TheBYTE’ performs Shut Up by Andrew Payne as part of the Shell Connections Festival at the Maltings Arts Theatre
June The BYTE performs ‘Cindriana – from Riches to Rags’ – a new ‘adult’ pantomime at the Sandringham Drama Studio
July/August Three weeks of Summer Academies host nearly 300 children in St Albans and Hertford

2005

Best announces the launch of a new school – in Hertford
TheBYTE’s production of Just by Ali Smith is selected to appear at the National Theatre Shell Connections Regional Showcase at Watford Palace Theatre
Mythellany – 9 tales of myth and mystery specially written by David Bevan and Karen Tozer – performed at SandPit Theatre.

2004

March Best works with National Theatre Shell Connections project to stage The Musicians at the Maltings Arts Theatre. Production is chosen to appear at the regional showcase at Trestle Theatre.
Apr Best showcase four National Theatre Assembly Connections pieces at the Sandpit Theatre – Salmagundi.
Sept New Friday afternoon best launched in St Albans together with a new youth theatre group- TheBYTE

2003

Best celebrates its first 5 year students
Apr Twelfth Night – The Rock’n’Roll Remix with 13 specially written songs by David Bevan is performed at The Sandpit.
May Best provides significant sponsorship to Sandringham School to achieve specialist arts status
Jul Best’s’Big 5th Birthday Bash’ attracts over 300 friends old and new during the course of a wonderful day
Aug Best selected to take part in Shell National Theatre Connections project in 2004
Dec Two specially written pantomimes by David Bevan – Robin Hood and Pied Piper performed for parents and friends

2002

Apr Dreamcatcher a full length musical written by David Bevan and performed by best with a cast of 80 – the first major show at the new SandPit Theatre in St.Albans
Sep Dreamcatcher CD recorded by the cast.

2001

Apr Shake, Ripple & Roll is performed at The Maltings
Sep Best afternoon school and second First Class group launched in St Albans to cope with demand

2000

May Best wins Sherrards/Observer Award for Excellence (Small Business) in having achieved all of our initial aims
Apr Our second show, The Wizard of Oz is performed at The Maltings
Aug Best’s first Summer Academy attended by 24 students

1999

Additional First Class launched

1998

Annette and David come up with an idea that becomes…Best! And other big plans