by Petra Williams
I was there for the first staging of The Forgotten.
The atmosphere was electric, the storytelling bold, and there was a palpable sense that something important was unfolding before us.
First presented in 2014 at the inaugural Antigua and Barbuda National Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival, The Forgotten announced the arrival of a remarkable creative force. Written and directed by Zahra Airall, the production won multiple awards, including Best Original Script, Best Director, and Best Actress for Queenella Williams. The original cast also included Desrie Markham, now known nationally as Miss Antigua and Barbuda 2024.
More than a decade later, the play returns to the stage as part of HoneyBee Theatre’s celebration of ten years of theatrical excellence.
Why This Revival Matters
The return of The Forgotten is more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
It forms part of HoneyBee Theatre’s ongoing celebration of its 10-year milestone and, fittingly, revisits the production that would help inspire the formation of the drama club that eventually became HoneyBee Theatre. Established in 2015 under the leadership of theatre educator and director Zahra Airall, the company has grown into one of Antigua and Barbuda’s most respected youth theatre institutions, developing young performers while using theatre as a tool for social awareness and positive change.
About The Forgotten
Imagine walking into your own funeral with no recollection of events. Worse yet, no one can see you.
Jonee must navigate this strange reality as she pieces together the events that brought her to that moment, all while confronting the pressures and complexities of high school life.
The journey takes audiences through laughter, shock, heartbreak, reflection, and revelation. It is the kind of production that entertains while opening the door to important conversations between parents and children about the challenges young people face every day.
That ability to blend compelling storytelling with meaningful social commentary has become one of the defining characteristics of HoneyBee Theatre’s presentations.
A Decade of Excellence
Watching HoneyBee Theatre over the years has been one of the great pleasures of my own spectating adventures.
Under Zahra Airall’s leadership and creative vision, the company has consistently delivered theatre that is ambitious, thought-provoking, socially conscious, and artistically accomplished. From national drama festival victories to regional recognition and international collaborations, HoneyBee has demonstrated that youth theatre can be both excellent and impactful.
More personally, HoneyBee Theatre has added immense value to Antigua and Barbuda’s cultural landscape. For many years, there was a longing among theatre lovers to experience high-quality local productions more than once a year. HoneyBee has been an oasis, consistently raising the bar while nurturing a generation of young creatives who continue to excel on stages, campuses, and professional platforms at home and abroad.
As HoneyBee Theatre marks ten years of excellence, revisiting The Forgotten feels both symbolic and well deserved.
It is a chance to experience the production that helped launch a movement, celebrate a company that has become a pillar of youth theatre in Antigua and Barbuda, and support the next generation of performers carrying that legacy forward.
Performance Details
The Forgotten – A HoneyBee Theatre Production
Showing Saturday, June 20 at 7:45 p.m. and Sunday, June 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Clare Hall Secondary School Auditorium
Tickets are $30 in Advance and $40 tat The door.
For those who witnessed the original production, it is a chance to revisit a remarkable piece of theatre history.
For everyone else, it is an opportunity to discover why The Forgotten remains such an important chapter in the HoneyBee Theatre story.
Let’s fill the auditorium and celebrate ten years of theatre excellence. Come see the play that started it all!