BARTER THEATRE ANNOUNCES LOCAL AUDITIONS FOR ITS 2026 SEASON ON NOV. 30TH AND DEC. 1ST, 2025.
WHEN AND WHERE
Sunday, November 30th
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Acting and singing auditions
1:00pm – 3:00pm Dance/Movement call
3:30 pm – 6:00 pm Acting and singing auditions
(Until 8:00 pm if earlier time slots have been filled)
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Player Company interviews
Mon. Dec. 1st
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Acting and singing auditions
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Dance/Movement call
3:30 pm – 6:00 pm Acting and singing auditions
(Until 8:00 pm if earlier time slots have been filled)
6:30pm – 8:30pm Player Company interviews
Auditions will take place at Barter’s Rehearsal Halls at 201 Trigg Street, Abingdon, VA 24210. Please park in the back of the building, and you will be let into the glass door by the attendant.
WHAT TO PREPARE
ACTING AND SINGING AUDITIONS
We would like to see one monologue no more than ninety seconds. We may ask for an additional, contrasting monologue, so please come prepared for that possibility.
If you sing, we would like to hear one verse and one chorus of a song, or, sixteen bars of a song. Occasionally we ask for additional, contrasting songs so we suggest you come prepared for that possibility. An accompanist will be provided. No recorded accompaniment or a cappella singing. You must bring your own sheet music with full piano accompaniment part – no lead sheets or vocal only sheet music. All music should be written in the key in which you plan to sing it. No on-site transposing.
Please bring two copies of your headshot and resume.
MOVEMENT/DANCE AUDITIONS
We encourage anyone interested in our Resident Company, Player Company, or any musical to attend the movement/dance auditions, even if you do not consider yourself to be a dancer.
A movement/dance audition warm-up space will be open half an hour before the scheduled audition time on each day for warm-up and changing. Please be prepared to stay through the entire movement/dance audition time.
The movement and dance audition will begin promptly at 1:00 pm on Sunday and Monday. This call will begin with a beginner/intermediate choreographed combination taught live, and everyone attending the dance call will do this combination. Some dancers may then be called back to learn an advanced combination. Only those requested to do the second combination will learn it.
Please wear clothing and shoes that allow for movement, and if asked to dance the advanced combination, female identifying auditioners are invited to wear character heels.
If you are a dancer who plans to attend the movement/dance auditions but do not plan to attend the acting/singing auditions, that is OK, but please inform the audition monitor.
If you are a dancer who plans to attend the movement/dance auditions but do not plan to attend the acting/singing auditions, that is OK, but please inform the audition monitor.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
Year-round, Resident Company Members: Most members of our resident company sing and move, at least at a minimal level, but it is not a requirement. For these auditions, we highly encourage you to sing and attend the movement auditions in addition to acting if you are interested in becoming a member of the resident company. Late 20s to 60s; Male and female identifying; AEA and EMC candidates.
AEA & Non-AEA local and non-local jobbers: Various individual roles for a single show or single repertory.
AEA and Non-AEA actors for a series of six readings and staged productions during the Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights.
The Barter Players: Non-AEA; College graduates or equivalent experience; Pay, insurance, and housing provided; In-house and National Tours.
Apprentice Company: Non-AEA; College undergraduates; Class credit through your College or University; Summer only.
Possible replacements and understudies for the 2025 season.
AEA Actors will be given priority in scheduling requests for audition slots, and any AEA member who arrives for an audition without having signed up will be seen as soon as possible.
We will not be seeking any actors under 18 at this audition. For those interested in auditions for younger actors, please email casting@bartertheatre.com and ask to be put on the youth audition list to hear about all audition opportunities.
Barter Theatre believes that great stories belong to everyone. We welcome actors of all backgrounds, identities, ages, genders, and ethnicities to audition. We encourage submissions from BIPOC actors for all roles.
If you are not available for the 2026 season, we prefer that you wait until our December 2026 auditions to be seen.
ROLES WE’RE SEEKING FOR 2026:
We are seeking the roles that are listed below each title. The dates following each show are the dates of performance. Rehearsals begin 4-8 weeks prior to performances. Note: We are not seeing youth under 18 years old for these auditions. Youth auditions will be held another time. All of the following roles will be understudied.
2026 Season includes:
TRAINS
Smith Theatre
by Quinton Cockrell
Dates: February 13, 2026-February 28, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
THE THREE MUSKETEERS
Gilliam Stage
Adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas by Catherine Bush
Dates: March 14, 2026-April 4, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
PICKLEBALL
Smith Theatre
by Jeff Daniels
Dates: March 21, 2026-April 26, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE
Gilliam Stage
by Ted Swindley
Dates: April 17, 2026-May 10, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY
Smith Theatre
by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten
Dates: May 12, 2026-August 8, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
THE DA VINCI CODE
Gilliam Stage
Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, Based on the novel by Dan Brown
Dates: May 23, 2026-August 8, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
GUYS AND DOLLS
Gilliam Stage
Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon, Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser,
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Dates: June 9, 2026-August 9, 2026
SEEKING:
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, male presenting. Strong dancer and vocalist.
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, male presenting. Strong dancer and vocalist.
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, female presenting. Strong dancer and vocalist.
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, female presenting. Strong dancer and vocalist.
COME FROM AWAY
Gilliam Stage
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dates: August 26, 2026-November 1, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
DRACULA
Gilliam Stage
by Kate Hamill based loosely on the novel by Bram Stoker
Dates: September 10, 2026-October 31, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
KINGS MOUNTAIN
Smith Theatre
by Catherine Bush
Dates: September 17, 2026-October 31, 2026
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
ELF THE MUSICAL
Gilliam Stage
Book by Thomas Meehan & Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin; Based on the New Line Cinema film by David Berenbaum
Dates: November 14, 2026-December 27, 2026
SEEKING:
ENSEMBLE- 20s-30s, male presenting, good dancer and vocalist.
WOODEN SNOWFLAKES
Smith Theatre
by Catherine Bush
Dates: November 22, 2026-December 27, 2026
SEEKING:
SIMON PETER WHITAKER – A forty-something naïve woodcarver whose specialty is wooden snowflakes. Simon loves Christmas and clings almost desperately to its rituals and traditions. He’s very “what you see is what you get.”
* All titles and dates are subject to change due to availability of rights and licenses.
PRODUCTION AND REHEARSAL DATES AND TIMES
The performance dates of our 2026 season can be found above and more information about each show can be found at our website. Brochures are also available at the audition site. Rehearsals for most plays begin approximately six – eight weeks before they open. Most actors will participate in two productions during the same repertory.
THE BARTER PLAYERS AND THE BARTER THEATRE EDUCATIONAL INTERN PROGRAM
If you are interested in becoming a member of The Barter Players (Barter’s non-AEA company) or Educational Intern Company we require that you act, sing and attend the movement/dance auditions, even if you do not consider yourself a mover/dancer or singer. Please be available for a callback interview with Sarah Van Deusen, the Artistic Director of the Barter Players following the evening auditions. There will be a callback list after each audition hour for those asked to stay.
We ask that you sign up for an audition slot for any part of this audition. AEA Members without appointments will be worked in throughout the day.
After you have read the above carefully, sign up for an audition slot by following this link. If you have any questions, please contact casting@bartertheatre.com
VIRTUAL SUBMISSIONS
We greatly encourage anyone interested in our 2026 Season to audition in person. If you are unable to attend in person, you may send a video audition of two monologues, a cut of a song, and a dance combo or reel to casting@bartertheatre.com by December 1, 2025.
