ABINGDON, VA – Barter Theatre is proud to announce the 4th Annual SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories, an evening of powerful theatrical storytelling, to be held at 7:00 PM on Sunday, February 16th, 2025, at Barter Theatre’s Gilliam Stage. The event is free and open to the public.
Now in its fourth year, SHINE continues to offer a unique and unforgettable experience, immersing audiences in the diverse stories, histories, and voices of the Black community in the Appalachian region. This year’s theme is Education, exploring stories set from Glade Spring, Virginia, to Johnson City, Tennessee, and beyond. These original works—written by a talented group of playwrights, including local voices from Southwest Virginia as well as writers from across the country—reflect the rich cultural tapestry of Appalachian Black experiences that shape our shared history, future, and educational narratives.
Playwrights featured in this year’s event include Cris Eli Blak, Kyra Davis, Tracie Morrison, Camille Simone Thomas, Kamiah Vicker, as well as local writers Tommy Bryant and Jerry L. Jones.
Tommy Bryant, a Southwest Virginia native and one of this year’s selected playwrights, expressed his excitement: “Each year, I would attend the Barter SHINE event and come away feeling wonderfully impressed. And each year I would think of submitting some material for consideration. To actually have my work selected means more to me than I can express. I am moved by Barter’s willingness to engage voices of color, and I hope that my small contribution lives up to the lofty standards set by artists who’ve gone before.”
Winning playwrights will receive a cash stipend, along with housing and travel expenses to attend the event and see their works performed by Barter Theatre actors on the mainstage.
Jerry L. Jones, a native of Glade Spring, VA, is one of this year’s featured playwrights in SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories. Though he has written three books, Jones had never before ventured into playwriting or drama. He decided to participate in Barter’s SHINE project as a tribute to his mother, Mary Waugh Jones, and to Mary Porterfield, the wife of Barter Theatre’s founder, Robert Porterfield. In the 1960s, Jones’s mother worked for the Porterfields in their home. For Jones, this piece was not about winning, but about honoring the memory and legacy of these two influential women in his life: “I convinced myself that I should participate in Barter’s Shine project as a way of respecting my memories of these two ladies: I had no thoughts of winning.”
Terrance Jackson, Director of the Black Stories Black Voices initiative, shared his pride in the event’s growth: “I’m so proud of SHINE and what it has become over the years! I’m constantly amazed at the rich history and stories from this region, and I’m honored by the continued support from the community. Every year, our theater is packed with an enthusiastic audience, reminding us how much these stories matter.”
SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories is an annual event curated by Barter Theatre’s Black Stories Black Voices initiative. It features original monologues and scenes by Black playwrights from across the nation, performed and directed by Barter Theatre’s artists. The event provides a platform for voices that are often unheard, celebrating the Black experience in Appalachia.
Admission is FREE
For more information, please visit BarterTheatre.com or contact 276.628.3991
About Barter Theatre:
Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest running professional theatre, is located in Abingdon, Virginia. The theatre opened in 1933 during the Great Depression. Founder Robert Porterfield offered patrons admission to the theatre by bartering food and livestock. Barter Theatre was designated as the State Theatre of Virginia in 1946. It exists today as one of the last year-round professional resident repertory theaters remaining in the United States.
