Written by D’Arcy Morrell, Editing & Consultation by Cabrina Arthur –
The Barter Players are one of the most beloved aspects of Barter Theatre. Started in 1993 as First Light Theatre, The Players have become essential to Barter’s mission of producing world-class theatre in the heart of Appalachia. The Players often serve as a young person’s first introduction to live theatre, giving them a lifelong love of the arts.
What fewer people know is that The Barter Players also do something quieter, but equally as important. Three times a year, they offer Sensory Friendly Performances of select productions at Barter’s Smith Theatre. These performances are specially designed for patrons with heightened sensory needs to enjoy live theatre in an inclusive and welcoming environment.
Barter works closely with professional consultants to make our SFPs possible, including the TDF National Autism Friendly Performance Training Program. Every part of the experience we offer has been thoughtfully considered, from the moment guests arrive to the final bow. None of it changes the story, only adds comfort and possibility for many watching it.
Longtime patron and donor, Kathy Whitten knows firsthand what the magic of live theatre can do for a child with increased support needs. Her granddaughter Lilly came to live with her in the summer of 2018, and at barely four years old she attended her first Barter production. Like many families, Kathy was unsure of how the experience might turn out for her and Lilly. But in her own words, “it felt like a warm hug…and we went, okay. This is the magic [of Barter].”
While Lilly does not personally need sensory-specific accommodations to enjoy a production, Kathy is the first to note that many families do. “I think there are lots of families that hesitate to even try to bring a child,” she said. “If they get that same warm hug feeling from Barter, because of you reaching out…before anybody has to ask…it’s really meaningful.”
Lilly is 11 now, and that magic has even inspired her to take the stage herself, performing in her recent school play. “Barter has given her an outlet for her creative spirit, I really believe that. I think it really encouraged her to want to be on stage. She never has nerves, she just goes right out there and owns it,” says Kathy. “She was able to transform. That is what theatre does—whether you are in the seats or on the stage—it transforms you.”
Most of life is the necessary business of being alive, but the theatre is where we get to let all of that go and just be. We laugh and cry in the same breath, we watch heroes who remind us of who we want to be, and we leave feeling a little bit more alive than when we entered. When Winston Churchill was asked to cut arts funding to support the war effort, he is said to have replied, “Then what are we fighting for?” That is the ground Barter stands on. The magic of live theatre belongs to everyone, and we want every person in our region to have access to it, no matter what.
