2027 SEASON LOCAL AUDITIONS
DECEMBER 6TH AND 7TH, 2026
2027 SEASON LOCAL AUDITIONS
WHEN AND WHERE
Sunday, December 6th
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
Monday, December 7th
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.
The Barter Players Touring Company: Non-AEA; College graduates or equivalent experience; Pay, housing, per diem, hotels provided
Educational Intern Company: Non-AEA; College undergraduates; Class credit through your College or University; Summer only.
Possible replacements and understudies for the 2027 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(except AEA actors for Annie.) 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 2027 season, we prefer that you wait until our December 2027 auditions to be seen.
ROLES WE’RE SEEKING FOR 2027:
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 will not be seeking any actors under 18 at this audition (except AEA actors for Annie.) Youth auditions will be held another time. All of the following roles will be understudied.
CABARET
Gilliam Stage
Book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Fred Ebb, music by John Kander. Based on the play by John Van Druten and the stories of Christopher Isherwood
Dates: March 13, 2027-April 11, 2027
SALLY BOWLES – 20s-30s, female presenting. Strong actor, vocalist, and dancer.
FRAULEIN SCHNEIDER – 50s-60s, female presenting. Strong actor and vocalist.
HERR SCHULTZ – 50s-60s, male presenting. Strong actor and vocalist.
FRAULEIN KOST/KIT KAT GIRL – 20s-30s, female presenting. Strong actor, vocalist, and dancer.
KIT KAT GIRL – 20s-30s, female presenting. Strong dancer and vocalist.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BRISTOL
Gilliam Stage
by Catherine Bush
Dates: April 24, 2027-May 16, 2027
JIMMIE RODGERS/J.E. THOMAS/et al – 30s, male presenting, strong actor and old time music vocalist. Any acoustic stringed instrument experience a plus.
POP STONEMAN/ALFRED KARNES/FLOYD CORNETT/ALFRED REED/et al- 30s, male presenting, strong actor and old time music vocalist. Any acoustic stringed instrument experience a plus.
EXIT LAUGHING
Smith Theatre
by Paul Elliott
Dates: May 9, 2027-August 14, 2027
CONNIE HARLAND – 55-year-old mother of Rachel, who finds on this fateful bridge night that life doesn’t end at 55/This actor will also be in ANNIE.
POLICEMAN/BOBBY – 23, a young man of many talents, and they all come to “bare” on the ladies’ bridge night/This actor will also be in ANNIE.
ANNIE
Gilliam Stage
Book by Thomas Meehan, lyrics by Marin Charnin, music by Charles Strouse
Dates: May 29, 2027-August 15, 2027
ANNIE – Needs to appear 11 years-old on stage. Strong actor and vocalist. Note: We are only seeing actors under 18 who are union for this audition.
GRACE FARRELL – 30s-40s, female presenting, strong actor and vocalist / This actor may also be in THE STING.
LILY ST. REGIS – 20s-40s, female presenting, strong actor, vocalist, and dancer / This actor may also be in THE STING.
MISS HANNIGAN – 40s-60s, female presenting, strong actor and vocalist / This actor may also be in EXIT LAUGHING or THE STING.
JUDGE BRANDEIS, ET AL – 30s-60s, male presenting, strong actor and vocalist / This actor will also be in THE STING.
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, male presenting, strong mover and vocalist / This actor will also be in EXIT LAUGHING.
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, male presenting, strong mover and vocalist / This actor will also be in THE STING.
THE STING
Gilliam Stage
Adapted by David Rogers from the screenplay by David Ward
Dates: June 12, 2027-August 14, 2027
JOE ERIE/ET AL – 20s-30s, male presenting. Strong actor / This actor may also be in ANNIE.
FOUR STAR/ET AL – 30s-60s, male presenting. Strong actor / This actor may also be in ANNIE or AN ILIAD.
AN ILIAD
Smith Theatre
By Lisa Peterson and David O’Hare
Dates: July 22, 2027-August 22, 2027
POET – any age, any gender, strong actor / This actor may also be in THE STING.
BRIGHT STAR
Gilliam Stage
Music, book & story by Steven Martin; lyrics, book & story by Edie Brickell
Dates: August 31, 2027-October 30, 2027
BILLY CANE – 20s-30s, male presenting. Strong actor and vocalist.
STANFORD/ET AL – 20s-30s, male presenting. Strong actor and vocalist / This actor may also be in SHEAR MADNESS.
SHEAR MADNESS
Smith Theatre
Adapted by Marilyn Abrams and Bruce Jordan from Paul Portner’s play
Dates: September 12, 2027-October 31, 2027
MIKEY THOMAS – 20s-30s, male presenting. Strong actor that is comfortable with improv / This actor may also be in BRIGHT STAR.
WHITE CHRISTMAS
Gilliam Stage
Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, book by David Ives and Paul Blake based on the Paramount Pictures film written by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank
Dates: November 14, 2027-December 30, 2027
JUDY HAYNES- 20s-30s, female presenting, strong actor, vocalist, dancer, and tapper
MIKE/ET AL – 20s-40s, male presenting, strong actor, vocalist, mover (dancer plus)
ENSEMBLE- 20s-30s, female presenting, strong dancer, tapper, and vocalist
ENSEMBLE- 20s-30s, female presenting, strong dancer, tapper, and vocalist
STAR OF WONDER
Smith Theatre
by Catherine Bush
Dates: November 20, 2027-December 26, 2027
WALTER – 80ish. A former truck driver who now finds himself at the end of his life living in a nursing home with a window facing a parking lot. What he wouldn’t give to see the Star atop Mill Mountain one more time…
STANLEY “BAA-BAA” WISEMAN – late 70’s. Walter’s best friend and roommate. Stan has had a grudge against the Roanoke Star ever since it inspired him to audition for the role of one of the Three Kings in his school’s Christmas play and he got cast as a sheep instead, leading to his hated nickname…
* 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 2027 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 White, 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 2027 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, 2026.
