Local Auditions for Barter's 2025 Season - Dec 1st and 2nd, 2024
You must sign up for these auditions. After you have read the following carefully, please sign up through the link below to get a slot to be seen.
Sun. Dec. 1st
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Acting and singing auditions
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm Dance/Movement call
3:00 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. 2nd
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)
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Player Company interviews
Auditions will take place at Barter’s Rehearsal Halls at 201 Trigg Street, Abingdon, VA. 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.
If you are auditioning for Million Dollar Quartet and play an instrument, please bring your instrument.
Please bring two copies of your picture 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. Please wear shoes and clothing appropriate for a dance audition.
Teaching of the first dance combination will begin promptly at 12:30 pm on Sunday, and 1:00 pm on Monday.
The movement/dance auditions will be broken down into two levels:
- Choreographed movement/dance: EVERYONE ATTENDING THE DANCE AUDITIONS WILL DO THIS COMBINATION after which we will ask the more experienced dancers to stay and learn a second combination
- Dance combination for dancers, including Actor/Singers who also consider themselves dancers. Only those requested to do the second combination will learn it.
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, and ethnicities to audition. We encourage submissions from BIPOC actors for all roles. Please see our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion here.
If you are not available for the 2025 season, we prefer that you wait until our December 2025 auditions to be seen.
ROLES WE’RE SEEKING FOR 2025:
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.
THE BOOK CLUB PLAY
Gilliam Stage
by Karen Zacarias
Dates: March 8, 2025 to March 30, 2025
SEEKING:
ALEX – 30s, male identifying. The new guy. A very smart, well-read academic who has lost his moorings and is searching for real connection. Professor of comparative literature.
HAMLET
Smith Theatre
by William Shakespeare
Dates: March 25, 2025 to April 23, 2025
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET
Gilliam Stage
Book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Dates: April 11, 2025 to May 11, 2025
SEEKING:
JERRY LEE LEWIS – 20s-30s, male identifying. Legendary piano prodigy and strong vocalist
SAM PHILLIPS – 30s, male identifying. A towering and charismatic figure in American music
CARL PERKINS – 20s-30s, male identifying. Lead guitar player, strong vocalist, the first poet of Rock ‘N Roll
JOHNNY CASH – 20s-30s, male identifying. Guitar player, strong vocalist, a giant of American music
DYANNE – 20s-30s, female identifying. Strong vocalist, Elvis’s girlfriend
ELVIS PRESLEY – 20s-30s, male identifying. Guitar player, strong guitarist, undisputed King of Rock N’ Roll
BROTHER JAY – Bass player
FLUKE – Drummer
THURGOOD
Smith Theatre
by George Stevens, Jr.
Dates: May 11, 2025 to June 1, 2025
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
DISNEY’S FROZEN
Gilliam Stage
Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, book by Jennifer Lee, based on the Disney film written by Jennifer Lee
Dates: May 24, 2025 to August 17, 2025
SEEKING:
QUEEN IDUNA/ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, female identifying. Anna and Elsa’s mother, strong vocalist and dancer.
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, male identifying. Strong dancer and vocalist, person of color preferred/This role also plays KENDRICK in A FEW GOOD MEN
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, male identifying. Strong dancer and vocalist, person of color preferred/This role also plays SANTIAGO in A FEW GOOD MEN
ENSEMBLE – 20s-30s, male identifying. Strong dancer and vocalist, person of color preferred/This role also plays CPL JEFFREY HOWARD in A FEW GOOD MEN
ENSEMBLE- 20s-30s, female identifying. Strong dancer and vocalist, person of color preferred
A FEW GOOD MEN
Gilliam Stage
by Aaron Sorkin
Dates: June 14, 2025 to August 16, 2025
SEEKING:
JONATHAN JAMES KENDRICK/LAWYER #2 – 30s, male identifying. Marine whose direct reports kill a man on their platoon, possibly because of his orders. Kendrick should be a strong presence with excellent command of a scene. / This role also plays ENSEMBLE in FROZEN
PFC WILLIAM T. SANTIAGO/MP – 20s, male identifying. A young marine who is killed by others in his platoon who see him as a weak link. / This role also plays ENSEMBLE in FROZEN
CPL. JEFFREY HOWARD- 20’s, male identifying. Marine called in court to testify regarding life as a marine in Guantanamo. / This role also plays ENSEMBLE in FROZEN
MOUNTAIN MAMAS
Smith Theatre
by Daryl Liza Fazio
Dates: June 22, 2025 to August 9, 2025
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: THE MUSICAL
Gilliam Stage
Book, Music, & Lyrics by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman, based on the novel by L.M. Montgomery
Dates: August 31, 2025 to November 2, 2025
SEEKING:
JANE ANDREWS – 18+ to pay young girl, female identifying, strong singer. A plain and sensible girl in Anne’s group of friends–she is steadfast and reliable.
MURDER FOR TWO
Smith Theatre
Book by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian, Lyrics by Kellen Blair, Music by Joe Kinosian
Dates: September 5, 2025 to November 2, 2025
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
DEATHTRAP
Gilliam Stage
by Ira Levin
Dates: September 19, 2025 to November 1, 2025
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 15, 2025 to December 28, 2025
SEEKING:
JOVIE – 20s-30s, female identifying, strong singer. Buddy’s girlfriend; works at Macy’s and is caught off guard by Buddy’s genuinely big heart.
ENSEMBLE- 20s-30s, female identifying, good dancer and vocalist.
ENSEMBLE- 20s-30s, male identifying, good dancer and vocalist.
THE INNKEEPER’S WIFE
Smith Theatre
By Catherine Bush
Dates: November 22, 2025 to December 28, 2025
All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.
* 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 2025 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 APPRENTICE PROGRAM
If you are interested in becoming a member of The Barter Players (Barter’s non-AEA company) or Apprentice 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 Barrett Guyton, 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 2025 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 2, 2024. If you are auditioning for Million Dollar Quartet by video, please also include you singing and playing your instrument(s) in the style of the show.
