ABINGDON, Va.—Barter Theatre will be holding their 21st annual Appalachian
Festival of Plays and Playwrights online. The event is scheduled to start January 26th,
2021 and will occur over the span of two weeks.
The festival will feature readings of several new Appalachian plays as well as offer
playwriting workshops and panel discussions.
Barter will also premiere its Black in Appalachia initiative during the festival with a
reading of a new play written by a Black Appalachian playwright.
“While this year’s festival will certainly be different than past ones, we are excited
about the possibilities that an online experience can offer,”said Nicholas Piper, festival
director. “I think we have the opportunity to introduce even more people to our work
and to the stories that authentically reflect the Appalachian experience.”
For more information on the festival, visit Barter’s website at www.bartertheatre.com.
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. Barter Theatre is funded in part by The Virginia Commission for the
Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts.
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