August, a seventeen year-old West Virginian, gets caught between finding love with his childhood best friend, Russel, and the truth that their kind of love isn’t welcome in the hills they call home. Guided by his grandmother and watched over by a couple of drag queen angels, August battles against the traditions and addictions of a small town stuck in the past. But when Russel’s father does the unthinkable and the ghosts of August’s familial past creep out of their graves, it may all prove to be too much for a gentle boy with a hillbilly heart.
Barter Theatre's annual Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights celebrates the richness of the Appalachian tradition by showcasing the stories of the region, both past and present, and the inspiration it provides the writers who live here. Since 1933, The AFPP has gained national attention by developing a process that has resulted in new plays being produced not only on Barter’s stages, but in regional theatres across the country. AFPP readings are free and open to the public. Audiences participate in the development process by attending readings, participating in panel discussions, and sharing feedback.
AFPP will be held virtually this year. The readings will be free, but pre-registration is required and will open on January 24th 2022. Sign up for updates in the form to the right!
This project was supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
A special thanks to the Town of Abingdon, Washington County, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation for their support.
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