BSBV EVENTS & GALLERY
BSBV Community Event
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
Sunday, Feb 22nd after the 3pm show of TRAINS at Barter’s Smith Theatre
On October 31st, 1919, the white citizens of Corbin, KY forced the Black citizenry of the town onto railcars heading south. This incident earned Corbin the moniker “sunset town” as well as a reputation that still troubles them today. What sparked the riot? How does a community heal from such a tragic event? Here to tell us about his experience growing up around Corbin, what he has learned about that historic moment, and how his perspective on it has grown and changed over the years is Wayne Riley, founder of the Laurel County African American Heritage Center. Mr. Riley will be joined by “Trains” cast member Vince McGill. This promises to be a great discussion, and an important way to explore different perspectives on the story of Corbin.
BSBV Annual Event
5TH ANNUAL SHINE: ILLUMINATING BLACK STORIES
Friday, Feb 27th, 7:30pm on Gilliam Stage
SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories is an annual event of powerful theatrical storytelling celebrating the Black experience in Appalachia, curated by Barter Theatre’s Black Stories Black Voices initiative. Inspired by the local Black community and the Appalachian landscape, the event features original monologues and scenes by Black playwrights from across the nation. Performed and directed by Barter’s artists, these works provide a platform for voices that are often unheard. Join us for a powerful evening of Black Appalachian theatre!
SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories (Spring 2025)
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Community Event (Summer 2024)
SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories (Spring 2024)
BSBV SUBMISSIONS
By submitting your work to Black Stories Black Voices, you are helping Barter Theatre curate a Black Appalachian Canon of both the past and the present. Whether you reside in Appalachia or not, we welcome any and all Black writers to submit relevant works.
Submissions sent in prior to November 15th, 2025 will be considered for a staged reading during Barter’s 5th Annual SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories in Spring 2026.
If you already have a piece of work set in Appalachia, we encourage you to submit it. If you do not have any Appalachia-inspired works but would like to write one, please consider a topic from our official Shine 2026 prompts list.
For any and all questions or content submissions, please email our Co-Directors James Jiggetts and Geovonday Jones at bsbv@bartertheatre.com
Monologue Submission Guidelines
- Playwright must be Black.
- Monologues must be set in Appalachia. (Click Here list of qualifying states/counties as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission)
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Monologues must be 3-5 minutes in length.
- Monologues must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
- Monologues must be submitted electronically.
Scene Submission Guidelines
- Playwright must be Black.
- Monologues must be set in Appalachia. (Click Here list of qualifying states/counties as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission)
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Monologues must be 5-10 minutes in length.
- Monologues must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
- Monologues must be submitted electronically.
Full Length Play Submission Guidelines
- Playwright must be Black.
- Plays must be written by an Appalachian playwright or the plays must be set in the Appalachian Region. (Click here for list of qualifying states/counties as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission.)
- Plays must be full length.
- Plays must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
- Plays must be submitted electronically.
