BSBV tells and amplifies Black stories and Black voices through playwriting, acting, and all theatrical disciplines. With BSBV, we hope to help shine a light on the richness of the Black experience in the Appalachian region, and for this region, with plays, readings, and community engagement opportunities such as our post-show events during our main stage season and our annual SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories event. Below, you will be able to read more about our initiative, see our upcoming events, and find resources about our playwriting submissions.
BSBV EVENTS & GALLERY
FREE BSBV Reading
Faster Than The Speed of Race by Russel Nichols*
Sunday, October 19th, 7:30pm at Barter’s Smith Theatre
Faster Than the Speed of Race is a high-speed ride — one act, no brakes — through the life of NASCAR legend Wendell Scott. With his loyal crew and beloved stock car, Baby Blue, Scott races against reckless engines and the relentless injustices of Jim Crow to become the first Black man to claim victory at NASCAR’s highest level. More than a sports story, this play is about one man’s unstoppable drive to break barriers before they could break him.
Seats will be given on a first come first served basis. Click here to RSVP.
* Russell Nichols is an award-winning speculative fiction writer, internationally produced playwright, poet, and journalist. His plays — which revolve around concepts of race, technology, masculinity, and existentialism — have been produced by Nylon Fusion, the Fade to Black Festival, the UK’s Science Fiction Theatre, and others. Raised in Richmond, California, he got rid of all his stuff in 2011 to live out of a backpack with his wife, vagabonding around the world ever since. Look for him at russellnichols.com.
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)
-
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)
-
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.
