2026 Season
SPRING
ON SALE JAN 6
This witty and action-packed adventure follows the friendships of young D’Artagnan and his band of swashbuckling Musketeers as they fight to protect the ones they love from the evil Cardinal Richelieu. It’s a story of double crossings, kidnappings, and carefully guarded secrets, complete with lavish sword fights and sweeping romance, set in a time when love and honor ruled the world. This 8-person version has been especially adapted for Barter’s Resident Acting Company. An adventure for the whole family!
Content Advisories: (V) – Theatrical violence. More information.
On October 31, 1919, an angry mob in Corbin, Kentucky, drove 200 Black citizens from town on railcars. Thirteen years later, Travis Hampton and his father, Lester, now living in Knoxville, are still dealing with the memories of that night. One night, Travis’ former friend, a white man named Junior Greevy, shows up at their door with a business proposition. Can Junior be trusted? Or does his presence present an even greater threat than before? Don’t miss this world premiere, the first work to be fully developed through Barter’s Black Stories Black Voices Initiative.
Content Advisories: (IL, P) – Intense language and themes of prejudice. More information.
In America’s fastest-growing game, there’s no place for apologies or excuses, but there is a lot of room for comedy. When four below-average players have an opportunity to compete in a local tournament, they must learn to overcome their limitations and dig deep to find the greatness that lies within. This hilarious new comedy by Jeff Daniels shows us all the possibilities of middle-aged athleticism when combined with the unconquerable human spirit. Join us for the fun!
Content Advisories: (ML) – Mild language. More information.
Based on a true story, this heartfelt musical celebrates the life and career of country music legend, Patsy Cline. Told through the eyes of her biggest fan and unlikely friend, Louise Seger, this show includes many of Patsy’s unforgettable hits such as “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Sweet Dreams” & “Walking After Midnight.” Complete with down-home country humor, true emotion, and even some audience participation, this musical is a joyful tribute to one of music’s most beloved voices!
SUMMER
ON SALE JAN 6
Flawlessly blending a fantastic story with unforgettable music- it’s no wonder that Guys and Dolls is often called “the perfect musical.” The show follows the high stakes games of a motley crew of gamblers and the women who unexpectedly steal their hearts. Filled with laughter and surprising twists, this great American musical comedy features hits like “A Bushel and a Peck” and “Luck Be a Lady,” and tells a story of romance, adventure, second chances, and the transformative power of love. Don’t miss this quintessential golden age musical performed by the quintessential American theatre company.
While visiting Paris, Professor Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre Art Museum in the dead of night, where he unwittingly becomes the center of a murder investigation. When cryptologist Sophie Neveu arrives at the scene, she alerts Robert that, not only is he being asked to solve the crime, he is also the prime suspect. Soon they are in a race against time to clear Robert’s name and decipher a labyrinthine code before a shocking historical secret is lost forever. Based on Dan Brown’s thrilling international best-seller, this is one you don’t want to miss!
Content Advisories: (ML,V, O) – Mild language, violence, other. More information.
In this delightful comedy, four very different Southern women, all strangers, are drawn together by an impromptu Happy Hour, and decide it’s high time to reclaim the excitement their lives once held. Over the next six months, with the help of several hilarious misadventures and the occasional liquid refreshment, these ladies discover that it’s never too late to make new old friends. A guaranteed good time for all!
FALL
ON SALE JAN 6
When the world stopped on Sept. 11, 2001, kindness soared in an isolated Canadian town. In Come From Away, a big-hearted musical based on a remarkable true story, 38 commercial flights from around the globe are diverted for days to tiny Gander, Newfoundland. Unfazed by the arrival of nearly 7,000 surprise guests, the residents provide light in a dark time, welcoming the stranded travelers with music, open doors, and hope.
Content Advisories: (ML, O) – Mild language, other. More information.
When your survival is at stake…will you be able to distinguish the monster from the man? Both terrifying and riotous, Kate Hamill’s imaginative adaptation is like no Dracula you’ve ever seen, exploring the nature of predators and reinventing the story as a smart, darkly comic drama. Hamill’s signature style upends this familiar tale of Victorian vampires, driving a stake through the heart of the familiar and giving us a play we can sink our teeth into. Perfect for the Halloween season!
Content Advisories: (V, S) – Violence, sexual situations. More information.
A high school drama teacher, a used car salesman, a gunsmith, and a National Park Ranger – these are some of the characters who, while living in the Present, are obsessed with a moment in history that changed the entire course of the American Revolution: the Battle of Kings Mountain. But as they gather to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the battle, they find that the Past refuses to stay silent, resulting in a Present that will change their Future forever. This production is a VA 250 Signature Event.
Content Advisories: (ML) – Mild language. More information.
HOLIDAY
ON SALE JAN 6
The hilarious tale of Buddy, an orphan baby who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and winds up being raised at the North Pole. When Buddy discovers that he is actually human, he embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern-day Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner “elf.”
Certain tragic events have left their mark on Eve Lawson. She has renounced her faith in Love and anything to do with America’s favorite winter holiday. Then, on December 24th, Eve’s car slides off an icy Kentucky road and she finds herself seeking shelter at the home of Simon Peter Whitaker, a woodcarver who wholeheartedly embraces the magic of the season. As the night unfolds, Simon and Eve, believer and skeptic, find themselves clashing time and time again as long-suppressed old wounds struggle to the surface, only to be healed by the Love that is Christmas.
Content Advisories: (ML, S) – Mild language, sexual situations. More information.
Premier Sponsors
Season Sponsors
Additional Supporters
Barter Theatre is 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.
