

Junie B. Jones The Musical
April 4th – May 12th on Gilliam Stage
It’s Junie B.’s first day of first grade and a lot of things have changed. Junie’s friend Lucille doesn’t want to be her best pal anymore, and on the bus, Junie B. makes friends with Herb, the new kid at school. Junie is also having trouble reading the blackboard and her teacher Mr. Scary thinks she may need glasses. There’s a lot to write about in her “Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal!” Featuring a tremendously loveable character and fun-filled songs, Junie B. Jones will capture your heart just as the books captivated an entire generation of students!
This joy-packed musical is adapted from the infamous book series by Barbara Park, including Junie B. Jones is a Graduation Girl, Junie B. Jones First Grader at Last!, Junie B. First Grader Boss of Lunch, Junie B. First Grader Toothless Wonder, and Top Secret Personal Beeswax, a Journal by Junie B. (And Me)!



Keep On the Sunnyside
April 22nd – May 21st on Gilliam Stage
Written by Doug Pote
Come celebrate the original musical tale of America’s First Family of Country Music. When A.P. Carter convinces his wife Sara and his sister-in-law Maybelle to record with him at the Bristol Sessions, he has no idea he is about to change his life – and the world – forever. You’ll tap your toes to Carter Family favorites like Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow, Keep On the Sunnyside, Wildwood Flower, and Will the Circle Be Unbroken.
This play is a product of Barter's Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights.



Abingdon Rotary Frolics
February 3rd & 4th, 7:30pm Gilliam Stage
Abingdon Rotary Frolics is a fundraiser event to benefit children’s charities in Washington County, Virginia.





College Playwrights Festival Readings
February 19th at 2:00 PM
Barter's Smith Theatre
Join us for readings of the plays selected for 2023's College Playwrights Festival.
Barter’s College Play Festival (CPF) is a 10-Minute Play Festival designed to give Appalachian undergraduate college students a professional experience. Selected student playwrights will have the opportunity to develop their play with professional Barter artists as well as attend workshops and meet professional playwrights.
Selected Plays:
The Sermon by Tarrin Chambers, East TN State University
What I’d Do Without You by Barbara Kincaid, Oglethorpe University
Drainer by Emma McGee, Western Kentucky University
Killing Gilderoy by Cameron Michles, Wake Forest University
Prior Engagement by Wyn Alyse Thomas, University of Georgia
A Murder Gently by Isaac Nelson, Western Kentucky University





AFPP 2023
February 23rd - 26th, Barter's Smith Theatre
2023 Play Selects and Reading Schedule
Hooten Holler by Ketch Secor
Thursday, February 23rd, 7pm
Shy, unassuming, 20-year-old Wiley Young has never been far from his home in Hooten Holler, where he runs the general store with his father. All that’s about to change, however, when a mysterious man visits the holler and Wiley discovers something he never knew about himself: the boy can play! Armed with his mother’s banjo and dreams of stardom, Wiley makes it all the way to Music City, USA where he learns that the cost of making it to the top of the charts may be more than he’s willing to pay. A brand-new, honky-tonk musical fable by Ketch Secor, founding member of the Grammy award-winning Old Crow Medicine Show.
Trouble (at the Vista View Mobile Home Estates) by Audrey Cefaly
Friday, February 24th, 1pm
Struggling, ex-mill worker Euba has expressly told her mother, Bernie, that she does not want a birthday party. But Lila, Fin and her new friend YoYo have different ideas. As the birthday hour approaches, Euba is visited by a raven, sending her spiraling in search for answers to the untimely death of her father. This all-female story traverses the landscape of family ties, mental illness, addiction, and the trials and tribulations of motherhood.
The Coffin Maker by Phil Keeling
Friday, February 24th, 4pm
Jack Tracker, the patriarch of a family in rural Appalachia, hasn't left his home in over 20 years due to an archaic blood feud. When a young university student approaches him in order to tell the story of his self-imposed prison, she will uncover his past, his secrets, and the truth behind a man who has emotionally and physically controlled his tiny family despite being entirely at their mercy.
Grandma Gatewood Took A Walk by Catherine Bush
Saturday, February 25th, 1pm
In 1955, sixty-seven-year-old Emma "Grandma" Gatewood called her eldest daughter and told her she was "going for a walk". What she forgot to mention was that the walk would encompass all 2,050 miles of the Appalachian Trail. As we join Emma on her adventure, we relive with her the hills and valleys, obstacles and detours of her life that led her to make history as the first woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.
A Thing of Beauty by D.W. Gregory
Saturday, February 25th, 4pm
The leading citizens of a stuffy seaside resort are thrown into an uproar when an anonymous nude takes first prize in the community’s art competition. As local gossips speculate about exactly whose bare butt is depicted in the painting, Mrs. Bouffant, the competition’s sponsor, lobbies the judges to choose a more appropriate winner. But her quest is upended when she discovers that an influential New York art critic is summering on the Cape---and has taken an undue interest in the prize-winner.
The Transported Man by Russell Nichols
Sunday, February 26th, 1pm
Based on a true story, The Transported Man is a two-act magic show, a surreal retelling of the journey of Henry "Box" Brown, who shipped himself from slavery in Virginia to freedom in Pennsylvania in a wooden box. Henry's incredible story explores themes of survival, grief and the search for redemption. It is about the surreal horrors of human bondage -- and the tragic cost of breaking free. *2023 Barter Theatre's Black Stories Black Voices Initiative Selection





Shine: Illuminating Black Stories
February 26th, 5pm at Gilliam Stage
Join us for readings of the monologues selected for 2023's SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories! SHINE is an annual evening of storytelling that explores the Black experience in Appalachia, curated by Barter’s Black Stories Black Voices. Using prompts derived from our local Black community and Appalachian region, Black playwrights from across the country submit original monologues to be performed and directed by our artists. SHINE always provides an unforgettable experience to our audiences, and we hope you’ll join us in celebrating the Black artists of our region!
Monologue Titles & Playwrights
DREAM by Joseph Bundy
GIRL ON A HILL by Cris Eli Blak
FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF RACE by Russell Nichols
WORLDS BEYOND WISE by Brandy Victoria
THE WHITE SHEETS by Tina McDaniel
SALLIE’S CRYING TREE by D.L. Patrick
Featuring Storyteller & Musician Kelle Jolly and a scene from TRAINS by SHINE 2022 playwright Quinton Cockrell



The Last Romance
March 25th – April 15th on Gilliam Stage
Written by Joe DiPietro
On an ordinary day in a routine life, 80-year-old widower Ralph decides to take a different path on his daily walk, and discovers the beautiful-yet-distant Carol on a bench at a dog park. Relying on his boyish charm and a fictional dog named Rex, Ralph begins to woo Carol, thus embarking on a hilarious and heartwarming journey that proves it’s never too late for romance.
Pictured in artwork: Tricia Matthews and Michael Poisson



Macbeth
April 8th – 30th at Barter’s Smith Theatre
Written by William Shakespeare
“Something wicked this way comes…” Returning home from battle, the victorious Macbeth meets three witches on the heath. Driven by their disturbing prophecies, he sets out on an ambitious path to take the crown – a plan that leads to murder and madness. Don’t miss this action-filled adaptation specifically tailored for Barter’s Smith Theatre.
This project is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

Pictured in artwork: Justin Tyler Lewis


Skeleton Crew
May 20th – June 4th at Barter’s Smith Theatre
Written by Dominique Morisseau
What do you do when the industry that has supported you, your family, and your entire region threatens to close up and go away? Skeleton Crew is set in 2008 Detroit, where a small automotive factory is on the brink of foreclosure and the livelihoods of a tight-knit family of workers hangs in the balance. This powerful play explores how loyalties and survival collide when a world changes.



Robin Hood
June 6th – July 8th at Barter’s Smith Theatre
Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men are determined to save their fellow citizens from the clutches of the wicked Prince John. One day, while robbing from the rich to give to the poor, Robin meets the beautiful Lady Marian, who is being forced to marry the prince against her will. Can Robin rescue her before it’s too late? Join us for an action-packed adventure through Sherwood Forest as we relive the most famous English legend of all.



Rapunzel
July 11th – August 5th at Barter’s Smith Theatre
An angry Witch is keeping the beautiful maiden Rapunzel prisoner in a tower with one window and no door. When Prince Frederick discovers Rapunzel’s predicament, he climbs her golden braid of hair in order to rescue her. But Rapunzel has a few surprises of her own, including a lesson in girl-power and a super-cool haircut. With Frederick at her side, Rapunzel is able to convince the Witch and the world that True Love does indeed conquer all.



Country Girls
June 23rd – August 12th at Barter’s Smith Theatre
Written by Stephen Brown
Megan hates country music singer Rick Montgomery, and she and her best friend Kimmy have decided tonight’s concert will be his last. The two teens hatch an ill-conceived plot to kidnap the country music star in this laugh-out-loud, offbeat comedy. Songs will be sung, shots will be fired, and the girls will discover that revenge ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.
This play is a product of Barter's Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights.
Contains Adult Language.



Sense and Sensibility
June 17th – August 19th on Gilliam Stage
Based on the novel by Jane Austen
Playwright Kate Hamill gives us a fresh, comic take on this beloved novel. This wildly theatrical adaptation follows two radically different sisters—sensible Elinor and emotional Marianne—in the wake of their father’s death, as they face wave after wave of dance partners, dinner parties and great loves amid an English society mad for gossip.



Footloose
June 3rd – August 20th on Gilliam Stage
Stage Adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie // Music by Tom Snow and Lyrics by Dean Pitchford
Join us for the high-energy musical based on the 80’s movie. When Ren and his mother leave Chicago and move to the rural community of Bomont, Ren finds himself at odds with most everyone, including the powerful Reverend Moore. As a result of a recent tragedy, Moore has convinced the town fathers to outlaw dancing. With the help of Ariel (Moore’s daughter) and Willard (his new friend), Ren convinces the Reverend to let teenagers dance again, and in the process, helps to heal the whole town.



Where the Red Fern Grows
September 6th – November 3rd at Barter’s Smith Theatre
Billy Colman is a young boy growing up in the Ozark Mountains during the Depression. His family can’t afford hunting dogs, so Billy saves his dimes and pennies for two years to buy Ol’ Dan and Lil’ Ann. Billy teaches his pups everything they need to know about raccoon hunting. In return, these beloved hunting hounds teach Billy about friendship, faith, and life itself.



Misery
August 24th – November 4th at Barter’s Smith Theatre
Adapted by William Goldman, from the novel by Stephen King
Misery follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads his latest book and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. Annie forces Paul to write a new Misery novel, and he quickly realizes Annie has no intention of letting him go anywhere. The irate Annie has Paul writing as if his life depends on it…. and it does.



To Kill a Mockingbird
September 2nd – November 4th on Gilliam Stage
Adapted by Christopher Sergel, from the novel by Harper Lee
Young Scout and her brother Jem live in the sleepy town of Maycomb, Alabama with their widowed father, the lawyer Atticus Finch. Life is wonderful – until the facade of the seemingly peaceful town begins to crack when a young Black man is accused of a terrible crime. Driven by an unshakeable moral conviction, Atticus defends the man in a trial that sends waves of violence through the community. This hard-hitting work explores prejudice, compassion and the courage to do what is right.



Clue
September 15th – November 5th on Gilliam Stage
Written by Sandy Rustin, based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn / Additional Material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price / Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture and the Hasbro board game CLUE / Original Music by Michael Holland
Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie and classic board game, Clue is a hilarious comedy-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. Clue is the comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out…WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT!



I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
November 28th – December 23rd on Gilliam Stage
It’s Christmas time at the Cincinnati Zoo, and everyone there eagerly anticipates the birth of Bella, the zoo’s first baby hippo. Seven-year-old Lois Jean, the zookeeper’s daughter, is especially excited—she’s counting on Bella to reunite her family in time for the holidays. Then the unexpected happens, and only one person can prevent tragedy. Will Santa arrive in time to save Bella—and Christmas? A heartwarming musical adventure for the whole family.



I’ll Be Home for Christmas
November 22nd – December 24th at Barter’s Smith Theatre
Written by Catherine Bush
It’s December 24th in a busy airport, and newly-divorced gate agent Cheryl Dean is desperately trying to keep her Christmas spirit as she deals with a host of zany characters flying home for the holidays. An opinionated grandmother, a young man with big dreams, a champion turkey caller, and more are stuck in the airport as the night wears on. People will fall in love, get on each others’ nerves, and maybe even end up with the happiest Christmas they’ve ever had in the unlikeliest of places.



Miracle on 34th Street
November 16th – December 27th on Gilliam Stage
Music by Doug Smith, Book and Lyrics by Vern Stefanic
It’s the story of the year when Macy’s Santa Claus claims to be the real Kris Kringle. When he is put on trial to prove it, it’s up to a little girl’s belief in miracles, a kindly lawyer, and a lot of Christmas spirit to save the day. Join us for the musical of one of the most beloved Christmas stories of all time!



Abingdon Rotary Frolics
February 3rd & 4th, 7:30pm Gilliam Stage
Abingdon Rotary Frolics is a fundraiser event to benefit children’s charities in Washington County, Virginia.



Abingdon Rotary Frolics
February 3rd & 4th, 7:30pm Gilliam Stage
Abingdon Rotary Frolics is a fundraiser event to benefit children’s charities in Washington County, Virginia.





College Playwrights Festival Readings
February 19th at 2:00 PM
Barter's Smith Theatre
Join us for readings of the plays selected for 2023's College Playwrights Festival.
Barter’s College Play Festival (CPF) is a 10-Minute Play Festival designed to give Appalachian undergraduate college students a professional experience. Selected student playwrights will have the opportunity to develop their play with professional Barter artists as well as attend workshops and meet professional playwrights.
Selected Plays:
The Sermon by Tarrin Chambers, East TN State University
What I’d Do Without You by Barbara Kincaid, Oglethorpe University
Drainer by Emma McGee, Western Kentucky University
Killing Gilderoy by Cameron Michles, Wake Forest University
Prior Engagement by Wyn Alyse Thomas, University of Georgia
A Murder Gently by Isaac Nelson, Western Kentucky University





Hooten Holler
March 3rd, 12pm
Panel Discussion: March 7th, 8pm
About Hooten Holler, Created by Ketch Secor and Critter Fuqua:
Shy, unassuming, 20-year-old Wiley Young has never been far from his home in Hooten Holler, where he runs the general store with his father. All that’s about to change, however, when a mysterious man visits the holler and Wiley discovers something he never knew about himself: the boy can play! Armed with his mother’s banjo and dreams of stardom, Wiley makes it all the way to Music City, USA where he learns that the cost of making it to the top of the charts may be more than he’s willing to pay. A brand-new, honky-tonk musical fable created by Ketch Secor, founding member of the Grammy award winning Old Crow Medicine Show, and Critter Fuqua.
* Hooten Holler is proudly presented as a part of AFPP 2022
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!


Show Title
Dates show will play
credits
long form Show description goes here.
Barter at the Moonlite FAQ's
How can I stay up to date about weather related changes to my reservation?
In the event of weather related changes to your reservation, you will be contacted via the email address listed on your Barter Theatre account.
If you would like to opt-in to receive text message notifications, text your show date (in MM/DD/YYYY format) to (276) 262-8066. For example: to opt-in for weather notifications about the performance scheduled for July 31, text "7/31/2021" to (276) 262 - 8066
What if it is hot/cold?
Barter at the Moonlite productions are best experienced from inside your vehicle. If it is chilly or too hot, you are welcome to keep the motor running during these one act shows.
Can I watch from outside my car?
Patrons may sit directly in front of their vehicles during phase three of Virginia’s Phased Reopening.
How will I hear the show?
Patrons may access the audio for the performance though their car’s FM radio. Barter Theatre partnered with Broadcastvision Entertainment to enable this feature.



Show Title
Dates show will play
credits
long form Show description goes here.
Barter at the Moonlite FAQ's
How can I stay up to date about weather related changes to my reservation?
In the event of weather related changes to your reservation, you will be contacted via the email address listed on your Barter Theatre account.
If you would like to opt-in to receive text message notifications, text your show date (in MM/DD/YYYY format) to (276) 262-8066. For example: to opt-in for weather notifications about the performance scheduled for July 31, text "7/31/2021" to (276) 262 - 8066
What if it is hot/cold?
Barter at the Moonlite productions are best experienced from inside your vehicle. If it is chilly or too hot, you are welcome to keep the motor running during these one act shows.
Can I watch from outside my car?
Patrons may sit directly in front of their vehicles during phase three of Virginia’s Phased Reopening.
How will I hear the show?
Patrons may access the audio for the performance though their car’s FM radio. Barter Theatre partnered with Broadcastvision Entertainment to enable this feature.



Show Title
Dates show will play
credits
long form Show description goes here.
Barter at the Moonlite FAQ's
How can I stay up to date about weather related changes to my reservation?
In the event of weather related changes to your reservation, you will be contacted via the email address listed on your Barter Theatre account.
If you would like to opt-in to receive text message notifications, text your show date (in MM/DD/YYYY format) to (276) 262-8066. For example: to opt-in for weather notifications about the performance scheduled for July 31, text "7/31/2021" to (276) 262 - 8066
What if it is hot/cold?
Barter at the Moonlite productions are best experienced from inside your vehicle. If it is chilly or too hot, you are welcome to keep the motor running during these one act shows.
Can I watch from outside my car?
Patrons may sit directly in front of their vehicles during phase three of Virginia’s Phased Reopening.
How will I hear the show?
Patrons may access the audio for the performance though their car’s FM radio. Barter Theatre partnered with Broadcastvision Entertainment to enable this feature.
