(Abingdon, VA) —Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest-running professional Equity theater, announces its 2026 season.
'Trains" by Quinton Cockrell is on stage Feb. 13-28. On Oct. 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.
"The Three Musketeers," adapted from Alexandre Dumas by Catherine Bush, is performed March 14 - April 4. 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, kidnappingsand carefully guarded secrets, complete with lavish sword fights and sweeping romance, set in a time when love and honor ruled the world. This eight-person version has been especially adapted for Barter’s Resident Acting Company.
"Pickleball"by Jeff Daniels is on stage March 21 - April 26. 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.
"Always, Patsy Cline," written and originally directed by Ted Swindley is performed April 17 through May 10. 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 Cline'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.
"Savannah Sipping Society" byJones, Hope, Wooten is on stage May 12 through Aug. 8. 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.
"The DaVinci Code," adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, based on the novel by Dan Brown, is on stage May 23 - Aug. 8. 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.
"Guys and Dolls," bookby Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows (based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon), music and lyrics by Frank Loesser is on stage June 9 through Aug. 9. Flawlessly blending a story with 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 chancesand the transformative power of love.
"Grandma Gatewood Took a Walk" by Catherine Bush is performed July 21 - Aug. 23. Back by popular demand for a limited run.In 1955, 67-year-old Emma “Grandma” Gatewood called her son and told him 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 solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.
"Come From Away," book, music & lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, is on stage Aug. 26 through Nov. 1. 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.
"Dracula,"adapted from Bram Stoker’s novel by Kate Hamill, is on stage Sept. 10 through Oct. 31. When your survival is at stake...will you be able to distinguish the monster from the man? Both terrifying and riotous, 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.
"Kings Mountain" by Catherine Bush is on stage Sept. 17 through Oct.31. A high school drama teacher, a used car salesman, a gunsmithand 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 250thAnniversary 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 aVA 250 Signature Event.
"Elf" is on stage Nov 14 through Dec. 27.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.”
"Wooden Snowflakes" by Catherine Bush is on stage Nov. 22 through Dec. 27. 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 Dec. 24, 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.
Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest-running professional Equity theater, is located in Abingdon, Virginia. The theateropened in 1933 during the Great Depression. Founder Robert Porterfield offered patrons admission to the theaterby bartering food and livestock. Barter Theatre was designated as the State Theatre of Virginia in 1946. It exists today as one of the last year-round professional resident repertory theaters remaining in the United States. Barter Theatre is funded in part by The Virginia Commission for the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts.
