A! Magazine for the Arts Archive

Barter Theatre's Les Misérables is unique storytelling

When Rick Rose, Amanda Aldridge and Dale Jordan first began to work on their concept for "Les Misérables," six to eight months ago, they knew that they did not want to do a carbon copy of the Broadway show.

In This Issue

• Broadway comes to Barter Theatre in more than one way Pat McRoberts, who plays Jean Valjean in Barter Theatre's new production of Les Misérables, may be a familiar face to long-time Barter Theatre patrons.
• Amanda Aldridge and her team are busy creating costumes When you walk into Barter Theatre's busy costume shop, you'll see racks of costumes neatly hung and labeled with the name of the play and the character, and all the equipment, such as dress forms, fabrics and sewing machines, you would expect to see in a
• The puzzle master keeps the pieces together Putting together any theatrical production requires keeping track of myriad details.
• Milligan senior inspired by social photographers Kathryn Handzlik, a senior at Milligan College, recently received an honorable mention in the Photographer's Forum Magazine 33rd Annual College and High School Photography Contest.
• Backcountry Makers: Anna Graybeal Artist Anna Graybeal was a practically perfect example of why the programs of the Great Depression were valuable at the purely individual and local level.
• King University unveils online Museum of Fine Arts King University has launched the King University Museum of Fine Arts.
• Museums of Tusculum College receive awards At the Tennessee Association of Museum's annual conference, the Museums of Tusculum College received awards.
• Tennessee Arts Commission reinstates Arts Build Communities grant program The Tennessee Arts Commission has reinstated its Arts Build Communities grant program.
• Deadlines for July 2013 Print Edition A! Magazine for the Arts' deadlines are from May 1 to June 7.

A! Extra

• Art Swap In Downtown Bristol She studied the table before her with intensity. Finally, she looked up and said, "Can we trade the head and this picture for our painting?"
• Virginia Highlands Festival seeks volunteers The 65th Annual Virginia Highlands Festival is looking for enthusiastic, fun-loving volunteers to work this year's events Aug. 2-11.
• Blazing The Quilted Trail Washington County, Va., group wants to follow Tennessee's agri-tourism path.
• A Saturday with the Arts Downtown Bristol has become a center for the arts, especially this weekend.
• Planned downtown mural will map Abingdon's history, culture, future The blank white wall – canvas, if you will – will soon come alive with images of Abingdon's past and present.
• Barter Theatre has 80th birthday It's been nearly 80 years since the world famous theater at the heart of Abingdon, Va., got its start with a show called "After Tomorrow."
• Furniture with a twist of imagination Step inside newly opened Vendors' Village. It's located in Volunteer Plaza, across from Lowe's, on Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tenn.
• State of the Arts Arts Festival June 14-16 Bristol's State of the Arts Weekend offers ample opportunities to do exactly that. Slated for June 14-16 in downtown Bristol — Tennessee and Virginia — an array of events provides a spectrum of arts for those who aim to consume, appreciate, create and as
• Barter's big show Les Miserables will thrill even the most jaded In more than two decades of reviewing Barter plays I have never seen a musical that thrilled me more than the current Main Stage production of Les Misérables.
• Commissioned art by Val Lyle at SWHEC Artist Val Lyle has just completed a major permanent commissioned artwork for The Southwest Virginia Higher Educational Center in Abingdon, Va.
• ETSU Department of Music broadens opportunities for 2013-14 Student musicians attending East Tennessee State University will soon have several new performance options open to them.