Patrice Foster and Rick McVey
Barter Theatre is committed to fostering the development of new theatrical works that tell the story of the region. Its New Play Development Program includes festivals for both students and professionals. The Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (the flagship play development program) produces works that go on to be published and produced on Barter stages and beyond.
This annual festival 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.
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.
Six plays are chosen from the submissions to be given public readings by Barter’s company. The playwrights are given travel, housing, and a stipend for the week. 2021 Winners are Daryl Lisa Fazio (“Mountain Mamas”), Brandy N. Carie (“Tomorrow Game”), Quinton Cockrell (“City Limits”) and Madison Fiedler (“If God Came A Callin”)
Each play will be given six to eight hours of rehearsal time. The directors are instructed to direct for clarity not effect. The goal for the reading is to illuminate script/story/relationships. These readings are about getting the story out there.
After each reading, a panel made up of three regional theater professionals will give a few thoughts on the piece with the AFPP director moderating the discussion. After that, the audience shares its comments so that playwrights can get feedback from three separate groups: artists, panelists and audience.
Playwrights have found this to be a very useful step in developing their plays, as well as a nice little vacation/writer’s retreat with a chance to meet other playwrights, make new friends and enjoy the beauty of Southwest Virginia.
2022’s AFPP will be held at Barter Theatre’s Gilliam Stage Feb. 3 through 6. Pre-registration is required and opens Jan. 12.
Barter’s College Play Festival is a 10-minute play festival designed to give 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. Patrons are invited to participate in the College Playwrights Festival by attending the final readings of the festival.
Barter Theatre’s New Play Development Program is dedicated to fostering stories from and about the region. Festival is open to undergraduate students in West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia.
Six plays are selected from the submissions. Selected playwrights will be housed and given a stipend for the weekend. Each play receives two hours of rehearsal. Playwrights also have the opportunity to attend a playwriting workshop with Barter’s Playwright In Residence as well as several other events throughout the weekend.
Plays are read on Barter’s Gilliam Stage Sunday, Jan. 30 at 2 p.m.
Barter Theatre’s Black in Appalachia Initiative was added as part of AFPP in 2021 and continues in 2022. The first evening of AFPP 2022, Thursday, Feb. 3, is dedicated to this year’s Black In Appalachia projects. This year, Barter added to this initiative with a monologue competition. Their goals are that by connecting Black playwrights (wherever they are located) with stories from Black Appalachian communities, they can create monologues that can be developed into full-length plays; create/produce a canon of work that explores the Black Appalachian experience, both past and present; establish and cultivate relationships with Black playwrights and other Black theater artists and give audiences accessibility to new perspectives on life in Appalachia.
For more information or to register to attend, visit www.bartertheatre.com.
