Barter Theatre, Abingdon, Virginia, announces its 2025 season.
Spring season features three plays.
“The Book Club play” by Karen Zacarias is on the Gilliam Stage. The book club started by Ana and her friends has become the subject of a documentary film, and all is going swimmingly until a new member throws the group dynamic into chaos — chaos that’s unfortunately caught on camera. Will these friends survive the revelation of their deepest secrets? “The Book Club Play” is a hilariously playful testament to the power of literature and its ability to bring us together.
“Hamlet” by William Shakespeare is on the Smith Stage. On a dark night, the Ghost of Hamlet’s father reveals to Hamlet that his death was the result of murder. Now his murderer sits on the throne of Denmark and has taken Hamlet’s mother for his wife. Will Hamlet avenge his father’s death? This production, featuring Barter’s resident acting company, is Shakespeare’s seminal tragedy as you’ve never seen it before.
“Million Dollar Quartet” by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux is on the Gilliam Stage. On Dec. 4, 1956, an extraordinary twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together at Sun Records for what would become the greatest jam session of all time. Million Dollar Quartet is a lively reimagining of that legendary night, told in a riveting string of broken promises, secrets and celebrations. The score for this production includes classics such as “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Walk the Line,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Who Do You Love,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Hound Dog” and more.
The Summer season brings four plays to the Barter stages.
“Disney’s Frozen” takes to the Gilliam Stage. Fearless optimist Anna, along with her new friend Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven, set off on an epic journey to find Anna’s sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. The score includes audience favorites like “Let it Go,” “For the First Time in Forever” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”
“Thurgood” by George Stevens, Jr. is at the Smith Theatre. “Thurgood” follows the remarkable career of the man who would become the very first Black Supreme Court Justice in American history, Thurgood Marshall. Starting with his early days working as a young lawyer on the cornerstone Brown v. Board case in favor of overturning existing “separate but equal” legislation, this one-man tour-de-force showcases the courage, integrity and determination that skyrocketed a humble civil rights activist into becoming a true American hero. “Thurgood” is part of Barter’s Black Stories Black Voices series.
“Mountain Mamas” by Daryl Lisa Fazio is in Barter’s Smith Theatre. After a mining accident renders her unable to move or communicate, fiercely independent Patsy Armstrong is forced to rely on her parents for everything. Then her family learns that Patsy’s injuries may be the result of her own negligence. What really happened that day in the mine? Inspired by the legacy of women coal miners, this story of resilience and redemption teaches us once again that the truth will always set you free. “Mountain Mamas” was developed through Barter’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights.
“A Few Good Men” by Aaron Sorkin is on the Gilliam Stage. When a group of Navy lawyers is assigned to defend two Marines accused of murder, they uncover a high-level conspiracy that threatens the very definition of honor. This fast-paced, high-stakes play raises questions about the price of blind loyalty, as well as our own abilities to handle the truth!
Fall season brings comedy, a musical and a thriller to the stage.
“Ann of Green Gables: The Musical” is on the Gilliam Stage. Marilla Cuthbert and her brother Matthew are determined to adopt an orphan boy to help them run Green Gables, their farm on beautiful Prince Edward Island. But their well-ordered lives take a surprising and hilarious twist when the boy they hoped for turns out to be a redheaded slip-of-a-girl named Anne Shirley, whose wild imagination leads her into countless scrapes, as well as a place in our hearts forever. “Anne of Green Gables: The Musical” is the perfect way for you and your family to celebrate the “kindred spirits” in your life.
“Murder for Two” by Kellen Blake and Joe Kinosian is on the Smith Stage. This is the perfect blend of music, mayhem and murder. In this hilarious 90-minute show, two performers play 13 roles — not to mention the piano — in a witty and winking homage to old-fashioned murder mysteries. Called “ingenious” by The New York Times, “Murder for Two” is definitely must see.
“Deathtrap” by Ira Levin is on the Gilliam Stage. Comfortably nestled into his charming Connecticut home, Sidney Bruhl, a successful playwright, is struggling to overcome a recent string of failures that have left him flat broke. Then Sidney receives a script from one of his writing students — a thriller that Sidney recognizes immediately as a potential Broadway smash. What lengths will Sidney go to make that play his own? “Deathtrap” promises an evening of twists and turns that will leave you spellbound until the very last moment.
The holiday season brings two plays to Barter.
“Elf: The Musical” is on the Gilliam Stage. The play brings audiences into 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 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 people of all ages and backgrounds embrace their inner “elf” this holiday season on Gilliam Stage.
“The Innkeeper’s Wife” by Catherine Bush is on the Smith Stage. It’s the time of the Census. That usually means things are really hopping in the little town of Bethlehem, and nobody’s feeling the heat more than Leah’s husband Saul, the town’s sole innkeeper. While Leah would typically be lending a hand, her failing health prevents her from leaving her bed. But when a young man and his pregnant wife knock on the door, Leah is given a gift that will change her world – and ours – forever.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.bartertheatre.com or call 276-628-3991.
