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Barter Theatre, located in Abingdon, Va., and the nation’s longest-running professional theatre at 90 years old, has announced its Fall 2023 season – the most popular time of year for Abingdon tourism.
Visitors to the town can enjoy up to four different Broadway-quality productions in repertory rotation – in a single weekend! Barter Theatre is beautifully nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, so audiences will doubly delight in the vibrant fall colors along the hiking and biking trails that have helped earn Abingdon a spot on Southern Living’s Best Tiny Towns list.
Visitors can admire the gorgeous flora and fauna of the famous Virginia Creeper Trail or as a backdrop to a glass of wine enjoyed river-side at the local vineyards, followed by a night out with Barter’s resident artists for a world-class theatrical performance. The town’s top-rated eateries (rated number one by USA Today) make for the perfect autumn getaway.
On the main Gillam stage, Barter will be kicking off the fall season with Clue, the hilarious comedy-meets-murder mystery based on the board game and the beloved classic To Kill a Mockingbird. In Barter’s second, more intimate venue, the Smith Theatre will be Misery, an adaptation of the horror thriller novel by Stephen King. For visiting families with children, The Barter Players will present the heartwarming and adventurous Where the Red Fern Grows.
“It’s no secret that fall is Barter’s favorite season of the year,” says Katy Brown, producing artistic director of Barter Theatre. “For the past 90 years, we’ve proudly welcomed visitors looking to bask in the autumnal glory of Southern Appalachia and look forward to contributing unforgettable performances and memories for all new and returning guests.”
Barter’s ticket prices start at an affordable $20 ($16 for shows by The Barter Players).
A summary of the plays and the date they play are as follows:
MISERY, AUG. 24-NOV. 4, 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, SEPT. 2-NOV. 4. 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.
WHERE THE RED FERN GROWNS, SEPT. 8-NOV. 3. 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.
CLUE, SEPT. 15-NOV. 5. 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!