Barter Theatre Archives

Barter Theatre Archives

This collection contains highlights of the Barter Theatre Archives from Abingdon, Virginia. The Barter Theatre has been a cultural mainstay in southwestern Virginia since its beginning in 1933 when Robert Porterfield, a charismatic young actor and southwest Virginia native, brought a group of professional actors to Abingdon. Opening in the midst of the Great Depression, the theatre got its name from its practice of allowing audiences to barter food for admission to the theatre. From humble beginnings, Barter put down roots in the small community of Abingdon, establishing a reputation for providing performances of the highest artistic quality.

Barter is proud of its storied history, having launched the careers of many well-known actors including; Gregory Peck, Patricia Neal, Ernest Borgnine, Hume Cronyn, Ned Beatty, Gary Collins, Larry Linville, and David Birney. Today, Barter continues to fulfill its guiding principle - that people of all ages and from all walks of life hunger for, and deserve access to, the life-changing experiences provided by live theatre. By tapping into the stories and the spirit of the region’s people, Barter’s passionate professional artists and leaders, and its educational mission have improved perceptions of the region, placing it at the forefront of Appalachian art and culture.

Barter is the premiere tourist attraction in southwest Virginia, drawing an average of 160,000 patrons annually. Barter offers a repertory schedule of 19 productions and 12 Barter Player productions for children annually. In addition, Barter tours its productions throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia serving approximately 35,000 students in the past year. Central to Barter’s mission is the use of theatre as a vehicle for education, with a special emphasis on reaching those who otherwise are not exposed to the performing arts. In 2015, Barter’s unduplicated educational initiatives—student matinees, school tours, the Young Playwrights’ Festival, Barter Youth Academy, and Project REAL—helped more than 68,000 children in rural Appalachia experience the transformative power of the arts.

All images were digitized by Virginia Tech University Libraries.

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