History, tradition, and art: Barter Theatre
Nearly in the center of our region is a gem of culture and history; Barter Theatre. Celebrating it’s 75th year of operation, not only does it present top-caliber plays and performances, it’s history is rich, it’s physical plant is simply lovely and quant. . .what’s there not to love?
Located in the center of the town of Abingdon, Barter Theatre is a prime example of a cultural arts institution embedding itself in its community in a meaningful way, and has served in this capacity since it began in 1933.
Robert Porterfield (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Porterfield) returned from New York to his native Virginia a trained, seasoned, and experienced actor to give back the fruits of his experience to his community—a great Return to Roots example. Because it was the height of the Great Depression, Porterfield knew that although people didn’t have the money (tickets were 40 cents in those days) to pay for entertainment and art, that they desperately needed it, especially in those hard times. He also knew the reality of starving artists in New York, many that were his friends. Yes, the people of Southwest Virginia didn’t have much money, but they had a lot of food. So he instituted the barter system, and the rest is history. Theatre goers would arrive with vegetables, fruits, and livestock still clucking. The slogan was “ham for Hamlet”. The tradition is honored today as special performances are tagged “pay what you can”, or on Barter Nites, audiences can donate non-perishable food items for admission. All food collected will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank, Appalachian Branch. They do request you not bring live animals. . . . . . .
I can’t say enough good things about the Barter. My experience was as a winner of their Appalachian Playwright’s Festival (http://www.bartertheatre.com/festival/)
in 2004 with my play Feeding On Mulberry Leaves (http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=778) which premiered in Barter’s 2005 season. The Festival promotes regional playwrights or plays that involve the region. It was a grand experience. I was so pleased with the direction, acting, design and overall production quality. The festival is just one way Barter engages with the region. Other examples within their own community include partnering with organizations such as Boy Scouts of America, the American Cancer Society and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In addition they offer youth classes in all aspects of theatre.
If this theatre can survive and thrive for 75 years, surely they are doing something right. I have heard the whine “the arts aren’t sustainable”. Barter proves them wrong. But they have also had something many arts orgs don’t: in their 75 years they have had only 3 Artistic Directors that understood theatre, and the community they live in. Current Artistic Director Richard Rose knows how to make his patrons feel valued. He maintains tradition while keeping abreast of cutting edge material and innovations in theatre arts. I would like to bet he also has one heck of a board of directors that trust him to do his job.
The Barter continues to live because it works with the community, and the community recognizes the importance of its presence in the community esthetically, fiscally, and morally. When put like that, one wonders why every community doesn’t have the equivalent of its own Barter Theatre, huh? For more info on Barter Theatre, http://www.bartertheatre.com/.
-Lucinda McDermott Piro
August 2nd, 2008 at 7:38 am
While reading Ms. Piro’s comments and this blog, I often wish that the “Mountain Empire” really would materialize — that SE Ky and SW Va would secede from the Union and form their own Appalachian state, since they have more in common with each other than with distant areas of their own states. This idea was actually put forth once at a meeting of some tourism officials.
I live “over the hill” in Ky., but I have worked in SW Va. and I often go there. Fact is, I just went to Barter for the App. Play Festival. It took me 2 hrs. to get there, but it was worth it. Fact is, it keeps me alive. I am the only playwright I know and I have to travel to find other people interested in theatre.
This brings me to comment on the downside of returning to your roots. It is great, providing you have roots left. However, my family and huge ancestral clan has all but disappeared from the mountains. I have a house now in the Big City, but I keep coming back here to the mountains to my land here, but I keep geting disappointed by the problems, especially the people on drugs. But I believe in being part of the solution, not the problem, so I decided to start a playwrights group over here.
Been working on that a year. I have a long list of playwrights who would come to my place later to write and rehearse scenes, but now now. They are not interested in coming here permanently, like me, and getting the land and houses fixed up for them to use. Oh, I met some Australians, believe it or not, who would come help me fix the place up….but I can’t invite them until I have a place for them to sleep and eat. I even have the money to fix up places, but can’t get any help! There is such a shortage of working men here like you wouldn’t believe. I called 29 men in a row and all said they were booked up all summer with carpentry jobs. The good ones stay busy and the ones left over are not somebody you’d want to hire.
There’s no culture unless people provide it, get together and work, and that is extremely difficult. I have cash and I thought cash talked, but it doesn’t in the mountains — nobody willing to work.