Barter Youth Academy Opens Spring Registration

For parents looking for a fun and exciting activities for children, Barter Theatre is pleased to announce that registration is open for Barter Youth Academy's (BYA) 2015 spring theatre workshops. The deadline to register is fast approaching. Those registering before December 31 will receive a 15% early registration discount.
During the past two years, Barter Youth Academy has grown from 89 students in Abingdon, more than 300 enrolled students throughout the region. Students ages 5-18, with all abilities and experience levels are welcome, and scholarships are available. Campuses are now located in Abingdon, Va., and Bristol, Kingsport and Mountain City in Tennessee.

Program founder and artistic director of BYA David Alford says he expects the program to continue to grow, especially if he can find additional funding for the BYA scholarship program. "About 24% of our students receive some sort of financial assistance, through the generosity of a couple of key donors and foundations. There's a great need, especially in our region, so we are hoping to continue to expand during the next few years." The workshops begin on the following dates: February 9th in Abingdon; February 16th in Bristol; February 3rd in Kingsport and the date for Mountain City will be announced in early January.

BYA is a fun and educational program that gives students a chance to learn and develop their performance and storytelling skills. By taking them through the entire experience of putting on a show, students learn to use the acting and rehearsing techniques of the Barter Resident Acting Company. BYA provides a safe, positive environment to enhance the abilities for the beginning performer and shapes the talents of the advanced youth actors, culminating in a live performance to display their hard work to family and friends.

Tuition ranges from $110 to $175 per student, and generous donors have made scholarships available to students who need assistance.Class sign-up forms, scholarship application and a full schedule of classes and locations are available at bartertheatre.com under parents and teachers. Call 276.619.3344 for more information.

About Barter Theater: With its unique beginnings during the Great Depression, Barter Theatre, one of this nation's oldest professional non-profit theatres, is located in beautiful historic Abingdon, Virginia. Barter Theatre is a theatre of firsts: one of this nation's first professional regional theatres, the first professional theatre to be designated a state theatre -- The State Theatre of Virginia and more. Today, Barter offers a variety of musicals, classics, comedies, dramas and new southern and Appalachian plays performed February - December yearly on two stages: Barter Theatre and Barter Stage II. Barter Theatre continues to be one of the nation's most vibrant and exciting professional theatre experiences.

Pictured: Barter Youth Academy Students Performing for Family and Friends.

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