Barter Theatre Presents Annual Playwriting Festival Lineup

Barter's 20th Annual Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (AFPP) is set for January 23-26, 2020 at Barter's Smith Theatre.

Now in its 20th year, the AFPP has gained national attention by developing new Appalachian plays that have gone on to be produced not only on one of Barter's two stages, but in regional theatres across the country.

The play readings take place at Barter's Smith Theatre and are free of charge! The plays are read by Barter Theatre's Resident Acting Company, and each play reading is followed by a discussion with a panel and the audience. "Both the reading and the discussion are a crucial part of the new play development process," says Nicholas Piper, director of the AFPP. "Getting feedback from an audience is fundamental to helping the playwright refine their play."

The 2020 AFPP lineup includes: "They Must be Women Now" by Nedra Pezold Roberts, "Charlottesville" by Catherine Bush, "In the Middle of Nowhere" by Bret Murphy, "Project X" by Taylor Hatch, "The Field" by Emily Emerson, "Nightjar" by Hannah Hartmann, and "The Quiet Zone" by Augusto Federico Amador.

"I'm truly excited about this selection of plays," says Piper. "I hope people will come out and be part of the process of developing new Appalachian work."

For full details on the event and lineup, visit www.bartertheatre.com/playwriting-festivals or call 276-628-3991. You can RSVP with Barter Theatre's Box Office by calling 276-628-3991, but no reservations are required. This event is free to the public.

Barter Theatre, the nation's longest running professional theatre, is located in Abingdon, Virginia. The theatre opened in 1933 during the Great Depression. Founder Robert Porterfield offered patrons admission to the theatre by bartering food and livestock. Barter Theatre was designated as the State Theatre of Virginia in 1946. It exists today as one of the last year-round professional resident repertory theaters remaining in the United States. Barter Theatre is funded in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.