Barter Theatre 2026 Season Equity Principal Actors - Barter Theatre Auditions

LOCATION

Barter Rehearsal Hall
201 Trigg Street
Abingdon, VA 24210

PERSONNEL

See breakdown for production-specific personnel.

EXPECTED TO ATTEND:

Producing Artistic Director: Katy Brown
Head of Barter Casting: Sarah Van Deusen
Resident Music Director: Dishon Smith

OTHER DATES

Equity Principal Auditions will be held November 30th (10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, BREAK 12:30-2:30), and December 1st (10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, BREAK: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM).
See breakdown for production-specific dates.

OTHER

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.
Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.
Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.
Notice: Audition Call Type: EPDA

AUDITION DATE

Monday, December 1, 2025
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM (E)

APPOINTMENTS

Auditions will be run on a first come, first served basis on the day of the audition for this Principal dance call. The movement/dance audition site will be open half an hour before the scheduled audition time on each day for warm-up and changing.

CONTRACT

LORT Non-Rep
$839 weekly minimum (LORT D) + Housing & Benefits

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in Barter Theatre's 2026 Season (see breakdown).
All roles will be understudied.
Barter Theatre believes that great stories belong to everyone. We welcome actors of all backgrounds, identities, ages, and ethnicities to audition. We encourage submissions from BIPOC actors for all roles.

PREPARATION

The movement/dance audition site will be open half an hour before the scheduled audition time on each day for warm-up and changing. Be prepared to stay through the entire movement/dance audition time.
Teaching of the first dance combination will begin promptly at 1:00 pm on Monday. This call will begin with a beginner/intermediate choreographed combination taught live, and everyone attending the dance call will do this combination. Some dancers may then be called back to learn an advanced combination. Only those requested to do the second combination will learn it.
Please wear clothing and shoes that allow for movement, and if asked to dance the advanced combination, female identifying auditioners are invited to wear character heels. If you are a dancer who plans to attend the movement/dance auditions but do not plan to attend the acting/singing auditions, that is OK, but please inform the audition monitor.
Please bring TWO (2) copies of your headshot and resume.

BREAKDOWN

BARTER THEATRE 2026 SEASON

SEEKING:

Year-round, Resident Company Members: Most members of our resident company sing and dance; for these auditions, we highly encourage you to sing and attend the movement auditions in addition to acting if you are interested in becoming a member of the resident company. Also seeking Local and Non-Local Jobbers for roles for a single show or a single repertory, and actors for six readings and staged productions during the Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights.
Rehearsals for most plays begin approximately six – eight weeks before they open. Most Actors tend to participate in two productions during the same repertory.

2026 Season includes:

NOTE: Seeking actors for the following productions and roles. Actors auditioning will also be considered for possible future replacements if needed. All of the following roles will be understudied.

TRAINS

Smith Theatre
by Quinton Cockrell
Dates: February 13, 2026 - February 28, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS

Gilliam Stage
Adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas by Catherine Bush
Dates: March 14, 2026 - April 4, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

PICKLEBALL

Smith Theatre
by Jeff Daniels
Dates: March 21, 2026 - April 26, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

ALWAYS … PATSY CLINE

Gilliam Stage
by Ted Swindley
Dates: April 17, 2026 - May 10, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY

Smith Theatre
by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten
Dates: May 12, 2026 - August 8, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

THE DA VINCI CODE

Gilliam Stage
Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, Based on the novel by Dan Brown
Dates: May 23, 2026 - August 8, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

GUYS AND DOLLS

Gilliam Stage
Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon, Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser, Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Dates: June 9, 2026 - August 9, 2026

SEEKING:

ENSEMBLE - 20s-30s, male identifying. Strong dancer and vocalist.
ENSEMBLE - 20s-30s, male identifying. Strong dancer and vocalist.
ENSEMBLE - 20s-30s, female identifying. Strong dancer and vocalist.
ENSEMBLE - 20s-30s, female identifying. Strong dancer and vocalist.

COME FROM AWAY

Gilliam Stage
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dates: August 26, 2026 - November 1, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

DRACULA

Gilliam Stage
by Kate Hamill based loosely on the novel by Bram Stoker
Dates: September 10, 2026 - October 31, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

KINGS MOUNTAIN

Smith Theatre
by Catherine Bush
Dates: September 17, 2026 - October 31, 2026

All roles for this production have been filled by Barter’s resident acting company.

ELF THE MUSICAL

Gilliam Stage
Book by Thomas Meehan & Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin; Based on the New Line Cinema film by David Berenbaum
Dates: November 14, 2026 - December 27, 2026

SEEKING:

ENSEMBLE - 20s-30s, male identifying, good dancer and vocalist.

WOODEN SNOWFLAKES

Smith Theatre
by Catherine Bush
Dates: November 22, 2026 - December 27, 2026

SEEKING:

SIMON PETER WHITAKER – a forty-something naïve woodcarver whose specialty is wooden snowflakes. Simon loves Christmas and clings almost desperately to its rituals and traditions. He’s very “what you see is what you get.”