News

Hello Friends.

It’s been a minute. Let me catch you up.

Since I last posted (January 2023), I’ve had a few new plays developed/produced at Barter:

I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS – a three-hander that went up at the Smith Theatre (Barter’s smaller space) in Nov./Dec. ’23. Top notch designers, actors, crew, director and dramaturg made for a great production that left our audience aglow with the spirit of the season. For any who have been stuck at the airport, this is the show for you.

I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS – produced by The Barter Players at Barter’s Gilliam Stage in Dec. ’23. Music & lyrics by the inimitable Dax Dupuy, whose work constantly amazes me. The other star of the show: the Big Suzy puppet – giant mama hippo designed and built in our props department by Catie Clark. The kids had a great time, which is the best Christmas present I could ever receive.

GRANDMA GATEWOOD TOOK A WALK – the story of the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. A two-hander that played at Smith Theatre in summer 2024, this one turned out to be a blockbuster. Director Nick Piper crushed it, as did actors Mary Lucy Bivins and John Hardy. The amazing Ben Mackel played live music underneath, which lifted the whole piece beautifully. Again, a huge shoutout to the designers, builders, and crew. I’ve submitted this one to theatres all over the country and have had a few nibbles. Fingers crossed!

A CHRISTMAS CAROL – I had originally adapted this for Barter at the Moonlite in 2020; the task at hand was to expand it into two acts for Gilliam Stage and fill it out with more actors. The end product is in rehearsal now – I watched a stumble of Act I last night, and already you can see that it’s going to be a glorious production. It will be running Nov. 20th thru Dec. 29th.

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN – two actors tell stories of Appalachian Christmases then and now, interspersed with some of our favorite Christmas music. Carrie Smith Lewis and Eugene Wolf will make you laugh and cry, and you haven’t heard anything until you hear guitarist Matt Martin play… well, you know what? I’m not telling. You’ll have to see it for yourself.

OTHER PRODUCTIONS AT BARTER IN 23/24

MY IMAGINARY PIRATE – The Barter Players (touring) March/April 2023
ROBIN HOOD – The Barter Players June/July 2023
RAPUNZEL – The Barter Players July/August 2023
FROSTY – Barter ENCORE Players (touring) Nov/Dec 2023
SNOW WHITE – The Barter Players July/August 2024
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN – Dec 2024
FROSTY – Barter ENCORE Players (touring) Nov/Dec 2024

PRODUCTIONS AT OTHER THEATRES 23/24

THE THREE MUSKETEERS – Chicago Academy for the Arts Mar 2023
FRANKENSTEIN – Greenbrier Valley Theatre Oct. 2023
GHOST, GHOST COME OUT TONIGHT Cumberland County Playhouse Oct. 2023
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES – Indiana Wesleyan University October 2023
A CHRISTMAS CAROL – Greenbrier Valley Theatre Nov/Dec 2023
THE THREE MUSKETEERS – The Citadel Theatre (Canada) April/May 2024
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA – NED Cultural Arts Center Oct 2024

Dax and I haven’t given up on our new musical BOOK WOMAN – it’s still in the works and we’ve made bit of progress, but we got a ways to go. So that’s happening. And I have a few other irons in the fire which I’ll talk about once Barter’s 2025 Season is rolled out. So stay tuned!