About Us

Richard Rose, Barter Theatre's Producing Artistic Director

Richard Rose is celebrating his 18th season with Barter Theatre, only the third Artistic Director in Barter’s illustrious 77-year history. Rick has produced and directed theatre throughout the United States including in New York City.

Since coming to Barter, Rick has more than tripled the annual attendance setting a record-breaking season last year with over 160,000 attending Barter’s programs. He has overseen the renovation of historic Barter Theatre, the building of Stonewall Square and the recent renovation and expansion of Barter Stage II including the addition of The Barter Café.

Under Rick’s leadership, Barter received the prestigious “Business of the Year Award” for the Tri-Cities Virginia/Tennessee region.

He has brought Barter into the international spotlight with productions in Russia and New York, the premieres of new works and the founding of Barter’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights.

Productions at Barter Theatre

Rick has directed, choreographed, designed, and/or written over 135 productions at Barter Theatre including last year’s smash hit Driving Miss Daisy and Wooden Snowflakes – among other favorites are To Kill a Mockingbird, Keep on the Sunny Side, Fiddler on the Roof, Déjà vu, Wit, My Fair Lady, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Camelot, Sundown, Patient A and Death of a Salesman. His original adaptations of plays have been extremely successful with Barter audience including It’s a Wonderful Life, A Modern Christmas Carol, Dracula!, Wuthering Heights, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and, acknowledge as one of the best new regional theatre plays of the year, Frankenstein.

Community Involvement

Rick currently serves on the Board of the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association, The Tourism Committee and the Executive Committee of The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, The Southwest Virginia Economic Development Group, as President of Southern Highlands Attractions and is a Paul Harris Fellow from the Abingdon Rotary Club where he has previously been a board member. Rick has served on the Washington County United Way and has previously served as Chair of their annual campaign.

Education

Rick has his Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Directing and Design from the University of California at Davis and his Bachelor of Arts from St. Norbert College, DePere, Wis. where he was honored with a Distinguished Achievement Award in Humanities. Rick has done post-graduate work at New York University and worked for the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City.

Richard's Thoughts

Click here to read Richard Rose's thoughts on Collaboration from the 2009 Porterfield Society Dinner.

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