Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, a cornerstone of regional performing arts since its founding in 1933, continues to be a hub for local talent, including ETSU students and graduates.


Kailey Kyle, a 2023 ETSU graduate, has been a Barter Player since her internship at the renowned theater. For her, Barter Theatre has been a lifelong dream.


“I grew up attending Barter Player shows, and having a job here is surreal,” Kyle said. Since joining Barter, she has worked in over 20 productions, embodying her passion for theater that began during her childhood.


Another ETSU alumna, Natasha Carpenter, followed her passion for theater, but her path was less direct. After teaching for nine years, seven of which were spent in China, Carpenter decided to pursue a second degree in theater at ETSU, driven by a need to follow her true calling.


“During the pandemic, I sat down and I was like, if I’m not going to teach, what am I going to do?” Carpenter shared. “It was a natural choice to get my second degree.”


Carpenter was offered an internship at Barter Theatre in 2023 and later secured a full-time position just days before graduating from ETSU.


Current theatre and dance student Christina Ward has also made her mark at Barter, particularly with her costume design work. Ward was selected for a summer internship at Barter Theatre, where she helped build costumes for various productions, including work on the iconic Snow White dress.


“The first-ever costume I wore as a child was a Snow White dress, and now I’ve had the chance to make one for Barter,” Ward said. “It was a full-circle moment.”


ETSU’s Theatre and Dance Department, known for its dedication to fostering student success, has been instrumental in connecting students like Kyle, Carpenter and Ward with opportunities at Barter Theatre. The department’s curriculum emphasizes hands-on experience, and local theaters provide students with the chance to work in professional settings before they graduate.


Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest-running professional repertory theater, has been a cultural beacon for the region for over 90 years. Barter has a rich history of making theater accessible to all. It provides a platform for local artists by producing world-class theater that entertains, engages and connects artists and audiences. This also gives ETSU students invaluable access to professional opportunities that allow them to build their careers locally.


Students and alumni continue to shine by bridging education with real-world experience, offering a bright future for the performing arts in the Appalachian Mountains and beyond.


Carpenter, reflecting on her journey, expressed gratitude for the life-changing encouragement she received: "They never said my dreams weren't possible. They just helped me find ways to achieve them." 




Video Transcript

Kailey Kyle:

I'm from Coeburn, Virginia, and my parents went to ETSU. Whenever I was looking at colleges, I knew that a theatre program was really important to me.

Natasha Carpenter:

During the pandemic, I kind of sat down and I was like, if I'm not going to teach, what am I going to do? It was a natural choice to get my second degree.

Kailey Kyle:

The Daryl and Harold "Bud" Frank Scholarship has really positioned me for success at ETSU because it's given me the security financially to be able to attend school and get my education. I grew up attending Barter player shows, and having a job here even is so surreal to me. I was offered the summer internship, and then I was asked to come back in the summer of 2023 and I've been here ever since.

Natasha Carpenter:

So it was the day before graduation, and I got a phone call from Cindy, and Cindy's like, “Hey, would you like a job?” And I was like, “I would love to work for you all.” It was such a reassurance that I had made the right choice, that I did have the potential, and the skills to do this.

Christina Ward:

When I was three years old, the first ever costume I ever wore was a Snow White dress, and it was my favorite thing ever. Growing up, my mom actually was able to take me to some Barter shows, and I just had no idea that one day I would be here, and I would get to make my own Snow White dress. That was just a really cool full circle moment for me. The dress came together in about three weeks. This is it on our lovely actress, Lindsay Flewell, who's also from ETSU.

Kailey Kyle:

Giving joy to the audience is truly, I think, one of my favorite aspects of this entire job. At Barter, we love to say that we are here to serve the audience, and I love being in Barter player shows, which is we do theatre for young audiences. We did the Velveteen Rabbit, and it was one of my favorite stories growing up. We were actually able to travel to places that may not be able to come to Barter for a field trip.

Natasha Carpenter:

You are gonna find people who see your passion, and will encourage you along the way. We're all maybe at different ages in our lives, but we're on the same journey. We're just trying to better ourselves with education. Your age doesn't define what you can and cannot do.

Christina Ward:

If I could look back to the little girl in the Snow White dress, I would probably tell her just to really trust herself and believe in herself as much as the people around her do. I mean, some of the best opportunities I've gotten have been completely unexpected, and it only happened because I asked.

Kailey Kyle:

I'm a firm believer that there is no better form of learning than by doing. There have been a lot of people who have helped me and continue to foster that learning environment.

Natasha Carpenter:

The love and the kindness and the joy that was given to me from the ETSU Theatre Department and even from Barter, the way they welcomed me here.

Christina Ward:

Take advantage of the support system you have around you, especially in a university setting.

Kailey Kyle:

It's just really incredible to feel like you have that support and to feel like you have someone on your team back in college where you took those first steps. All of the professors in the Theatre Department have seen shows and just encourage us to keep going.

Natasha Carpenter:

They never said my dreams weren't possible. They just helped me find ways to achieve them.

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East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.

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