America's longest continuously operating professional theatre, founded in 1933 and designated Virginia's State Theatre, the Barter presents a year-round season of drama, musicals, and world premieres in two historic venues in downtown Abingdon. The Barter's company has launched the careers of numerous Broadway and Hollywood stars including Gregory Peck and Ernest Borgnine. The grand Barter Stage I venue — a restored 1831 building — provides one of the most beautiful theater settings in the Appalachian South.