Matthew Carlton's HANGING MARY Claims Top Honors at Barter Theatre's Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights

Nashville actor/playwright/director Matthew Carlton's Hanging Mary has earned top honors during the 2012 Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (AFPP) held July 6-July 13 at The Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. 

Based on the true events that led to an elephant being hanged for murder in Erwin, Tennessee, in 1916, Hanging Mary explores issues of justice, prejudice and fear that led to this absurdly tragic and dark chapter in East Tennessee history.

Carlton responded to the news of his play claiming top honors at the AFPP by calling the news "overwhelming" and he said he was somewhat "flabbergasted" by the news.

Second place went to Douglas M. Parker with Thicker Than Water. Based on the Andrea Yates story in which she drowned her five young children in the bathtub of their family home, Parker's play explores themes of madness, motives, and the media.   

Half A World Away by Ruth Tyndall Baker took third place and will be presented in 2013 as part of Barter's Shaping of America Series. Tyndall's story focuses on a Burmese family making their way in America and what that means for Than, a seventeen-year-old boy who, while trying to navigate the pressures of family and school, must also choose his future…either invest in the promise of America or return to fight for the honor and tradition of his native Burma.

The other finalists listed alphabetically by playwright: Buffalo Gal by donnarkevic;  In the Night Café by Evan Guilford-Blake; Even Longer and Farther Away by Chelsea Marcantel; Thirsting by the River Gilgamesh by Ramona Morris; and The Boy in the Box by Sean O'Leary. Complete descriptions of each of the 2012 AFPP plays are available at BarterTheatre.com. 

"We are especially grateful for the strong turnout by the AFPP audience whose participation this year made for a great festival and was instrumental in helping the playwrights develop their work," said Nicholas Piper, the director of Barter's AFPP.

Barter's Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights was founded to "give an authentic voice to the stories and playwrights of Appalachia." A number of AFPP plays have gone on to be developed and produced by Barter Theatre. Playwrights Ron Osborne and Catherine Bush have had great success with Barter's AFPP through their festival-winning plays, which include First Baptist of Ivy Gap; Wise Women and My River, My Valley (by Osborne) as well as The Other Side of the Mountain, Comin' Up a Storm and Where Trouble Sleeps (by Bush).

Each play received a full production by Barter and has gone on to enjoy successful productions at various theatres around the country.

Perhaps the most successful and recognizable shows to emerge from Barter's AFPP are two musicals: Keep on the Sunny Side: The Songs and Story of the Original Carter Family and Man of Constant Sorrow, the show that pays tribute to the careers of the Stanley brothers; Ralph and Carter. Both shows were written by local physician Douglas Pote and have been produced at theatres across the country in addition to receiving national tours by Barter.

"Barter's audience for this festival and playwrights' participation continue to grow each year and we are already excited about next year's festival," Piper said.

For more information on submitting plays, please contact AFPP Director NicholasPiper at (276) 619-3316, apfestival@bartertheatre.com or visit www.bartertheatre.com/festival. 

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