Winter Wheat

Book & lyrics by Catherine Bush
Music by Ben Mackel
  • Annie Simpson
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Justin Tyler Lewis
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Annie Simpson & Tricia Matthews
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Carrie Smith Lewis
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Carrie Smith Lewis & Sarah Laughland
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Shaan Sharma, Zacchaeus Kimbrell, & Rusty Allen
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • James Hendley
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Michael Poisson, Rusty Allen, James Hendley, & Paris Bradstreet
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Annie Simpson
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Tricia Matthews & Justin Tyler Lewis
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Paris Bradstreet & Carrie Smith Lewis
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Paris Bradstreet, Justin Tyler Lewis, & Carrie Smith Lewis
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Justin Tyler Lewis, Zacchaeus Kimbrell, & Tricia Matthews
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

  • Michael Poisson & Annie Simpson
    Photos Courtesy of Barter Theatre

Synopsis

It's 1920 and the world is changing, and no one feels the effect of it more than the Burn family of Niota, Tennessee. Jack Burn has purchased the family's first tractor, and has had indoor plumbing installed at Hathburn, the family farm. Jack's older brother Harry, a state congressman, is dealing with the controversy surrounding the ratfication of the 19th Amendment that would give women the right to vote. And Jack and Harry's mother, Febb, has taken a young girl named Ruth Abbott under her wing, determined to teach her a thing or two about life. Then the perfect political storm hits the state of Tennessee, and at a time when every vote counts, it is Ruth's wisdom that changes not only Febb, but the world, forever. Based on real events.


Cast

Samuel Abbott an illiterate tenant farmer
Ruth Abbott Samuel's eighteen-year old daughter; loves the land
Harry Burn a 23 year old state congressman from Niota, TN
Febb Burn Harry’s mother, the owner of Hathburn, a farm
Jack Burn Jack Burn – Harry’s younger brother; runs Hathburn
Carrie Catt leader of the National American Woman Suffrage Association
Mary Hay Catt’s lieutenant
Josephine Pearson President of the Southern Women’s Rejection League
Coleman Weber a local Niota farmer
Buford Hash a local Niota farmer
Forrest owner of the local hardware store in Niota
Rep. Seth Walker Speaker of the House, Tennessee General Assembly
Rep. Joseph Hanover pro-Suffrage
Rep. James Galbraith anti-Suffrage
Rep. Wesley Tucker pro-Suffrage
L&N Official representative of the L&N Railroad

Specs

Cast Size: 11 (6m, 5w) w/doubling
Approximate Run Time: 1h 50m
Number of Acts: Two
Script Sample
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Production History

Winter Wheat was first produced in 2016 at Barter Theatre (Abingdon, VA), Richard Rose, Producing Artistic Director


Casting Notes:
The following roles may be played by the same actor:
Coleman Weber/Congressman Seth Walker
Buford Hash/Congressman Joe Hanover
Forrest/James Galbraith
Jack Burn/Wesley Tucker
Samuel/L&N Official

Cast Size: 11 (6m, 5w) w/doubling
Approximate Run Time: 1h 50m
Number of Acts: Two
Script Sample
Request Rights

Synopsis

It's 1920 and the world is changing, and no one feels the effect of it more than the Burn family of Niota, Tennessee. Jack Burn has purchased the family's first tractor, and has had indoor plumbing installed at Hathburn, the family farm. Jack's older brother Harry, a state congressman, is dealing with the controversy surrounding the ratfication of the 19th Amendment that would give women the right to vote. And Jack and Harry's mother, Febb, has taken a young girl named Ruth Abbott under her wing, determined to teach her a thing or two about life. Then the perfect political storm hits the state of Tennessee, and at a time when every vote counts, it is Ruth's wisdom that changes not only Febb, but the world, forever. Based on real events.


Cast

Samuel Abbott
an illiterate tenant farmer
Ruth Abbott
Samuel's eighteen-year old daughter; loves the land
Harry Burn
a 23 year old state congressman from Niota, TN
Febb Burn
Harry’s mother, the owner of Hathburn, a farm
Jack Burn
Jack Burn – Harry’s younger brother; runs Hathburn
Carrie Catt
leader of the National American Woman Suffrage Association
Mary Hay
Catt’s lieutenant
Josephine Pearson
President of the Southern Women’s Rejection League
Coleman Weber
a local Niota farmer
Buford Hash
a local Niota farmer
Forrest
owner of the local hardware store in Niota
Rep. Seth Walker
Speaker of the House, Tennessee General Assembly
Rep. Joseph Hanover
pro-Suffrage
Rep. James Galbraith
anti-Suffrage
Rep. Wesley Tucker
pro-Suffrage
L&N Official
representative of the L&N Railroad
Casting Notes:
The following roles may be played by the same actor:
Coleman Weber/Congressman Seth Walker
Buford Hash/Congressman Joe Hanover
Forrest/James Galbraith
Jack Burn/Wesley Tucker
Samuel/L&N Official


Production History

Winter Wheat was first produced in 2016 at Barter Theatre (Abingdon, VA), Richard Rose, Producing Artistic Director

Script Sample
Request Rights