Tell us about the Barrow-Civic Theatre.
The Barrow-Civic Theatre is located in downtown Franklin at 1223 Liberty Street. The theatre was purchased by the Franklin Civic Operetta Association in 1989, renovated, and opened as the Barrow-Civic Theatre in 1993. We hardly ever have a “dark” weekend, as there are performances almost every weekend. The FCOA has four Main Stage performances this year. We will also have a few “Off Barrow” performances in the Little Theatre, and we contract a variety of performances by touring groups throughout the year. We are proud to host institutions of the area like the Venango Chamber Orchestra and the Silver Cornet Band. We also have a strong youth theatre program and are rebooting The Barrow Theatre Institute.

What is your role at the Theatre?
I am the Theatre Relations Coordinator. My primary responsibility is to promote events and represent the theatre in the community. Some of my duties include graphic design, social media relations, and marketing. I create our show posters, programs, and advertisements. I also get to collaborate with the rest of the team on promotional ideas and support our producers and creative teams as needed.

What is your favorite part about working for this organization?
I love working at the theatre because no two days ever look the same. There is always another creative project around the corner.

What would surprise people about this organization?
Some people don’t realize that most of the theatre is available to rent. The main stage, lobby, and little theatre are all available to rent. See barrowtheatre.org for more information! You can find us outside of the theatre pretty often. We have collaborated with Wanango Country Club for a murder mystery night, dinner theatre, and our annual Golf Outing. We also collaborate with the Belles Lettres Club for B&B dinner theatre every year.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about the Barrow?
There are a lot of ways to get involved with the theatre, and we are always looking for volunteers and are willing to teach! We always need help in the Box Office, building sets, costuming and props, bar tending/working concessions, etc.

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) February 2023 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.