The Cellar at Four County Players

For years, Fran Sackett Smith said the lower level (formerly the cafeteria of the Barboursville High School) would make a great Black Box theater space. Primarily used for storage and dressing room space, fellow board members told her she was crazy. In 2009, Fran’s vision was realized when the theater opened up a secondary Black Box performance space called the Cellar in the front room of the lower level. The inaugural production was Shakespeare’s Hamlet, directed by Caitlin Lucia for Impulse Project.

What’s a Black Box theater? A Black Box theater is typically a very flexible and simple performance space with blacks walls and a flat floor. With great flexibility, the Cellar can easily take us anywhere from a quiet island to a full-scale suburban living room, and everywhere in between.

Today, the Cellar continues to be a perfect venue for smaller productions, experimental works, and special events like our Songs in the Cellar Cabaret series. In 2012, Four County Players presented their first Cellar musical, I Love You Because. The intimate Cellar places the audience right in the center of the action, mere feet, or even inches away from the actors. This transformative space offers general admission seating and seats between fifty and seventy patrons depending on each production’s configuration. The Cellar is handicap accessible and offers seating for those seeking special accommodations.

The Food Chain – 2012

The house opens thirty minutes prior to every performance unless otherwise noted. The Cellar Bistro is open before each performance and during intermission, offering a host of snacks and beverages (including local craft beers and wines from nearby Barboursville Vineyards) with proceeds going to benefit the Four County Players Scholarship Fund.

We encourage all patrons to review the rating and warnings on all Cellar productions, as many of our Cellar productions are geared more toward the “adult crowd” and may contain strong language and adult situations. Please note: Cellar productions are not included in our Season Subscriptions.

While the Cellar may be below ground, our productions are sure to be above all expectations.

Macbeth – 2015