Orange County school officials were willing to rent the building for a nominal fee, and the theater group was on its way. The annual Shakespeare production at the Barboursville ruins is the company s biggest draw. Play-goers bring picnic meals to eat on the grounds before the show, and Barboursville Vineyard sells bottles of wine. It has grown into a pretty amazing thing. We started with audiences of 200, and this year we were getting 500.
People come from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York.
Dukes has been involved with the company for several years. She and her husband, Eric Frobom, came to nearby Gordonsville eight years ago from San Diego. Her first show was Stephen Sondheim s Into the Woods. I was just hooked after doing that show, Dukes said. I ve made so many close friends.