History of Barksdale (Bradley) Theatre

Barksdale Theatre at the Hanover TavernOn August 1, 1953, six actors from New York bought Hanover Tavern. They founded Barksdale Theatre, the nation’s first dinner theater, which they named after a deceased college friend. They raised their families upstairs, performed downstairs, and served hearty meals in the historic rooms that fell between.
During the first six years, Pete and Nancy Kilgore along with Muriel McAuley produced greater Richmond’s first professional productions of plays by the likes of Tennessee Williams, George Bernard Shaw, and Thornton Wilder.

In defiance of Jim Crow laws, Barksdale was Virginia’s first performing arts organization to open its doors to integrated audiences. Later, in 1973, Barksdale produced Virginia’s first professional play based on the African American experience, Lorraine Hansberry’s “To Be Young, Gifted and Black”. Hanover Tavern Theatre

In 1990, Barksdale Theatre sold the building to Hanover Tavern Foundation. Once the restoration of the Tavern was completed by the Foundation, Barksdale was invited to return to its original home, now called the Bradley Theater.

Hanover Tavern’s Bradley Theater plays host to many productions and events throughout the year. Theatre companies including Virginia Repertory Theatre, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre, Atlas Productions and others, stage multiple productions, and other events like lectures and musical performances are also held regularly. See the Calendar page for complete schedule of coming events. 

Click Here for information on the current or upcoming theater performance.