Millwald lays out spring 2027 season
The Millwald at the end of October laid out its spring season.
The Millwald Theatre looked ahead to a spring filled with music, comedy, family entertainment and new educational opportunities during its Spring 2027 Season Reveal on Oct. 25, announcing a landmark partnership with the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts that will bring arts-integrated learning to preschool and kindergarten classrooms across Southwest Virginia.
The event, led by Millwald Executive Director Donnie Bales, offered patrons an advance look at the theatre’s upcoming season while highlighting the organization’s growing commitment to making the arts accessible to people of all ages. The evening’s most significant announcement was the establishment of Southwest Virginia Wolf Trap, with the Millwald becoming the 28th affiliate of Wolf Trap’s national network.
The partnership grew from a chance meeting in December 2025, when Millwald board member Don Martin met a Wolf Trap representative attending an event at the theatre. The two organizations soon discovered a shared interest in expanding educational opportunities through the performing arts.
Jennifer Edelen, director of the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, attended the season reveal to explain how the collaboration will benefit local children and educators.
“Like Millwald, we believe in what the arts do for communities,” Edelen said, describing Wolf Trap Foundation as a nonprofit performing arts organization in Vienna, Virginia, whose educational mission has been central to its work since its founding.
Music highlights offer a wide-ranging mix of theatrical storytelling, roots music, singer-songwriter performances and Southern hip-hop. The season opens Jan. 15 with BOOM, written, directed and performed by Rick Miller. The solo theatrical production takes audiences through the 25 turbulent years from 1945 to 1969, exploring the music, culture and events that shaped the Baby Boomer generation while bringing more than 100 influential politicians, activists and musicians to life. Bales describes the production as an international hit designed to connect with audiences across generations.
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gabe Dixon follows Jan. 22. The Tennessee native, now based in Nashville, is known for his heartfelt songwriting and his work as a keyboardist and vocalist with the Tedeschi Trucks Band, including contributions to the group’s I Am The Moon project. His career has also included performances alongside artists such as Paul McCartney and Alison Krauss.
On March 17, bluegrass fans can see Sam Bush, widely known as the “King of Telluride” and a pioneer of the newgrass movement. As a co-founder of New Grass Revival, Bush helped push bluegrass beyond its traditional boundaries by blending acoustic picking with rock influences and extended improvisation. His performance promises a showcase for the mandolin virtuosity and adventurous musicianship that have influenced generations of roots musicians.
Kentucky hip-hop group Nappy Roots brings a different sound to the theatre on March 27. The group built its following with Southern hip-hop, conversational storytelling and songs including “Po’ Folks,” “Awnaw” and “Good Day.” Its appearance adds a contemporary, genre-crossing element to a season that spans several generations of popular music.
Tribute performances will celebrate familiar favorites, too. Pet Sounds Live honors the Beach Boys, while Dirty Logic returns with the music of Steely Dan. The Grand Tour traces the career of country legend George Jones, and The McCartney Experience revisits songs from Paul McCartney’s celebrated career, including his years with the Beatles. Captain Mike and the Shipwrecked will pay tribute to Jimmy Buffett, while Thunderstruck celebrates AC/DC and Crazy Train brings the music of Ozzy Osbourne to the stage.
Family programming includes the Barter Players’ Peter Pan on Feb. 13, bringing Wendy, her brothers, the Lost Boys, pirates and the adventures of Neverland to life through a fast-changing ensemble of six actors. Puppy Pals Live: Let’s Party! returns Feb. 27 with performances at 5 and 7:30 p.m. The family-friendly show features adopted and rescued dogs performing tricks, stunts and comic routines.
Comedy fans can look forward to stand-up performer Aaron Weber on Jan. 29.
Perhaps the season’s biggest comedy attraction is the return of HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis, scheduled for May 7. The production combines the hypnotic talents of Asad Mecci with the improvisational comedy of Colin Mochrie, best known for his work on the long-running television series Whose Line Is It Anyway?
The theatre also introduced new subscription options and announced that spring tickets would be available to Friends of the Millwald members beginning Oct. 25, ahead of the general public on-sale date of Oct. 30.
For more information on subscriptions, events, and tickets, please visit www.themillwald.org or call 276-284-2958.
Farm Credit welcomes Stoneman as loan officer
Jessica Stoneman
Farm Credit of the Virginias (FCV), a lending cooperative that serves Virginia, West Virginia and western Maryland, announced that Jessica Stoneman has joined the Association as a loan officer in the Wytheville branch office.
Originally from Killingworth, Ct., Stoneman now resides in Wytheville, Va. Growing up, she was active in local 4-H, showing livestock and horses throughout her childhood and teen years. She has been an avid equestrian from an early age, thanks in part to her family's Morgan horse breeding and training operation. Today, Stoneman and her husband manage a small herd of cattle, along with horses and chickens, on their property.
Stoneman studied animal science at Virginia Tech and later earned an associate’s degree in veterinary technology from Penn Foster. Before joining FCV, she served as an insurance agent with Virginia Farm Bureau in the Wythe County office. Prior to that, she spent 12 years as a veterinary technician at the teaching hospital of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
Regarding her new role, Stoneman shared, “I’m excited to bring my passion for agriculture and our community to Farm Credit, as well as a genuine commitment to helping people succeed. I look forward to building relationships with members of our thriving agricultural community by helping them grow their operations and bring their dreams to life.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Jessica to our Wytheville branch lending team. Her experience, passion for agriculture and eagerness to learn will allow her to build strong relationships with our current and future members and support them in reaching their goals. Jessica is already working with borrowers and is building a strong foundation for her future success,” shared Brian Repass, branch manager.
Outside of work, Stoneman loves spending time with her family, attending her children’s sporting events, shopping and reading. She also enjoys competitive horseback riding, having most recently competed in barrel racing after previously participating in team roping and showing.
Dr. Josh Stephens of Alpha Therapy was named 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce at an Oct. 21 ceremony held at the Red Stag Dinner Theatre in Wytheville.
Dr. Josh Stephens of Alpha Therapy was named 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce at an Oct. 21 ceremony held at the Red Stag Dinner Theatre in Wytheville.
Man, 60, dies in I-81 crash
A 60-year-old Franklin County man died Thursday in a Wythe County crash, according to state police.
The Virginia State Police is investigating the fatal single vehicle crash that occurred at 7:33 p.m. at mile marker 68 on Interstate 81
Police said Bruce A. Layman of Wirtz was driving a 2000 GMC C7 truck north when one of his tires blew out, causing the truck to swerve off the road and into the median. The truck then crossed the southbound lanes of I-81 and overturned before striking a southbound guardrail and tumbling over an embankment. The truck eventually came to rest along trees.
Police said Layman died at the scene.
In a wake of a string of crashes ending October, the Virginia Department of Transportation and Virginia State Police are emphasizing Crash Responder Safety Week, which runs through Nov. 6.
A release from VDOT and the VSP notes that law enforcement, emergency medical responders and towing drivers put their lives on the line every time they respond to a crash and depend on drivers to slow down and move over.
A VDOT worker in September died on Sept. 19 when he was struck by a car while assisting police on a report of a person sleeping on an Interstate 64 overpass in Newport News. The car fled. During the same incident, a police vehicle was struck.
Six days later, a vehicles traveling east on Route 460 struck a line of three Virginia State Police vehicles at a traffic stop. The driver, a 22-year-old man, was seriously injured in that crash.
In May a VDOT worker responding to a disabled vehicle on I-64 was struck by a car, surviving with life-altering injuries.
“Every crash scene is an active and often dangerous work zone. Our troopers, local law enforcement officers, safety service patrol personnel, firefighters, EMS providers, and tow operators are focused on helping those involved, clearing the roadway, and restoring safe travel for everyone. We’re asking drivers to do their part by slowing down, staying alert, and giving responders the space they need to work safely,” said Virginia State Police Lieutenant Colonel Norman E. Gray, Sr.
“Virginia’s Move Over Law exists to protect the men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to help others,” he added. “When you move over or slow down, you’re not just complying with the law, you may be saving a life. The few seconds it takes to exercise caution can make all the difference for the responders working to keep others safe.”
Last year, VDOT responded to more than 18,500 crashes on more than 59,000 miles of state-maintained roads, along with thousands of other incidents, such as disabled vehicles and roadway hazards. Since 2021, VDOT crash responders have responded to more than 127,000 crashes, and SSP operators have responded to more than 1 million incidents.
Crash Responder Safety Week is aimed at educating the public on the importance of driving safely when approaching a crash or other roadside incident. Drivers should comply with Virginia’s Move Over Law, which requires them to make a lane change or slow down when approaching any stopped, standing or parked vehicle displaying warning signals, including vehicles driven by highway first responders. A violation could lead to a reckless driving charge. Reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia that can result in a fine of up to $2,500 and a maximum prison term of one year.
If drivers are in a crash involving property damage and there are no injuries, they should move out of the travel lanes and, preferably, to a protected area such as a parking lot to exchange information. The side of the road is a very dangerous place. If you are unable to drive your vehicle and must leave your car, keep away from traffic and walk on the right side of the road. Crossing a highway or trying to stop traffic is dangerous, especially at night or when visibility is low. Additional resources can be found on VDOT’s website on what to do if you are in a crash.
