The Jonesborough Repitory Theatre believes that theatre is an opportunity to bring people together and to make their lives better. They strive to create quality community theatre that uplifts, inspires, and lightens the lives of the families in their audiences, as well as those of their own theatre family behind the scenes. They are committed to creating a nurturing environment for seasoned and developing artists. The plays and musicals they perform, classes and workshops they teach, and special events they host are dedicated to enriching the lives of the entire East Tennessee community, and beyond.
JRT HISTORY: In the winter of 1969, a group of volunteers worked together to take part in Tennessee's Statehood Days celebration. Former Jonesborough mayor, Jimmy Neil Smith, wrote "This Then is Tennessee", a play that was performed at the statehood celebration in front of ten thousand people in Nashville's Centennial Park. With the creation of that play, the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre was established. The inaugural season launched in 1970. Performances took place in the courthouse. Due to the setting, a string of courtroom dramas ensued. Soon the theatre moved into its current sixty-seat location, a former casket factory!
During the 1970s, popular television actor and director Timothy Busfield (Thirty something, The West Wing) established JRT's children's theatre. 1988 brought a remodel of the theatre that included dressing rooms and a traditional proscenium stage. In 2000, JRT went through a renaissance that brought further improvements to the building and hosted a ninety-person-cast, original production of Toward the Setting Sun, a dramatic musical about Jonesborough's earliest days.
In 2003, the Jonesborough Repitory Theatre began a partnership with the Town of Jonesborough. This collaboration led to wonderful growth at JRT: further building renovations, a costume shop, education courses, and relationships with local theatres. As of 2025, the dream of moving into their new facility in Jonesborough was realized and they are now open and welcoming guests to the new theatre with fantastic and entertaining shows to thrill everyone, from the youngest to the most mature in your party.
Appalachian GhostWalks is proud of the Jonesborough Repitory Theatre and proud to support their efforts in their new facilty. After nearly twenty years of providing quality lantern-led ghost and history storytelling tours of Tennessee's oldest town with the "Haunted Historic Jonesborough GhostWalk", we are pleased to reccommend the JRT theatrical performances as a great cobmination with Appalachian GhostWalks' Tour Packages.
Visit the Jonesborough Repitory Theatre website for details on upcoming shows and to purchase tickets.
