How It All Started
Our History
2016
The Spark
- Development of Abomination On Bolt Mountain begins in March 2016
- AOBM Opens at The Raleigh Playhouse in June of 2016, featuring WV Collective co-founder Jamie Smith.
2017
Get Fracked
- WV Collective co-founders Jamie Smith and Jason Lockart help to develop and produce FRACK!! The Mountain Music Comedy Spectacular!
2017
A Mountain Music Comedy Spectacular
- FRACK!! Opens Jun. 9, 2017 at the Tamarack Appalachian Music & Arts Festival, followed by a 3-week run at The Raleigh Playhouse & Theatre.
2018
Building A Foundation
- Beckley Artistic Endeavors is founded, with the DBA WV Collective in Feb. 2018
- Development begins on WV Collective’s first theatrical production: Little Shop Of Horrors
2018
It Takes A Village
- Gov. Justice cuts funding to WV Public Broadcasting in 2017.
- In response WV Collective organizes WVPubFest & raises $5k for WVPB.
2018
Theatrical Debut
- Little Shop Of Horrors The Musical debuts on Oct. 31, 2018. Selling out 2/5 nights.
- 20+ person cast, band, crew, and staff all from right here in Southern WV.
2018
An All-Star WV Lineup
- WV Collective helps organize over 20 WV musicians for The West By God Waltz.
- WV’s finest came together on Nov. 21, 2018 to pay tribute to The Band’s iconic event.
2019
Art In Action
- Municipalities across WV voted to secure the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals in their homes and jobs.
- WV Collective, in support of Beckley’s ordinance, produced Hedwig & The Angry Inch – raising $1300 for Fairness WV.
2019
Beckley WV’s First Craft Beer Festival
- WV Collective organizes The Great Beckley Beer Festival.
- Brewers from across the globe, many from WV and 9 musical acts in Downtown Beckley Sep. 21, 2019.
2019
Frack!! To The Future
- WV Collective produces FRACK!! The Musical with an all new cast of actors / band members from right here in the Mountain State.
2020
COVID Ruins Everything
- WV Collective organizes WVPubFest 2020 for May 2020, but the event cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
- WV Collective released a collection of video performances for Virtual PubFest 2020.
2020
All Shows Cancelled
- WV Collective cancels all upcoming productions for 2020 – 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
2021
WV Collective Returns
- WV Collective organizes the second annual Great Beckley Beer Festival – the organizations first event since the pandemic.
2022
Return To The Stage
- WV Collective produces a run of Sam Shepard’s TRUE WEST.
- The organization’s first straight-play opens on March 31, 2022 – and is a rousing success.
2022
WVPubFest Is BACK!
- WV Collective returns to Weathered Ground Brewery for the first WVPubFest since 2019.