Quinton Cockrell's "Trains" to be showcased at Barter Theater

One of Troy University’s professors will have his original play, “Trains,” shine in the limelight at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia— the country’s oldest running professional theatre. 

Quinton Cockrell has been a professor of theatre at Troy University since 2009, where he has taught classes in acting, directing and helped with multiple productions held on campus.  

Cockrell’s relationship with Barter Theatre began in 2020 when he won the first Black Stories Black Voices Initiative for his play “City Limits.” In 2021, the play was read at the theater’s New Play Festival. 

In the same year, Barter Theatre announced a monologue writing contest and provided prompts based on historical events related to African Americans. 

“One of the prompts they gave was about the expulsion of all the African Americans from the town of Corbin, Kentucky in 1919,” Cockrell said. “In 1919 in the United States, there were a lot of conflicts around the country.  

“Early in the day, on October 31, a white man was robbed by two black assailants, and so by that evening, all of the white people had gathered and rounded up all the black people and put them in box cars and a train sent them to Knoxville.  

“It's really sad, because it happened in 1919, and Corbin still got this reputation because of that event.” 

Cockrell’s piece was one of the winners and was given a public reading at the first occurrence of an event called “SHINE.”  

“SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories” is an annual event curated by Barter Theatre’s “Black Stories Black Voices” initiative. It showcases original scenes by Black playwrights from across the nation, where it is produced and performed by Barter Theatre’s artists.  

On the night of Cockrell’s monologue presentation, the theatre was sold out. Cockrell would later be encouraged to turn his original monologue into a full stage play.  

“I spent, of course, a lot of time thinking about what I want people to take away from it,” Cockrell said. “I've heard so much in my life about traumatic events.  

“I think every person has trauma in their life. I think we are finally, as a society, understanding how difficult it is to get over that trauma.” 

ockrell said dealing with the root of the issue is important when navigating trauma.  

“You think you've overcome it, and then something pops up because you haven't dealt with the real root of the issue,” Cockrell said. 

“If the trauma is based on race, that's not something that's going to change. There are issues with self-esteem that go along with that.  

“If people were willing to treat people who looked like me that way, even if it was 200 years ago that's a part of you. I want people to be aware of it. I want people to think about the lasting effect of trauma and that truth.”  

Cockrell expressed his gratitude for those who have been there throughout the journey of creating “Trains.” 

"I really am grateful to my department here who continues to encourage me, and my colleagues,” Cockrell said. “
I thank the university for encouraging the artists who are employed here at Troy University to go out and add to their own reputations.  

“I'd love for more young playwrights to come study at Troy University. I feel very fortunate.”  

“Trains” will run from Feb. 13 through Feb. 28 at Barter’s Smith Theatre.