Join the party and see who’s coming to the Opera House in Marlinton

It’s become an annual tradition for the Pocahontas Opera House in Marlinton – the Season Preview Party; a chance to gather with friends and get a sneak peek at the upcoming performance season at this historic theater.  Opera House Creative Director Brynn Kusic has more.

“We are having our 4^th annual Season Preview party at the Opera House on June 14^th to celebrate and announce our 2019-2020 performance season,” she said. “This year we have so many exciting performances coming up ; we have a great mix of local favorites and also we have some great performers who are coming back for a second time at the Opera House and then we have a lot of new performances.”

The season will kick off on July 6^th with the Vintage Theatre Company, West Virginia’s only Shakespearean company presenting the pastoral comedy As You Like It.  Other acts include jazz from The Bucket Brothers and an August concert collaboration between Blue Yonder, a honky tonk band from Charleston, WV and Banju Nickaru and the Western Scooches, a multi genre band from Brooklyn, NY.  This year will also bring something never seen at the Opera House – an opera.

 “So this year we’re lucky to have two different performances that are receiving extra funding through the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation,” said Brynn.   “One of them is actually a pop opera group from Austin [Tx] and their main mission of their group is to bring opera to new audiences.  I know it’s hard to believe, we have never had opera at the Opera House before; we will actually get to see opera at the Opera House this fall.”

The other event supported by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation is a weeklong residency with an international singer and performer from the west coast of Ireland.  She’ll be working with local musicians on a collaborative concert combining the roots of Celtic and Appalachian musical styles.  Brynn explains how they decide on who will be performing each season.

 “Every year we get lots of suggestions from our audience and from different community members about performances that they would like to see at the Opera House,” she said. “In the fall each year we have a community programming committee that comes together and has a listening party and then those members recommend their top selections to the Opera House board for our upcoming season.”

Several local restaurants and other food vendors will provide a menu of heavy o’er d’oeuvres to enjoy throughout the 2 and a half hour party.  The party also includes items up for bid.

“We have a lot of local artisans who have donated items for our silent auction and our community members have been incredibly generous this year,” said Brynn, “so generous that we’re actually going to try a live auction at 7 o’clock for just a few of the bigger items.  That will raise money for our future programming and to keep the lights on at the Opera House.”

The Pocahontas Opera House Season Preview party is Friday June 14^th from 5 to 7:30pm.   Food and drink will be provided and there is no fee to attend.