2023 Shows Coming to the Pocahontas County Opera House

Surrounded by the rolling, wooded mountains of West Virginia, the town of Marlinton is the heart of arts and culture for Pocahontas County. Marlinton is home to the Pocahontas County Opera House, a unique venue with a rich history. 

Around 1,000 people call Marlinton home, but this small town on the banks of the Greenbriar River was a boomtown during the heyday of the railroad when the Pocahontas County Opera House was first built. Our real estate agents still consider it a beautiful, one-of-a-kind place to call home. 

History of the Pocahontas County Opera House

The Pocahontas County Opera House is located at 818 3rd Avenue in the heart of town, within walking distance of many beautiful Marlinton homes for sale. It was built in 1907, replacing a smaller theater that was known as the Grand. 

Built by J.G. Tilton, the Pocahontas County Opera House was one of the tallest buildings in Marlinton at the time of its completion. It was opened to the public at a time when Pocahontas County was booming thanks the arrival of the railroad, which opened up West Virginia's timber industry and allowed for an influx of new residents and visitors. 

But the original glory days of the theater were short-lived. The Opera House closed in 1910 and was used for various other purposes over the years, including stints as a used car dealership and a lumber storage building, interspersed with periods of sitting vacant. 

It wasn't until 1991 that the Opera House was purchased by the Pocahontas County Historic Landmarks Commission, beginning a renovation process that led to its being reopened as a live performance venue in 1999. 

Today, the Pocahontas County Opera House is on the National Register of Historic Places and is also a site on the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail. With its historic architecture intact and a modern sound system in place, it hosts numerous shows every year, ranging from jazz and bluegrass concerts to musical theater productions. 

Upcoming Shows at the Pocahontas County Opera House

An exciting season is in store for the Pocahontas County Opera House in 2023, with plenty more shows expected to be announced during the coming months! Some of the performances we can expect to enjoy this season include: 

• Opry Night (February 18) - An annual tradition, Opry Night returns to the Opera House this February, showcasing local and regional talent in genres related to traditional music and bluegrass. This is one show that's not to be missed!
  
  
• The Foreign Landers (February 25) - With a unique sound that melds Appalachian bluegrass with traditional Irish music, husband-and-wife duo the Foreigner Landers trade harmonies as well as licks on the banjo and mandolin.
  
  
• The Bing Brothers featuring Jake Krack (March 11) - One of West Virginia's most respected and well-established Old Time bands, the Bing Brothers have spent decades bringing their music to venues around the globe. 
  
  
• Doris Fields as the Lady & the Empress (April 15) - Based on the life and music of blues legend Bessie Smith, the Lady & the Empress is a thoroughly engrossing one-woman stage play written and performed by Doris Fields. 
  
  
• Michael Winograd and the Honorable Mentshn (April 29) - Michael Winograd is one of the foremost performers of Klezmer music, a traditional genre that predates the Middle Ages and incorporates cantorial melody and ancient folk tunes with Yiddish poetry and Greek influences.

Contact us today to learn more about life in West Virginia and talk with our real estate agents about finding your dream home in Marlinton and Pocahontas County!