And don’t forget; there’s an acoustic set at the Dirtbean the night before: https://www.facebook.com/events/336274739718484/

(Please note: Opera House 2011-2012 season tickets do not apply; This is not an Opera House Foundation sponsored event.)

Shows for the next half of our season include:

• February 25: Opry Night with Bil Lepp, Born Old and Jim O’Dell
• March 16: Attack Theatre (contemporary dance)
• March 24: Jim & Valerie Gabehart (bluegrass)
• April 14: Juanita Fireball & The Continental Drifters (old-time)
• April 28: Caravan of Thieves (Gypsy jazz)
• May 4: Doug Elliott (Folk, story-telling)
• June 9: The Honey Dewdrops (Americana)

Order below, or call 304-799-6645. You can also order your tickets by mail, with a check payable to Pocahontas County Opera House Foundation to: Pocahontas County Opera House Foundation, Season Tickets, P.O. Box 282, Marlinton, WV 24954. Please be sure to include your address and phone number. Terms and conditions apply.

Order online now with

Season Tickets

1 Season ticket $45.00 USD 2 Season tickets $80.00 USD

• Dwight & Caleb Diller with Guests - Fri. Sept. 30 at 7:00 p.m.
• Jake Krack and The Bing Brothers - Sat. Oct 1 at 8:00 p.m.
• John Wyatt and The Appalachians - Fri. Oct 14 at 8:00 p.m.
• The Bill Hefner Family - Sat. Oct 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Sherman Hammons at Pioneer Days, 1973

The 2nd Annual Hammons Musical Heritage celebration is fast approaching! The Opera House welcomes those musicians who would like to help us celebrate the profound influence of the Hammons family on the musical and story-telling traditions of Pocahontas County and central Appalachia. Performers will not be judged, but will receive a gift from the Opera House. Registration is free of charge.  So practice together with some friends, and sign up to celebrate Pocahontas County’s rich musical tradition at the Hammons Musical Heritage Celebration!

Musicians may register online, through the EVENT PAGE, or by calling B.J. Gudmundsson at 304-799-3989.

On his heralded new album Field Songs, exhilarating young troubadour William Elliott Whitmore lends a voice of absolute conviction and compassion to the struggles and perseverance of the American farmer.  Still based on the small family farm in Iowa on which he was raised, Whitmore is an artist uniquely suited to capture this profoundly important and seemingly vanishing landscape.

It was this powerful connection between artist and subject which resonated so noticeably throughout Whitmore’s recent interview and performance on the popular NPR radio show Talk of the Nation. As he spoke and played songs from his new album, calls came flooding into the station from farmers in the field, one even sitting on a tractor as he spoke. Listening to the show they were inspired to speak of their lives, the time honored rituals which they embrace and of the music which sustains them.

William Elliott Whitmore’s appearance on NPR’s Talk of the Nation, which has since become a favorite amongst listeners, can be heard by going to the below link: http://www.npr.org/2011/07/25/138678810/whitmores-field-songs-pay-tribute-to-farmers

A review of Whitmore’s Field Songs at Pitchfork.com offered, “His deep, gnarled vocals suggest a particularly well-trod life… There’s a dignity to his work, which is unfussy and ambivalent to trends… his voice is very much the focus. Weary and full of crags… it’s impressively wide and strong, imbuing his compositions with a kind of welcome toughness. Folk music has a reputation for limpness, but Whitmore’s vocals are energizing– they give these tracks backbone.”

Additional Acclaim For Field Songs:

“Field Songs” is a touching effort from an uncommon songwriter – a tender, fond reflection on rural America. “-Washington Post

“Through a unified blend of graceful melodies and powerful vocals, William Elliott Whitmore generates a sincere message – to reap a sweet harvest of happiness, listeners must work through the fields of pain.” – Paste

“Field Songs is Whitmore’s masterpiece thus far: unflinching, stubborn, demonstrative, and inspiring.” – AllMusic

“Ground down to little more than banjo, unadorned acoustic guitar and foot stomps, his music is profoundly redolent of America’s agricultural heartland, while his voice summons up the ghost of some atavistic gospel shouter.” – Uncut Magazine

Tickets are just $100 and each ticket gives you multiple chances to win.

Plus, the proceeds of this raffle supports the Snowshoe Foundation, who’s mission is to enhance the surrounding communities’ quality of life through charitable contributions. Past Snowshoe Foundation contributions have supported activities at the Pocahontas County Opera House, including our Capital Campaign and our 2010-11 Performance Series events.

Details and rate information can be obtained by calling 1-877-441-4386 or visiting the Snowshoe Foundation’s website.