The Pocahontas County Opera House will kick off the 2021/2022 Performance Series with a blockbuster double-header at Discovery Junction.
On Saturday, July 24, Indie Folk musician, The Suitcase Junket, will bring his one man, multi-instrument virtuoso performance to the outdoor stage. On the following night, Sunday, July 25, the Vintage Theater Company will return to Marlinton with Shakespeare’s, Twelfth Night.
Both events are free to the public and will start at 7 p.m.
As these shows are planned to be on the outdoor stage, the audience is encouraged to bring their own chairs. In the event of rain, the shows will be moved to the indoor stage at the Opera House. For inside shows, the Opera House will follow state COVID 19 guidelines and unvaccinated persons will be expected to wear masks.
“We are really excited to finally kick off our performance series,” Opera House Operations Manager Brynn Kusic said. “Since the shutdown, we have had to move all of the dates that were scheduled last year to this year. So, needless to say, we’ve been waiting years for some of these artists to come and perform.”
Matt Lorenz, also known as The Suitcase Junket, has created musical tension between the grand and the solitary. Grand in its imagery, sound and staging. Solitary in its thrift and self-reliance. What instruments he requires – Lorenz builds from scratch and salvage. What parts five players would perform – he performs alone. The spectacle of his one-man set bears constant comparison to legends of showmanship, brilliance, madness and invention.
“The weekend continues Sunday night with the performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night.’” Kusic added. “What a way to open up the season with back-to-back performances!”
This is the third Opera House visit for the Vintage Theater’s Shakespeare troupe, the Rustic Mechanicals. The Vintage Theater, based in Clarksburg, is a professional acting company dedicated to providing West Virginia with quality cultural education and professionally produced entertainment.
With the Rustic Mechanicals, the emphasis is clearly on entertainment. Their high-energy performances highlight both the rollicking humor and the beautiful language of Shakespeare’s work.
“We hope that you will enjoy the opening weekend for our Performance Series, and we look forward to seeing you there,” Kusic said. “Please visit our website for more information.”
