You can shake off the winter-time blues with a pair of exciting performances at the Pocahontas County Opera House this December and February. The Rivers Rockabilly Trio will perform classic hits of the 1950s in a Christmas-themed concert December 10. Opry Night will then bring some of West Virginia's finest local talent to the Opera House stage on February 25. Both performances start at 7:30 p.m.

Admission to each show is $8. Youth 17 and under are admitted free of charge.

The Philadelphia-area 1950s tribute band, Rivers Rockabilly Trio, performs classic hits of Buddy Holly, as well as Bill Haley, The Everly Brothers, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley in this Christmas-themed tribute performance.

Buddy Holly himself will be portrayed by Ed Mara. Although Mara never really tries to pretend he is Buddy Holly, his amazing resemblance to the legend and uncanny vocal similarity brings a special magic to his performances. Mara has performed Holly's music for nearly a decade. He is an authority on Buddy Holly history and owns many authentic instruments from Holly's collection. He holds a letter of permission from Maria Elena Holly, and Mar has also had the honor of performing with The Crickets, Holly's band.

On February 25, five-time West Virginia Liars Contest champion Bil Lepp will be the emcee for an evening of traditional music by West Virginia's own Born Old and Jim O'Dell.

Born Old is is Paul Gartner (banjo, guitar & vocals) and Doug Van Gundy (fiddle, guitar, banjo-mandolin & vocals). The duo was recently featured on Mountain Stage and plays traditional old-time music from West Virginia, as well as early country classics from the great artists of the 78 rpm era, including The Carter Family, Charlie Poole, Uncle Dave Macon, and others. Gartner and Van Gundy have been making music together for 14 years, giving performances that are both traditional and informative without sacrificing a very high energy, raucous fun factor.

Sharing the Opry Night stage will be Jim O'Dell. The West Virginia-born singer-songwriter has worked as a coal miner, surveyor, forester, farmer, logger, and champion competitive axe-thrower. These varied experiences-and the people and animals that have made his acquaintance over the years-have shaped his songwriting, earning him a description from one reviewer as "a writer of songs of life, love and dogs."

Woven among the music of Opry Night will be the side-splitting stories and observations of humorist, author and recording artist Bil Lepp. Growing up in a family where it was always the responsibility of the listener to decide whether or not a story was true, Lepp became adept at spinning tales and exaggerating circumstances at an early age. Audiences across the country have been delighted by Lepp's hilarious tales and delightful insights into everyday life. Be it a plunger, a hunting trip, or a funeral, Lepp can find the humor in any situation. A champion and veteran of the West Virginia Liars' contest, Lepp explains that while his stories may not be completely true, they are always honest.

With these two performances marking the half-way point of the Opera House's current lineup, season tickets for the remainder of the 2011-2012 Performance Series are still available. Single tickets are $45, good for seven shows through June 2012. A pair of tickets can be purchased for $80. Season tickets represent a discount of more than 20 percent off at-the-door ticket prices.

Shows for the next half of the Opera House 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)

Season tickets may be ordered online at pocahontasoperahouse.org, or by calling 304-799-6645. Tickets can also be ordered by mail, by sending your name, address and phone number, 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.

The Pocahontas County Opera House is located at 818 Third Avenue in Marlinton. Performances at the Opera House are informal, family-friendly and open to all. The entrance and main seating are accessible to persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to attend; special accommodations can be arranged upon request by calling 304-799-6645. Advance tickets may be ordered at pocahontasoperahouse.org.

The Opera House Performance Series is presented with financial assistance through a grant from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts. Financial support is also provided by Pocahontas County Drama, Fairs and Festivals, Pendleton Community Bank, Glades Building Supply and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Additional support for the Rivers Rockabilly Trio and Opry Night comes from the Law Office of Roger D. Forman.