The Hayesville Opera House opened in 1886 and has been home to many performances over the years including Vaudeville shows and community events. In 2005 the theatre was restored to its original appearance. I cannot think of a more appropriate place for Cece to bring her performance as a part of her An American Songline tour.
As I mentioned previously, Cece and I went to the Opera House on Friday to drop off her gear and for a dress rehearsal. Many of the pictures that are in this blog were taken on that day. This includes probably too many pictures of the graffiti on the walls which I found fascinating. (Don’t forget that you can click on each picture to get a closer look.) The graffiti at the theatre dates back to the late 1800s. Most of the ones that I photographed were from 1910-1930.
Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. I was happy to be present for an outstanding performance by Cece Otto of An American Songline at the Hayesville Opera House. She performed 11 songs including “In My Merry Oldsmobile” and “Second Hand Rose” as well a beautiful rendition of Dvorak’s “Going Home.” If you happen to be somewhere west of Ohio and you’re anywhere along the Lincoln, you need to go see Cece when she performs in your state. I can’t guarantee that the atmosphere will be as captivating as it was in Hayesville, but I know that the performance will be something you’ll remember. And thanks to all of the generous folks who donated to Cece’s Kickstarter campaign, all of her shows are free to the public and truly a great way to celebrate this Centennial Year.
- View from the stage
- Let the graffiti begin!
- One of the original gaslight fixtures
- Cece’s very own dressing room!
- These backdrops are the originals from the 1880s
- The snack cart with Pepsi products (and no Ginger Ale) ;-)
- Lighting check on rehearsal day #1
- Lighting check on rehearsal day #2
- Cece and Dave Roepke
- Let the show begin!
- Thanks to Trey for taking our picture :-)
And so until we meet again, here’s to the Hayesville Opera House, the Lincoln Highway Centennial, and here’s to you…






























































































































































































































































































































































































































