Red Cloud Opera House

When I go about among little Nebraska towns, the thing I miss most is the Opera House." —Willa Cather, Personal Interview

Built in 1885, the Red Cloud Opera House transports visitors back in time to set the mood, scene, and tone of the 1890s, when Willa Cather and her friends eagerly anticipated the arrival of traveling productions such as The Bohemian Girl and The Mikado. As Cather herself put it, "Only real people speaking the lines can give us that feeling of living along with them, of participating in their existence." It was in the Red Cloud Opera House that Willa Cather first experienced theater and opera, performed on the Opera House stage, and delivered her high school graduation oration in 1890.

Today, the Red Cloud Opera House features a full performance schedule and is home to the Willa Cather Foundation offices, gallery and bookstore. The Red Cloud Opera House auditorium, gallery, and kitchenette may be reserved for meetings, weddings, receptions, holiday parties, and private events. Browse our fee schedule and contact Rachel Olsen for reservations, rolsen@willacather.org or 402-746-2653.