History of the Peacock Playhouse
For thirty years, the Peacock Playhouse in Hayesville, NC has been the center of community and cultural activity, providing quality entertainment to residents of Western North Carolina and North Georgia. For this treasure we owe a debt of gratitude to the vision, determination and generosity of its benefactor, Lilith Lidseen.
Ms. Lidseen was a remarkable woman with a formal education in the dramatic arts. In 1970 she ignited a flame of enthusiasm for the performing arts in Clay County. Through resources of the Lidseen Foundation and her own personal funds, she built the Peacock Playhouse, named in honor of her love for this exotic and beautiful bird. Since then theatergoers have enjoyed 130 high quality performances at the Playhouse. These shows were written by America's finest playwrights and received critical acclaim when they appeared in New York.
The Lidseen Foundation decided to sell the playhouse. The Lilith Lidseen Performing Arts Association, Inc. (LLPAA) was formed to purchase, repair and renovate the Peacock Playhouse with the goal of producing and managing a comprehensive Performing Arts Center for the community. The LLPAA is committed to the effort of preserving this important theatrical venue. It is estimated that the replacement value of the Peacock Playhouse is about $3.5 million. It was available for purchase at $375,000 but was in dire need of repairs and renovation to preserve its structural integrity while adding important new amenities for patrons and artists.
Renovation plans include expansion and remodeling of the facility for more efficient use of space. Renovations will include larger restrooms, better lighting and sound, lobby renovation and expansion, grading and paving of the parking area, roof repair and additional storage space. A major future improvement will be the addition of the Black Box Theatre, a rehearsal area which would also function as a smaller theatre seating 70 - 80 people, thereby providing more flexibility for cultural events. The total estimated cost to accomplish these improvements and make the Peacock Playhouse financially self-supporting is $800,000.
We are very fortunate to have live community theatre in our region providing a broad range of excellent entertainment. In addition, community theatre provides economic development for the region, attracting new residents and visitors to the area.
