Advertisement

DEATH VALLEY JUNCTION, Calif. -- The Amargosa Opera House has been home to the world of Marta Becket since it began a resurrection from the sands of desolation by her own hand in 1968.

Becket will open her one-woman show at 8:15 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3. Due to a knee injury, the performance, at present, is a "sit-down" presentation by Marta Becket, about Marta Becket.

There have been poignant writings over the years about the building itself; the detailed murals depicting an audience of finely dressed royalty and noblemen, Native Americans engaged in dance for the King and Queen, enchanted dancing cherubs in billowing clouds, regal bullfighters, serene monks and nuns, and others who might have attended the opera during the 16th century.

Upon completing the artwork in the theater, Becket painted a statue that stands in the entry way. The figure holds a scroll that expresses the essence of the woman herself. The scroll reads, "The walls of this theater and I dedicate theses murals to the past without which our times would have no beauty. Fin - 1972"

After all her work, it is surprising to learn Becket was still leasing the building in 1972.

"With help and legal advice from friends, and through the Trust for Public Land based in San Francisco, the Amargosa Opera House Inc. bought the town of Death Valley Junction," according to amargosa-opera-house.com, and on Dec. 10, 1981, the town of Death Valley Junction was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

"In April of 1984, the Amargosa Opera House paid off a mortgage on Death Valley Junction of $26,500. Inspired by this real life drama of keeping the villain from the door, Marta created a melodrama entitled 'The Second Mortgage,' which premiered Nov. 23, 1983," said the Web site.

"Marta says she does not plan for the years ahead. She does not try to guess what she will be able to do 10 years from now. For the present, she dances (as allowed), and she continues to paint," said todanceonsands.com, and her work sells around the world.

Stephens Press, a subsidiary of Stephens Media, the parent company of this newspaper, published the autobiography of this extraordinary woman in 2007, to rave reviews from all over the world.

'"To Dance on Sands' is the long awaited autobiography of Marta Becket, artist, dancer and performer. From her childhood in bohemian New York of the 1920s and 30s to her career as a successful painter, dancer, and chorus performer on Broadway and television, Becket tells, in quirky, honest prose, the story of the many ups and downs she faced living a life in the arts, and of her eventual artistic rebirth as the owner, choreographer, and star performer for almost 40 years at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. '"To Dance on Sands," is the story of a fiercely independent woman driven by her creative muses to live life very much on her own terms. From the glitz of New York to performing before a hand-painted audience in a remote ghost town, Marta Becket's tale will appeal to dance and theater enthusiasts or to anyone interested in following their muse -- no matter where it takes them," said todanceonsands.com.

"Her imagination has carried her from the past to the present; from New York to Death Valley Junction and a tiny theater nobody wanted." Of her experience she says, "I am grateful to have found the place where I can fulfill my dreams and share them with the passing scene ... for as long as I can," said amargosa-opera-house.com.

The doors of the Amargosa Opera House open at 7:45 p.m. and the performance starts at 8:15 p.m. sharp every Saturday from now until the season closes May 10, 2008. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children age five to 12.

Rooms are available for overnight guests. Call 760-852-4441 for more information, or visit the Web site, www.amargosa-opera-house.com.

For information and reviews on Becket's autobiography, "To Dance on Sands," go to www.todanceonsands.com. The book may be purchased at the Pahrump Valley Times office, 2160 E. Calvada Blvd.