SPECIAL TO THE PVT The Amargosa Opera House will open with a new stage presence in the form of Sandy Scheller, left. Marta Becket has taken some time off to "get the paintings in her head on canvas." The new show, "If These Walls Could Talk," will open with the 7:15 p.m. performance tomorrow evening. A matinee has been added at 2 p.m. each Sunday. The performances run through April. Advertisement

The Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction will open its season at 7:15 p.m., tomorrow night with a new show in place and without Marta Becket on stage.

Rich Regnell, director of operations for the opera house, said Becket is concentrating on getting "all the paintings in her head down on canvas."

Becket came from a history of stage performances and fell in love with the little theater when she first visited Death Valley in 1967.

The finishing touches for the backdrop of the theater are the numerous murals paints on the walls by Becket. The paintings took four years and depict many different cultures, fantasies and inspirations for performances staged there over the years.

Sandy Scheller, the new performer on stage at the opera house, met Becket while filming a video for the musical group, "Lighthouse Family." She never forgot the opera house and in getting to know Becket, became the unofficial wardrobe mistress.

"She knew I had many different styles of dance and many costumes," said Scheller. "I approached her about her murals on the theater walls and it seemed they 'talked.'"

Through the collaboration of Becket and Scheller, the show, "If These Walls Could Talk," was born.

The show uses the murals and theater walls incorporated with music and dance from Spain, Russia, Italy, France and others. There are no spoken words but the murals still come to life - becoming characters.

Some of the featured murals are the Spanish court, the nuns, the ballerinas and the Madame from Ash Meadows.

Scheller is a former Sesame Street and Reading Rainbows performer and has danced as a professional Flamingo dancer with the San Diego Bazaar del Mundo. She works behind the stage of Zumanity Cirque de Soleil, and teaches mime in Clark County schools and Cirque du Monde.

Not only will the show be staged Saturday evenings, but a matinee has been added at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Reservations are recommended. Call 760-852-4441 for more information.

The Amargosa Café, a new venture, will be open for desserts and coffee.