Nevada’s history is filled with tales of visionaries who saw an oasis in the desert, a gem in the mountains or an opportunity in times of want. The tales live on, but it’s rare to experience these tales first-hand, in living color.
Visitors to Nevada are fortunate to still be able to witness the vision of famous Broadway dancer Marta Becket on her own stage in the Amargosa Valley. Becket’s story is an unusual one, but the best stories always are. 
While on vacation with her husband in 1967, Becket wandered into the Amargosa Valley on the eastern edge of Death Valley and never left. A flat tire halted their trip and gave the curious dancer time to wander the ramshackle buildings of Death Valley Junction. As she strolled the dusty road, she came across an abandoned old theater. Peering through a hole in the door, Becket saw her future. The warped floorboards, faded curtain and deteriorated stage would have scared off anyone else, but Becket saw the opportunity to dance on her own stage.
She and her husband rented the old theater for $45 a month and quickly fixed it up, opening the Amargosa Opera House for its first performance in 1968. The crowds were often meager, but Becket still parted the curtain promptly at 8:15 Friday, Saturday and Monday nights whether there was anyone there to watch or not. The empty benches simply inspired her to create her own legion of fans and she set out to paint intricate murals of an audience on the walls.
Becket still performs in her dream theater, and the 2008-09 season is underway with performances scheduled at 8:15 every Saturday night through May 9. Becket brings her Broadway flair and decades of perfecting her art to the modest Nevada stage, and for the lucky passers-by and few residents of the area, this is an opportunity to witness the fruits of one woman’s vision in the desert. For information on Becket and how to visit the Amargosa Opera House, visit www.amargosa-opera-house.com or call 760-852-4441.
Media Contact: Kristin Power or Rachel Milon, media@rkpr.com
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