Marta Becket's

A uniquely decorated Opera House in the middle of nowhere and a dancer, performing artist, mime Marta Becket provides a wonderful evening. There is some kind of magic here that keeps bringing in the audience.

Marta Beckets first experience in Death Valley Junction (population 7) in 1967 was a flat tire. Seeing an old rundown hotel and a building that could be a theater, her theater, she thought to herself  "there was magic to it". Every year she leaves New York and heads for her theater in the desert to perform 3 nights a week from October to April and has never missed a performance.  Her first show drew 12 customers. In other shows that year there were none. She kept busy painting an audience on the walls and painting the very ornate ceiling. Tom Willett came in as a partner and performer in 1983 and her husband, who helped her in the early years, dropped out. Marta admits she has slowed down some (she is in her 70's).  But don't let that fool you, the last time we saw her she could still kick pretty high in her dance routine. 

The California Heritage Council recently honored the Opera House and we are sure it will always be a tourist attraction.

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