Marta was traveling cross-country performing a one-woman show in small theaters and school auditoriums, when she happened to have a flat tire in Death Valley Junction, California. While the tire was being repaired, she discovered a U-shaped complex of Mexican Colonial-style adobe buildings that included the Pacific Coast Borax Company offices, a store, dorm rooms for workers, a 23-room hotel with dining room and lobby, and a recreation hall that was used as a community center for dances, church services, movies, funerals and town meetings. Marta was intrigued by the recreation hall and decided it would be a great permanent location for her one-woman show. With the help of some benefactors, she leased, and then purchased, the entire complex. Marta immediately changed the name of the recreation building from Corkhill Hall to Amargosa Opera House, completely revamped the interior décor, and personally painted all of the interior murals herself.
Opera House
Photographer Unknown
The
Opera House opened in 1968, with very limited attendance. Then, in 1970 National Geographic magazine ran an article on the Death Valley area that
included information about Marta and the Opera House. A few months later another article about Marta and the Amargosa Opera House appeared in Life magazine.
Soon, there was International interest in Marta and the Amargosa Opera House. As attendance increased, Marta began performing for visitors from around the world, including notables as
Ray Bradbury and Red Skelton.
Even though almost all of the residents have now moved from Death Valley Junction (current population was reported to be less than 20), Martha continued to perform her one-woman show at the Opera House over the years. Then, last year Marta decided to retire -- her last show was February 12, 2012. The Opera House is now owned and operated by Marta’s non-profit organization, with guest performers appearing on weekends during the cooler months of the year. (There is no air condition in the building; thus, no summer performances.)
Even though almost all of the residents have now moved from Death Valley Junction (current population was reported to be less than 20), Martha continued to perform her one-woman show at the Opera House over the years. Then, last year Marta decided to retire -- her last show was February 12, 2012. The Opera House is now owned and operated by Marta’s non-profit organization, with guest performers appearing on weekends during the cooler months of the year. (There is no air condition in the building; thus, no summer performances.)
During
our recent visit we were informed that your general admission ticket allows you to
pick any seat in the house, except the stage-left front-row center seat that is
permanently reserved for Marta. The adjacent seat is reserved in memory of Red
Skelton, who was a close friend and frequent performer at the Opera House.
The night we visited the Opera House, Jan McInnis, a professional comedian, was performing her comedy routine about the Baby-Boomer Generation, or a show for people that were born before seatbelts, computers, and Facebook. Jan has been featured in the Wall Street Journal as one of the top convention comedians in the Country, and the Washington Post said that her clean comedy was appropriate for the entire family. We hope that a friend of ours will be performing at the Opera House sometime next season because we are looking forward to a return visit!
Visit the Opera House Web Site at www.amargosa-opera-house.com.
The night we visited the Opera House, Jan McInnis, a professional comedian, was performing her comedy routine about the Baby-Boomer Generation, or a show for people that were born before seatbelts, computers, and Facebook. Jan has been featured in the Wall Street Journal as one of the top convention comedians in the Country, and the Washington Post said that her clean comedy was appropriate for the entire family. We hope that a friend of ours will be performing at the Opera House sometime next season because we are looking forward to a return visit!
Visit the Opera House Web Site at www.amargosa-opera-house.com.
Opera House painted walls and seating area
Hotel Lobby
Hotel Lobby
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