(c/o KCET).īorn in 1925 in New York, Becket was fascinated by the arts at an early age. Marta Becket performing at the Amargosa Opera House, which she renovated, repainted, and performed in. But her life is the story of a truly unique person that we can all learn from. Her death last week at 92 marks the end of a truly unique creative mind.

Primarily known as the dancer who performed one-woman shows to often-empty audiences in the middle of the desert, Becket’s creative expression flourished in the desert. For nearly 50 years, Becket lived and created–both dance and visual art–at her own opera house situated in Death Valley, California. Yet that’s exactly what Marta Becket did. But it takes a special sort of person to settle in a type of environment–much less thrive in it. A break from the typical hustle of any sort can often create new breakthroughs for many creatives (just ask any LA artist if a trip to the desert did them good). Vast, empty spaces are often fuel for an artist’s creative fire.

Amargosa opera house movie