Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Area 51
0
10 mi
375
0
10 km
318
Rachel
Hiko
Coyote Summit
93
Hancock
Summit
375
“Black” Mailbox
Mailbox
Road
Bald Mtn.
Ash Springs
93
Ranch
Alamo
Badger Mtn.
Tikaboo
Peak
Groom
Lake
RESTRICTED ZONE BOUNDARY
375
93
To
Las Ve
g
as
Ash
Springs
Elgin
AREA 51
Area
shown
93
0
50 mi
15
0
50 km
Papoose
Lake
95
Las Vegas
Henderson
93
95
upon level of character-filled balconies. There are whimsical nuns, prostitutes,
court jesters, and royalty. Two years were spent on the blue ceiling, illustrated with
cherubs flying amid clouds. The people she painted were a silent guarantee, to her
anyway, that she'd never be performing to an empty house. Since the beginning,
she's performed whether there was an actual audience or not. Often, there wasn't,
and her painted characters sufficed.
An unexpected stroke of luck befell the opera house 6 years into its run, when
a writer from
National Geographic
stumbled upon the show. He loved it, wrote
about it, and the place has been packed ever since.
The Opera House is more than just a roadside attraction. It's a labor of love, and
showcases the true (though slowing) talent of Beckett, whose husband left a few years
after they moved here. For 23 years she took on a partner, a maintenance man with
a flair for comedy. He passed away in 2005, and now she performs the shows alone,
to sold-out crowds. Be sure and call in advance for tickets and to book a hotel room.
How to get there:
Amargosa is located about 90 miles from Las Vegas. Take
I-15 South, exit Blue Diamond Road/Highway 160, and drive 55 miles to
Pahrump. In Pahrump you'll pass through two stoplights. The second stoplight is
Basin Road. About 3 miles beyond Basin Road, you'll come to Bell Vista. Turn
left and continue on Bell Vista another 25 miles to Death Valley Junction.
