Mother’s Day weekend show scheduled at the Amargosa Opera House

A special upcoming Mother’s Day weekend performance dedicated to one of the most influential artists of the 1930s and 1940s will close the Amargosa Opera House’s show season before Death Valley’s warm weather returns.

“Most importantly, it will provide an opportunity for mothers and grandmothers to come out and enjoy a reception in the historic Amargosa Hotel and then enjoy the live performance in the legendary Amargosa Opera House,” enthused Fred Conboy, president of the board of directors of the Amargosa Opera House Inc.

On Saturday, May 9, at 2 p.m., Las Vegas-based performer Edith Ellithorpe will be performing a one-woman show she developed titled “Kaffeeklatsch with Marlene,” which pays homage to iconic German American singer and performer Marlene Dietrich.

“I want to keep Marlene Dietrich’s life legacy alive, and to me that really just matches so well with trying to conserve what Marta Becket [the famous artist who founded the Amargosa Opera House] has done, painting the murals, performing all her life at this opera house,” Ellithorpe told the Pahrump Valley Times.

Ellithorpe, who is originally from Germany, will perform many of Dietrich’s songs during the show. Throughout, she will also sing a few other German cabaret songs, share facts about Dietrich’s life and tell her own personal stories.

“The show is not an impersonation of her, but it’s an homage to her life, her songs, her works, her talents,” Ellithorpe explained.

Before the show at 2 p.m., attendees are invited to enjoy a pre-show reception at noon inside the Amargosa Hotel, where German pastries, coffee and cold drinks will be served.

“We were grateful for the community of Pahrump for turning out in force for the Christian Brothers, and we welcome their return,” Conboy said. “They were very enthusiastic, and so we are really appreciative of the support that we have received from our neighbors and welcome them back.”

Tickets to the performance on May 9 are $30. Tickets can be obtained by calling 760-852-4441. The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel is located at Highway 127 and State Line Road, Death Valley Junction, California.

For more information about the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel and to learn more about Marta Becket’s legacy, visit amargosaoperahouse.org.

Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com