Nevada; or, The Lost Mine, A Drama in Three Acts

In the rugged foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, a motley crew of prospectors, outcasts, and dreamers gathers around a crumbling cabin and a mysterious rock face. Among them are Nevada, the wandering drifter with a tangled beard; Vermont, an old miner hardened by years of toil; the eager young hopefuls Tom and Dandy Dick; and Silas Steele, a flamboyant “missionary of health” whose colorful mural of “Busted’s Balm” sparks both curiosity and consternation. The scene is set with vivid costumes and a chorus of voices that bring the frontier to life, from the steady rhythm of a black miner’s hammer to the lilting chatter of a Chinaman’s cue.

When rumors of a lost, gold‑filled vein surface, the group’s ambitions collide with suspicion and old grievances. A detective arrives, a waif named Moselle slips through the shadows, and the enigmatic Mother Merton watches the newcomers with wary eyes. As alliances form and secrets begin to surface, listeners are drawn into a tale of hope, danger, and the relentless quest for the treasure that may lie just beyond the next ridge.