"Nevada Belle," an original musical by George Morgan and Duane Ashby, provides a pleasant ride aboard the 19th century train that bears its name. In the Ojai Civic Light Opera production at the Livery Theatre, the premiere showcases a hard working and appealing cast singing agreeable music.

The nub of the story concerns the travails of five young women in New York recruited to work in a saloon run by Cad Thompson. Most of the story takes place on the train as it travels from New York to Virginia City, Nevada. "Belle" is fortunate to have excellent train sound effects to boost the illusion.

A narrative line periodically dropped into the show tells about the experiences of famed actress Sara Bernhardt, an actress the young girls aspire to be like. The show's songs are pleasant, some in folk or western mode, others with a more contemporary twist.

The best thing the show has going for it is the zest of the female cast. Diane Magana as the protagonist, Rosa May, is convincingly earnest and involved, and certainly pretty enough to catch Cad Thompson's eye. Hillary Carter-Liggett as the desperate-to-act Hattie Willis is a strong presence on the tiny stage in her crucial scenes. Lekesha Beebe as Jennie Rogers, a stowaway who becomes a recruit, goes all-out selling her songs and provides some humor along the rails.

Mary Crane is well cast as the attractive, authoritative Cad Thompson and Kristi Crisp reveals the best voice of the bunch as one of Cad's former "girls," Irish Blonde.

This was the world premiere of "Nevada Belle" and should be considered a work in progress; still a little rough around the edges. Every Friday and Saturday in June. Admission is $16.00 adults, $14 seniors.

A new musical rich in history - and local talent - will be making its debut in Ventura on May 30th.
"Nevada Belle" written by George Morgan and Duane Ashby, tells the true story of six women who in 1871 took a train from New York to Nevada to work in the saloons of booming Virginia City. It is a road trip story in that all of the action takes place on a train, the Nevada Belle.

Those who love musicals will have numerous opportunities to view "Nevada Belle", as it will be staged at the Livery Theatre every weekend in June, then two weekends in Ojai at Libbey Bowl, site of the annual Ojai Music Festival.

Thereafter, this musical will find a most suitable venue. After the stage versions "Nevada Belle" will be performed on a local tourist train, the Fillmore and Western Railroad. In fact, "Nevada Belle" was designed from the outset to be performed on either a standard stage or an actual moving train.

Morgan and Ashby spent two years researching the lives of about 50 women who had an impact on the Old West before settling on the six characters the play revolves around. Those familiar with the history of the California ghost town of Bodie, for example, will immediately recognize the lead character, mining camp legend Rosa May.

Creating and staging the play has been a "tremendous amount of fun; the characters are so rich," said Morgan, a produced screenwriter and member of the Writers Guild of America. "Each one of the characters are so different, their goals and dreams. Bringing them to life was a terrific experience."

Tickets to "Nevada Belle" are $16 adults, $14 students and seniors.