A 19th Century New York orphan travels West, and uncovers her true identity: the last descendant of a cosmic race, which she must hide to stay safe from the World.

SYNOPSIS:

ACT ONE

A baby found on the Orphanage steps. A peculiar light in her eye and an ornate silver necklace in her swaddling the only clues to her identity. Fifteen years later, SILVER’s 16th ‘birthday’ approaches - time to leave the Orphanage. She is troubled, sleepwalks - always to the highest part of the building, longing for some point in the heavens. DR BESPO visits her room to discuss her future: the perilous city, or seek yet another replacement family. Whichever, he warns her to conceal her strange, developing talent. Confronted with fending for herself outside the safety of the Orphanage, she boards The Orphan Train, bound for Ohio, under the watch of corrupt priest, FATHER O'GRADY. Travelling by night, he fails to steal Silver’s necklace as she sleeps. At the Ohio train platform, orphans are collected until Silver is left alone. CLARK MECHANT appears, hands O’Grady cash and takes a hesitant Silver. As they near his brothel, co-run with low IQ brother BOSS, the penny drops - she resists. Their struggle attracts farmer, JOHANN BRUDER -German father with a Shawnee family. Instinctively, he rescues Silver, only to find himself now responsible for her. On their way from Town, he silently observes Silver’s necklace.

ACT TWO

Johann and Silver reach the Bruder farm on Johann’s faithful old horse and cart. Johann's wife, LEMA, (aware of how Johann saved her from a life under the boots of soldiers) takes an instant dislike to the pretty young arrival. The couples' toddler Twins ANNA & FRIEDA are the opposite, and shine to their new big sister. Lema's sickly mother, NOKOMTHA, sees much more in Silver than the others do. Life rubs along as Silver learns her place on a hardworking farm but continues to sleepwalk – to burial grounds in the hills. Johann strains to join the 20th century against the backdrop of poor recent crops and Lema’s open disapproval. Nokomtha takes Silver under her wing, revealing her as a Star Maiden of the Corona Borealis, with full, seemingly supernatural abilities. The closeness of the family (even Lema!) and seclusion of the farm allow Silver to blossom and try to harness powers which could benefit her new family, but destroy her. Clark plots uselessly to retrieve Silver, considering her to be his property. Likewise, Silver yearns to do away with Clark’s evil. A letter from Dr Bespo in New York forces Silver back to Town: another confrontation with Clark sees him further humiliated. With Silver’s support and assistance, Johann is able to restore a cheap steam tractor and produce a bumper crop. Farmhands are rushed in from Town. One unluckily falls foul of the tractor and must return to Town to heal. Lema discovers Silver’s necklace hidden under her bed and is furious: Silver watched them struggle when she could have so easily helped. Johann and Nokomtha team up, on Silver’s side, but Silver is back to square one with Lema. Clark, goaded by townswomen, grows wilder; more suspicious. That night, he creeps to the farm, sees Silver’s power for himself. Half crazy, he flees, but viciously manipulates Boss, to help him launch his attack to get Silver back.

ACT THREE

The Bruder clan are caught unaware as Clark and Boss raid the farm. Clark happily kills Nokomtha as she defends The Twins. The Mechant brothers kidnap Anna and Frieda, ride back to Town, pursued by Silver and Johann. Lema stays, to prepare Nokomtha to join their ancestors. Silver and Johann ride into Town, interrogate Boss, turn the tables, burn the brothel to the ground. Twins rescued, Clark escapes. Silver goes after him. At last, the temptation to rid the Town and her beloved new family of Clark is too much… her voluntary exposure to the Corona brings a destructive moment of transition, to guarantee her permanent position in the sky, as a true guiding light to all that follow.