A group of outlaws posing as Southern sympathizers and led secretly by freight-line owner Jim Maroon are raiding stagecoaches, and this is a threat to the Union communications. Grif Holbrook, a trouble-shooter for the Butterfield Stage Line, and Union man Barney Broderick team up to try and put a stop to the activity, when they aren't fighting over the charms of Kate Crocker.

Romance at a murder trial with a pair of sequestered jurors who are the only ones who think that the woman in the dock is innocent. Separated from their normal lives, jurors Terry Scott and David Campbell start to fall in love.

A wealthy woman discovers a vineyard worker with a beautiful operatic singing voice. She helps make him a star but then breaks his heart. He flees in misery to Mexico where he meets a sweet farm girl.

An idealistic but struggling actor finds his life unexpectedly complicated when he stops a robbery while wearing the costume of Captain Avenger, a superhero character of a film he is hired to promote. He decides to dabble at being a superhero only to find that it is more difficult and dangerous than he ever imagined.

第一幕

("Overture")

來到倫敦的貧民區，演員們唱出這個罪貫滿盈的城市之中，以大盜麥希為首惡。("The Ballad of Mack the Knife")丐幫幫主積隆歡迎新加入的成員，並教他一套在這個地方可以活下去的法則。("Peachum's Morning Choral")他與其妻討論女兒波莉的新男友，當他們赫然發現那便是麥希的時候深感不妙，要阻止這頭婚事。("The Instad Of Song")另一邊廂，麥希和他的爪牙們正準備著婚禮，並要爪牙們唱歌助興。("Wedding Song")他以恐佈統領他們，為了緩和氣氛波莉也來一曲。("Pirate Jenny")突然線報指警察頭子布朗殺到，麥希跟之一輪招呼後才揭示二人是軍旅好友的關係。("Army Song")在布朗祝福麥希之後，沒有承諾沒有介指的婚禮便進行。("Love Song")回到家中波莉宣佈他已經與麥希結婚的消息，("Barbara Song")積隆夫妻焦急不已，決定要不擇手段從中作梗。而他們的籌碼卻是想利用布朗和麥希的關係去捉住麥希。("Act I Finale")

第二幕

波莉回去警告麥希，他卻不大當是一回事，("Melodrama")更將事業交給波莉處理，自己暫時避一避風頭。("Polly's Song")但積隆太太深知這男人好色成性，("Ballad of Sexual Dependency")必定會去妓院找老相好珍妮，便預先買通了她。果然，麥希又回到這溫柔窩，("Pimp's Ballad")正當他沉醉在聲色犬馬之中的時候，("Ballad of the Pleasant Life")警察們殺到，畢竟麥希是通緝犯，這下布朗也不能不將之逮捕了。在牢獄中麥希以言語哄布朗之女露茜放他出去，更不惜棄波莉於不顧。("Jealousy Duet")果然這讓露茜軟化了，("Aria of Lucy")放了他出去。積隆得知後便去威脅布朗，如果他不捉回麥希的話便會帶領群丐搗亂英女皇的嘉冕儀式，陪上布朗的仕途。("Act II Finale")

第三幕

珍妮來到找積隆討賞，積隆指麥希已逃故要賴帳。然而，珍妮卻指麥希現正在妓女家中風流快活呢。("Song of Insufficiency of Human Struggling")布朗趕到要捉走積隆和妓女們，卻已經太遲，他現下除了抓住麥希之外別無選擇。("Reminiscence")珍妮回想當年和麥希的一段情，嗟嘆現下角色互換得真快。("Solomon Song")麥希不斷尋找方法逃走，("Call From the Grave")但無論是他的手下或是波莉都已經不能幫助他。("Grave Inscription")在最後和布朗算清恩仇之後，麥希在群丐見証下步向絞刑台。("Walk to Gallows")積龍向觀眾說：這可不是個好結局，還是還你們一個大團圓吧。所以，突然女皇的使者駕到，大赦麥希，更加官晉爵，不用再為錢銀憂愁。眾人回復演員身份，要觀眾想一想劇中的意義，尤其是那句名言：究竟搶劫銀行的人罪大，還是擁有它的人才是犯罪者？(Act III Finale")

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