LYRICS BELOW:  The story begins with the Overture which depicts various scenes in the life of Devon James Gally.  From birth to getting into trouble with his older brothers all through he short life to period visits from a strange but calming figure with a golden aura around him and what appear to be wings.  As the song DEVON JAMES opens, we find Devon James Gally (Scott Hanley) in a dark an filthy alley in the city of Dark Valley.  Devon, in torn jeans and a flannel shirt that has blood stains all over it appears to be hiding from whoever is chasing him.  

This mysterious stranger, the Golden Angel (Steve Mesropian) visits Devon in his time of need.  Devon is questioning his shallow and violent existence and the Angel seems to offer him a way out.  

In THE BLINDING, the Angel, almost always accompanied by winged Angelettes who hover over each shoulder (Jenny Coughlin & Shawna Hanley) offers to take Devon on a journey where he will gain true understanding.  He makes the offer under one condition, that he loses his sight.  The promise is that as he gains understanding, he will see more clearly than he has ever seen before.  The blinding occurs and Devon stumbles around as the Angel leaves telling Devon that we will return to bring him on the journey.

Alone, Devon is confronted by his brother Johnny Gally (Jeffrey Baker).  Johnny is the loose cannon in the bunch.  Devon does his best to navigate back home to wait for the Angel.

“Devon James”
 
DEVON
I’m Devon James of the Galleys.  See my twisted, crooked life from the village of Dark Valley.  The Angel is my light.

My bitter past is full of horror, my victims scream in fear.  In the quiet of my anguish I can sometimes hear

a voice so smooth it calms the waters, it even lights the sun.  Although no one else can hear it, I am the chosen one!

So come to me Golden Angel and free me from my fears so I can better understand you and your mission here.

GOLDEN ANGEL
	I am always here.
 
ANGELETTES
	It will soon be clear.
 
ANGEL
	It’s all been prearranged.  Your situation’s changed.

DEVON
	But I’m Devon James.
 
ANGELETTES
	Labeled quite deranged.

GOLDEN ANGEL
	They’ve persecuted you for what you know is true.
	And now your faith has pardoned you as forgiveness
 
GOLDEN ANGEL (with DEVON and ANGELETTES)
	Falls upon you.
	Falls upon you.
	Falls upon you.
	Falls upon you!

“The Blinding”
  
DEVON
	Angel, although I am Devon James, I will follow you.
	Teach me to understand your ways.  I must follow you.
 
ANGELETTES
	DJ, your eyes have seen the sins of many, many men.
 
DEVON
	Angel, what they say is true!  Tell me what to do.

GOLDEN ANGEL
	DJ, to know love at all you must first know pain.

DEVON
	Angel, tell me why I can’t see.  What will become of me?
 
GOLDEN ANGEL
	Sometime before the morning I’ll come without a warning to take you on 	a journey far away.

JOHNNY
	There you are Devon James, my little brother Gally.
	It’s been set, all arranged.  Tonight we raid the Valley.
	What’s wrong with you?  You don’t look well.
	We don’t have time to dally.
	Your golden boy, he isn’t real and you’ve got your end to carry.

	Don’t look away, I’m talking to you.
	Or when I’m done you’ll be black and blue.
	There’s no one here but me and you.
	Listen now, Devon James, or I’ll get brother Barry!
 
DEVON
	Johnny, my eyes cannot see.  Brother, let me be.

DEVON (with ANGELETTES)
	Angel, come and take me away.
	Angel, hear me pray.
	Angel, hear me pray.

The Journey of Devon James

Overture - Devon James - The Blinding

LYRICS BELOW:  The story continues as Barry, Johnny & Jimmy Gally (Aart Knyff, Jeffrey Baker & Tim Leavitt) pay a surprise visit to the home of Devon James Gally (Scott Hanley) to snap him out of it, convince him to forget about this golden man he keeps hallucinating about and get back to Gally business.  The Golden Angel (Steve Mesropian) shows up to take Devon on his journey and while he is invisible to all but Devon, he is certainly heard from outside calling for the youngest Gally.  The brothers think it's a ambush.  Johnny gets a little too rough with Devon and the brothers flee the scene to regroup.

BARRY
	Brother Devon it’s so good to see you.
	We happened to be out your way.
	As the leader of the Gally family,
	I just want to say...

	We understand your hesitation.
	Our plan comes with chilling feet.
	We’ll try some brotherly persuasion
	if that is what you need.

JOHNNY
	Are you sure he can pull it off?
 
BARRY
	He is a Gally deep inside.

JIMMY
	Can you picture the man you could be?
 
BARRY, JIMMY & JOHNNY
	With your brothers by your side!
 
BARRY
	We only want what’s best for you.
	We wouldn’t want to force your hand.
 
JOHNNY
	Why are you staring off in the distance?
 
JIMMY
	Don’t you understand?

BARRY
	We’ve worked out every possible angle.

JIMMY
	We need you to come through this time.

JOHNNY
	What needs to be done to convince you?
 
BARRY
	Johnny, draw the blinds.
 
GOLDEN ANGEL
	Rise up, Devon, and come with me.
	Where is my chosen, Devon James?
	Hear me calling, I’m ready to leave.
	Where are you hiding, Devon James?
 
BARRY
	Jimmy, take Devon James up to bed.
	Johnny nearly killed him instead.
	Too many people ‘round to bring him into town
	and what was that the stranger said?

DEVON
	Help me, Golden Angel, please!
	Save me from this misery!

GOLDEN ANGEL
	You’d better open up this door.
	I’ll give you till the count of four.
	No little pack of Gally rats will stand in my way!
        And don’t you come back again.  Devon has powerful friends.
        I’ll tell them what you all have done and then you will pay.
 
GOLDEN ANGEL (with ANGELETTES)
	It was bad but all the same,
	Gally’s live for Gally games.
	You will see your vision change
	with understanding, Devon James.

The Journey Of Devon James

Brotherly Persuasion

LYRICS:

DEVON JAMES
	I lie awake and I wonder what went wrong.
	I thought I heard my angel sing his song.
	He said he would come for me to fulfill my destiny.  On the road to understanding I belong.
 
ANGEL
	I think of his tears as they tumble to the ground.  In the still of the night, I could almost hear the sound.
 
ANGLETTES
	Leave it all and don’t delay.

DEVON JAMES
	I really must be on my way.
	On the road to understanding I am bound.
	The Angel said I’d never be alone
	on the road to understanding I’ll call home.
 
ANGELETTES
	Alas, it’s Devon James!
 
ANGEL
	If he knew how he would change.
	After all the hurt and pain,
	Only then could he entertain
	What love is, true love is.
 
	Devon James, I knew that you would come.
	My father said...
 
A VOICE
	Be patient with him, son.
 
ANGEL
	You will see as we make our way
	on the journey far away
	for the road to understanding has begun.

A VOICE
	The road to understanding, my son.

ANGEL
	The road to understanding has begun.
	The road to understanding has begun.

The Road To Understanding

The Journey of Devon James is a musical journey that takes place in the mythical village of Dark Valley.  Devon James Gally, along with his brothers, Barry, Jimmy and Johnny rule the underworld of Dark Valley.  Devon (the youngest Gally brother), however, has been receiving visits from a mysterious "Golden Angel" who teaches Devon things that he has never considered before.  Visible only to Devon, the Angel suggest that Devon reconsider his sordid past and offers to take him on a journey where he will gain true understanding.  This musical trip tells the story of of that journey; the setbacks, the victories, the relentless pursuit by the Gally brothers.  Is the Angel real or is he a figment of Devon's imagination?  If the Angel is real, will he ever be visible to anyone but Devon?  Will Devon ever gain true understanding?  Enjoy the journey....

The Journey of Devon James (musical)

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