Act 1 opens with a panoramic sky to the voice of Helen singing a chorus of FREEDOM AND MERCY. In I CAN’T SING YOU, Helen reveals that despite her apparent success, she feels unworthy and can’t find her own guiding light. We then meet life-affirming Ricky who’s all about embracing the good and bad of life, in I’M ALIVE. In HEAVY, we meet Rev Dr Gaylord in all his narcissistic grandeur. We whoop it up in a SUNTOWN dining hall with Ricky, owner Margo, and the town folk, as Ricky and side kick Bo celebrate living OUT ON A LIMB. Margo introduces Ricky to her visiting niece, Helen, in HEY HO, as Ricky sparks up an interest in Helen. Helen softly rebukes Ricky’s interest as she seeks her guiding light, and feels Gaylord’s looming presence in I HEAR A NOTE. But Helen is intrigued by Ricky’s spirit so with ANTICIPATION they go to a concert. At the concert, local shaman Shima sings of the POWER OF FORGIVENESS, which emboldens Helen to strongly rebuke Shima’s message of mercy, which gives Helen a sense of newfound power. But in Helen’s mind, Gaylord’s continuing influence seeks to deny Helen of her new empowerment in NO HELEN.
Back at Margo’s dining hall, Margo calls everyone to GATHER ROUND, as she celebrates the deliverance of her TWILIGHT SHINE, in which Helen rebukes Margo’s message of hope. Ricky and Helen strike off on their own to Ricky’s favorite vista and celebrate their budding romance in GIVE, then share their childhood’s pain in THIS NEW LAND. Bo, with his gun, comes upon the playful couple in OUT ON A LIMB TOO, and accidentally shoots Ricky, much to Helen’s and Bo’s dismay. As Bo seeks help, HELEN’S CHANGE OF HEART brings her to realize that Ricky’s world is not for her. Shima, Margo, and Bo arrive to save Ricky, as Helen refuses to forgive Bo, and Shima and Margo tells her YOU’RE NOT FREE. Helen, through Gaylord’s looming influence, stomps away, leaving Ricky and the others behind in the dirt.
Act 2 opens in the grand hall of the HOSPITHEDRAL, as staffer Walt describes the exuberant holy healing resort, five years after Helen’s time with Ricky in Suntown. Gaylord, Helen, and Walt proclaim their surgical sanctuary’s healing power with THIS O.R.’S GOT A LOT OF HEART. Uniformity and team spirit are dedicated in ONE MAN SAID, with the hospithedral staff marching in unison. Then we find Ricky in another area, gravely injured in a rodeo fall, as he and Bo lament his misfortune in MY LIFE. In her private quarters, Helen is sad since her service at Gaylord’s side hasn’t brought her happiness in her HOUSE OF PROMISE. Gaylord discovers that Ricky is slated to be his patient in a life-saving surgical ceremony before a loving audience congregation, and that Ricky’s cure will be a prop for Gaylord’s increasing grandeur as GAYLORD PLAYS GOD.
Before the ceremony, HELEN MEETS RICKY AGAIN, as they recall their earlier time and are confident of a successful outcome with the upcoming surgery. In his study, Gaylord reviews the steps of the surgery as he calls upon his God to deliver him to righteous glory in ALL I EVER WANTED, as Bo secretly spies on him and is fearful. Ricky and Helen metaphorically dance to RHYTHMS OF HOPE as they face the big ceremony together. As the ceremony begins, Gaylord, Helen, and Ricky share their SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR; Gaylord’s righteous glory, Helen’s helping Ricky to survive, and Ricky’s will to live another day. Fearful Bo rushes in and tries to defend Ricky, accidentally shooting Helen in THE TRAGIC TURN, then Gaylord’s true nature is revealed as his surgical sanctuary is bloodied with Helen lay dying, and stabs Ricky in the heart. As Gaylord publicly falls from grace, Ricky forgives Gaylord and is free from this world in FREEDOM AND MERCY. Helen survives her wound and forgives Gaylord, and herself, in I SHINE, when she’s able to sing her song, live by her guiding light, at last.