In this unusual form of musical, YOU have a say in the story. The audience is taken on a journey that is a mix between a who-dun-it mystery and a role-playing game, where audience members are immersed- literally- in the story. Full of hilarity, cliché character stereotypes, and one-of-a-kind heart and originality, this musical brings a whole new type of experience into the realm of live theatre.
The actors playing the Leading Man, Ingénue, Comic Relief, Bad Guy, Outcast, Narrator, Ensemble Member, and even the techies have been trapped in the theater for longer than they can remember. Forced to act out plots given to them by the same mysterious force that kidnapped them, all they can do is hope that the audience will make the right choices that can lead to them being set free.
Choose Your Own is a comedy in two acts.
PRODUCTIONS/RECOGNITION:
Full Production in March 2015 at Theater Works in Peoria, AZ
REVIEWS/TESTIMONIALS:
"In this two-acter, an ensemble of actors ~ cutely named Leading Man, Ingénue, Comic Relief, Outcast, Bad Guy, and Narrator ~ has been trapped in space and in time, in the confines of a black box theater, by an unseen but ubiquitous Puppet Master, who challenges them to act out the plots of his creation. At every turn, there are knaves and monsters to be fought. It is to the audience that the Narrator invariably turns for decisions about which path the characters should take. The question is whether audience input will provide the keys to escape from the kidnapper's clutches.
The seeds of meaningful allegory reside in this script and are most poignantly revealed by Maletz's songs...the music and lyrics are definitely the work of a future star.
More importantly, the songs have an inescapable relevance to issues of self-respect and identity. Take, for example, this simple but elegant phrase: "The bottom line of fear is/Will I get out of here/and know myself?" It rather captures the thread that binds the allegory. It reminds as well that we all are responsible for the answer to this question and to the solutions that free us from the puppet master's entrapment. And Ms. Maletz is driving the point home.
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ... ran for three performances at the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts from March 6th to 8th. I, for one, look forward to her return and the further development of Ms. Maletz's work."- Herbert Paine, BroadwayWorld.com- Phoenix
Cast/Set Requirements and Production Details
Choose Your Own is in two acts and lasts approximately two hours.
CAST SIZE: 7-11
CHARACTERS
THE LEADING MAN: The stereotypical 'good guy': srong, brave, handsome, heroic, likeable, and always wanting to do what's right.
THE INGÈNUE: Has a fairly inflated ego and a bit of a diva attitude due to constantly being seen as the pretty one, the special one, and the center of attention. She is self-centered, but struggles with a hidden anxiety from the constant pressure to be perfect.
THE COMIC RELIEF: Fun and goofy, he is the butt or cause of many jokes. He is easily scared, but has a heart of gold and is a loyal friend to the Leading Man.
THE BAD GUY: Charismatic, charming, and smooth, the Bad Guy is sometimes openly a jerk, other times a jerk in disguise, but always a bit of a rebel. He is addicted to kidnapping people just for fun.
THE OUTCAST: Sassy and sarcastic to hide her feelings of being constantly left out, the Outcast is witty but insecure. She is very jealous of the Ingénue, and firmly opposed to her inevitable fate of ending up with the Comic Relief.
THE NARRATOR: Unhappy and reluctant when performing the forced chore of delivering narration, due to the actor's tendency to 'shoot the messenger'. He or she often cozies up to the audience members for some much-needed kindness and understanding.
THE ENSEMBLE MEMBER: A very eager person with a strong desire for attention. Whenever he or she tries to get a moment in the spotlight, he or she is interrupted by an 'important' character. As such, he or she over-dramatizes the few small things that he or she gets to say and do.
THE TECHIES: In addition to doing actual tech for the show, the techies sometimes find their way onstage (either accidentally after a scene change, or to bring in necessary props/costume pieces when the Puppetmaster changes something).
THE PUPPET MASTER: Never seen, only mentioned, this is the mysterious force that trapped all of the above actors in the theatre and sets the scene for what they perform every night.
Set Requirements
The Perusal Packet is free, and it contains a full synopsis, script excerpt and sheet music excerpt. Email jamie.maletz@gmail.com to request one.
Jamie Elizabeth Maletz is a composer/lyricist, bookwriter, and producer of new works of musical theater. In New York, her works have been featured at Lincoln Center, Feinstein's/54 Below, NYU, Dixon Place, Under St Marks Theater, and Broadway Night at Prohibition. She received her MFA from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU Tisch. Maletz has written 12 full-length original musicals, most of which have received workshops/readings or productions in New York and Arizona. As a composer/lyricist, Jamie has studied with Mindi Dickstein, William Finn, Rachel Sheinkin, Michael John LaChiusa, Steven Lutvak and Sybille Pearson. Jamie is the Administrative Assistant for Maestra Music Organization, and she writes the Women Who Wow Us series for the Maestra blog. She is also the Events Coordinator for Ring of Keys and the Technical Director for the American Popular Song Society. Jamie has worked as an intern with Tom Viertel/The Commercial Theater Institute and Ken Davenport.
She is a member of The Off-Broadway League, Maestra, ASCAP, The Dramatists Guild of America, and Fractured Atlas.
Maletz received her BA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2011, where she designed her own major: Creative Writing and Composition for the Performing Arts. She spent her high school years at Boston Arts Academy, a performing arts high school from which she graduated as Valedictorian.
She is a monster enthusiast & mythology nerd, she loves board games, and she is a photographer/videographer whose favorite models are her two cats, Artemis and Batman.
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