What do dangerous journeys at sea with greedy, dastardly captains and vicious whirlpool-creating sea monsters have in common with our world? Nothing...until now. Lila lives in a tiny studio apartment. She works at a convenience store. Her life is predictably small and simple. But she dreams of a land with a purple sky where she has fallen in love on a deserted beach. Little does she know, the dreams are real, in a world where a power-hungry captain is causing trouble for all who cross him. And when his plans involve the legendary, unbeatable Charybdis...dreams and reality collide.
Dreams, Greed, and Sea Monsters is a dramatic comedy in two acts.
PRODUCTIONS/RECOGNITION:
Staged Reading in November 2016 as part of the Arizona Women's Theatre Company Pandora Festival
Cast/Set Requirements and Production Details
Dreams, Greed and Sea Monsters is in two acts and lasts approximately two hours.
CAST SIZE: 10-16
PRINCIPALS
2 Women
2 Men
FEATURED
2 Women
4 Men
ENSEMBLE
People seen on the Captain's ship; includes Crew/Sailors and Mona (the Captain's wife)
CHARACTERS
THE CAPTAIN: Jason is a man who knows what he wants and will do what it takes to get it, no matter the cost to others. Though he is brave, attractive, and cunning, he generally uses these skills in dishonorable ways, such as charming, cheating, and manipulating others to satisfy his own greed and desires.
CASSIDY: A spirited and strong yet emotionally guarded woman. She cuts to the chase and says what is on her mind without holding back. But despite her fiesty exterior, her life is entirely governed by fear, due to supernatural elements that plague her.
LILA: A sweet and playful tomboy who has trouble losing herself to a moment due to her very logical mind. She is quick to figure things out (and immediately start analyzing what that means).
AIDAN: Despite being a bit sad and lonely, Aidan is ever the optimist and the believer. With an open mind and an open heart, he has the kind of warm personality that draws others to him.
PERRY: A compassionate, gentle man with a flair for storytelling, which comes from his intelligence and interest in reading ancient lore. He loves adventure, but only in books; this brainy romantic is a bit out of place on a dangerous mission at sea, and would have disembarked early had he not met Elaine.
HECTOR: The Captain's First Mate; a slimy, greasy, yes-man.
HAYLEE: Lila's wild, outspoken, fun-loving friend and roommate.
ELAINE: Perry's beautiful love interest.
WILLIAM: Elaine's father and a wealthy merchant.
FRANCIS: A gruff sailor with a temper.
Set Requirements
SPECIFIC LOCATIONS
Lila and Haylee's studio apartment
The Captain's ship
A beach on a deserted island
The Captain's quarters
The guest room
Minimum Production Requirements
MINIMUM CAST REQUIREMENTS
4 WOMEN
Cassidy
Lila
Haylee/Mona/Crew Member
Elaine/Crew Member
6 MEN
The Captain
Aidan
Perry
Hector
Francis
William/Crew Member
* MINIMUM SET REQUIREMENTS
Lila and Haylee's studio apartment
The Captain's ship
A beach on a deserted island
The Captain's quarters/The guest room
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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