After years of life beating her down, and at the tail end of a bad marriage, Tallie is desperate for a new start. She picks a small town on a map at random and moves there, finding a job at an antique shop. But if Tallie thought she was at rock bottom before, she’s about to start digging. When she unwittingly unleashes an evil genie, she learns the hard way how much worse things can get. Because this genie wants freedom, and she wants Tallie to take her place. If this kind of evil gets loose, Tallie won’t be the only one who suffers. Friendly genies are just for kid’s movies, folks. Be careful what you wish for.
Wishful Thinking is a dramatic comedy in two acts.
PRODUCTIONS/RECOGNITION:
Staged Reading at Rubber City Theatre in August 2021
Featured In-Concert at Feinstein's/54 Below in August 2018
Cast/Set Requirements and Production Details
Wishful Thinking is in two acts and lasts approximately two hours.
Cast Requirements
PRINCIPALS
4 Women
1 Man
FEATURED
2 Men
2 Any Gender
ENSEMBLE
Customers, Firefighter chief, additional Shadows, etc
CHARACTERS
TALLIE (Female, Mezzo-soprano, age range 20s): An impuslive woman who has hit rock bottom. She has a quick wit and a dry sense of humor. She suffers from anxiety and depression, which she hides relatively well. Usually.
HARPER (Female, Mezzo-soprano, age range 30s-50s): A sour antique shop owner. She does not like most people (but will fiercely protect the ones she does). She is stubborn and opinionated, and it’s somehow oddly comforting when she’s on your side.
EVAN (Male, Baritone, age range 20s-30s): A freelance catastrophe adjuster with a passion for traveling. A people-pleaser who thinks he has to take care of everything for everyone. He is Harper's nephew.
MARI (Female, Alto, age range 30s-50s): Very warm and friendly, but not afraid to be blunt and speak her mind. As she would put it, she would rather get to the point and be there for someone than beat around the bush to be polite.
ONINA the Djinn (Female, Soprano, age range flexible): An evil, silver-tongued manipulator who is good at getting what she wants. She is intimidating without having to try to be scary. And if she doesn’t get what she wants, she has a fiery temper. Speaking of fire, she likes to make things go up in flames.
DEPRESSION PERSONIFIED (Any Gender, Soprano or Tenor, age range flexible): One of Onina's curses. Follows Tallie around harassing her with sad and harsh thoughts. This person will also act as a Shadow.
ANXIETY PERSONIFIED (Any Gender, Alto or Baritone, age range flexible): One of Onina's curses. Follows Tallie around harassing her with anxious thoughts. This person will also act as a Shadow.
BIGFOOT (Male, Tenor, age range flexible): A large, hairy, bipedal humanoid creature. Has a penchant for destruction. This person will also act as a Shadow.
DR. WALLA/MYSTERIOUS MAN (Male, Tenor, age range flexible): A good-natured, quirky doctor. He likes to buy and sell antiques with Harper and is very passionate about his eclectic interests. There is something strange about him.
ENSEMBLE: Customers, Riley, Lenny, additional Shadows, etc. All ensemble roles can be played by the performers playing Depression, Anxiety, and/or Bigfoot.
TIME & ACTION: Present day. Packwood, Washington.
Set Requirements
SPECIFIC LOCATIONS
A bus stop
Rewind (Harper's shop)
Alleyway outside Rewind
Outside, near the base of Mt. Rainier
Minimum Production Requirements
MINIMUM CAST REQUIREMENTS
9 PERFORMERS
Tallie
Harper
Onina
Mari
Evan
Depression Personified/Shadow
Anxiety Personified/Riley/Shadow
Bigfoot/Lenny/Shadow
Dr. Walla/Mysterious Man
* MINIMUM SET REQUIREMENTS
Onina’s Box (bare stage)/Bus stop (first scene only)
Rewind (Harper's Shop)
Alleyway
Outside, near the base of Mt. Rainier (last scene only)
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 has worked for Maestra Music, Tom Viertel/The Commercial Theater Institute and Ken Davenport.
She is a member of Maestra, ASCAP, and The Dramatists Guild of America.
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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