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:
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
2-3 Women
2-3 Men
ENSEMBLE
Customers, Firefighter chief, radio station hosts (could be pre-recorded), additional backup singers, etc.
CHARACTERS
TALLIE (Female, Mezzo-Soprano): An impuslive woman in her mid-20s who is at rock bottom. Sweet and kind-hearted, but with a dry sense of humor. She suffers from anxiety and depression.
HARPER (Female, Mezzo-Soprano): Sour and sassy shop owner in her 40s. She does not like most people, but is fiercely loyal to the ones she does.
EVAN (Male, Tenor): A freelance catastrophe adjuster in his mid-to-late 20s with a passion for traveling. Logical, clever, and always looking for adventure. He is Harper's nephew.
MARI (Female, Alto): A bookstore owner in her 40s. Very warm and friendly, but strong and not afraid to be blunt or fire back when someone is sassing her.
ONINA the Djinn (Female, Soprano): An evil, silver-tongued manipulator who is good at getting what she wants. She has a fiery temper and is intimidating without having to try to be scary. She has a passion for starting fires. Big ones.
DEPRESSION PERSONIFIED (Any Gender/Age, Soprano or Tenor): One of Onina's curses. Follows Tallie around harassing her with sad thoughts. This person will also act as a back-up singer.
ANXIETY PERSONIFIED (Any Gender/Age, Alto or Baritone): One of Onina's curses. Follows Tallie around harassing her with anxious thoughts. This person will also act as a back-up singer.
BIGFOOT (Male, Tenor): A large, hairy, bipedal humanoid creature. Has a penchant for destruction. This person will also act as a backup singer.
WALLA the Witch Doctor (Any Gender, Mezzo-Soprano or Tenor): Dresses and acts like a professional medical doctor, until it's time to whip out some magic. Could be played by the same actor/actress as Depression, Anxiety, or Bigfoot.
ENSEMBLE: Customers, radio station hosts (could be pre-recorded), additional backup singers, etc. All ensemble roles can be played by the actors/actresses playing Depression, Anxiety, and/or Bigfoot.
Set Requirements
SPECIFIC LOCATIONS
A bus stop
Rewind (Harper's shop)
Outside, near the base of Mt. Rainier
Minimum Production Requirements
MINIMUM CAST REQUIREMENTS
6 WOMEN
Tallie
Harper
Onina
Mari
Depression Personified/Kylie
Anxiety Personified/Witch Doctor
2 MEN
Evan
Bigfoot/Milton/Reese/Lenny
* MINIMUM SET REQUIREMENTS
Onina’s Box (bare stage)/Bus stop (first scene only)
Rewind (Harper's Shop)
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, and she runs a choir for new works of musical theater (New Work City) with writing partner Eric Fegan. 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 has also worked as an intern with Feinstein’s/54 Below, Tom Viertel/The Commercial Theater Institute, and Ken Davenport.
She is a member of The Off-Broadway League, The Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York, 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.
No pressure, but please consider donating to support Jamie's ongoing projects:
Every little bit helps!