• ANOTHER PLACE IN TIME

• A New Musical

Act I

Neglected, but far from forgotten, their shop and home sits on a prime piece of real estate by the Riverfront. Victoria, a stubborn old world gypsy, refuses to budge.

Desperation drives Maria to defy her aunt and open a fortune telling booth at a local fair with her daughter, Elitzia, in hopes of raising much needed cash.

Greed propels the unscrupulous partner, Stevens, to bring Joshua, his protégé at the firm, to the Riverfront after the funeral of his newly deceased partner, Grayson. Stevens tries to convince Joshua that sealing this land development deal is the key to leaving his lasting legacy.

Overcome by grief, Joshua is haunted by his dead wife, Jordan. He realizes that a legacy is only worth leaving if there’s someone to leave it to. Confused, he begins to question his life.

A week later, the family celebrates Elitzia’s birthday with songs, food, and stories from the old country. Contracts in hand, Joshua pays a call to Victoria. She balks at him, slamming the door in his face.

Moments later, Maria and Elitzia emerge and invite everyone in the neighborhood to join in the festivities. There is music, dancing, and cake. Pulled into the celebration against his will, Joshua seizes the opportunity to share the “plans” for the area with Maria — scaring her with talk of strip clubs and bars. Elitzia’s puppy dog eyes pierce Joshua’s cement encased heart. He leaves with his tail between his legs.

That night, Elitzia confides to her mother that Joshua is her birthday wish come true. She plays with her mother’s hair and tries to find out if Maria is as enamored with Joshua as she is. Maria dismisses her daughter’s attempts to play matchmaker, and informs her that Joshua’s interest is only in the bottom line. Maria is left to contemplate her plans for the future, and her daughter’s future.

Filled with remorse, Joshua returns to apologize. Maria distrusts him, and he works hard to  convince her of his sincerity. Once he finally does, Victoria pounces on him, like a lioness protective of her cubs. She chases him away, driving Maria and Elitzia to leave in the process. Unwavering, Victoria is left to stand her ground alone.

Act II

With no where to turn, Maria and Elitzia go to Joshua’s office. Momentarily letting her guard down, she confides in him. As she recounts the way she came to America, and of her husband’s abandonment, Maria realizes she was abandoning Victoria in much the same way. Determined to make things right, Maria and Elitzia return to the shop.

Victoria has been anxiously awaiting their return, and questions how Maria could keep the girl out so late. Maria finally finds the courage to stand up to her aunt and assert her independence.

Joshua’s questioning and curiosity lead him to the shop for a reading. The cards come to life before his eyes as Maria advises him to use his inner strength to guide him through this tumultuous time in his life. His respect for her and her powers grows exponentially, and Joshua asks Maria to walk with him by the water. They stop to admire the lights on the water and he admires the light in her eyes. Sparks fly as they kiss.

Driven to distraction by the memory of Maria’s kiss, Joshua once again finds himself at the shop the next morning. Greeted at the door with Victoria’s contempt, she casts aside the bouquet of flowers he had brought for Maria, calling them weeds. She slams the door in his face. Joshua gathers his bruised flowers and pride and returns to his office.

That afternoon while sweeping the front porch, Elitzia gets lost in her fantasies of princes on white horses. Upon returning from the market, Maria finds her daughter dancing with the broom and joins her. Hearing their laughter, Victoria enters from the shop to find the discarded broom and groceries. Outraged, she sends Elitzia inside. Condemning Maria for encouraging the girl’s fantasies and getting wrapped up in her own, Victoria demands Maria set a better example for her daughter and come to terms with “reality.” Fanning the flames, she informs Maria that two other lawyers visited the shop that morning. Furious, Maria storms off to get to the bottom of it.

She confronts Joshua in his office, only to learn that he had nothing to do with those other two lawyers, but that he had also visited the shop that morning. He gives her the bouquet and confides that he will help her save her shop and home. Moments later, he learns that Stevens is looking for him. Maria exits, though not before reminding him to use his inner strength.

His flowers touch Maria’s heart profoundly, helping her to reconnect with the woman she had long ago forgotten.

Stevens questions Joshua’s loyalty. Joshua meets his ultimatum with his own resignation. Finally free, Joshua goes to the shop to share the good news.

Maria is at a loss, unsure of whether he made the right decision to forsake all that he had worked so long and hard for; uncertain of whether they stand a chance together.

Victoria, his detractor from the start, is impressed by his ultimate sacrifice. With Elitzia’s help, they join in trying to convince Maria to open her heart. She finally concedes. They realize that together they can find “Another Place In Time.”