WISHFUL THINKING

From script to stage, CVCC students produce an original musical production.

What if your dream came true—but not in the way you expected?

This is the theme of “Wishful Thinking”, where one child who wishes to be older and one adult who wishes to be younger get exactly what they want: to change their age. Both characters make whimsical wishes on their birthdays, skipping time and waking up much older (or younger) than they were before. As these characters cross paths on a musical journey of self-discovery, we are reminded that a wish granted is not always the key to happiness.

“Wishful Thinking” ran last Spring (‘23) in the CVCC Black Box Theatre. It’s the latest original musical that was written, composed, and produced by CVCC students and Theatre instructor David Nields.

How did this group of students blend their ideas into one, cohesive story? The easy answer is hard work. The real answer lies in the foundation of Nields’ classroom: encouragement, inspiration, and teamwork.

Developing shows like “Wishful Thinking” is nothing new to David Nields, who arrived to CVCC with over two decades of professional experience in both the music industry and higher education. Combining his love for music and the stage, Nields worked closely with Department Head Kim Stinson to establish and build up a new challenge for CVCC: Write, compose, and direct a full length musical in one semester.

As the class got to know each other, they were also encouraged to think about different characters and inspiring musical themes that could work together and create an intriguing story. This required lots of material and consistent effort on the part of the students, who had to show up to every class ready to create and re-create.

Making a musical requires more than finding good actors and setting the stage. In Nields’ words, the full process is like “stepping off a cliff,” starting with no beginning or ending and asking that students jump head-first into the mess of making a meaningful play. “At times, you feel like it’s going to be a total disaster,” Nields admits.

But for the born creative, the threat of disaster is a catalyst which drives them to aim higher, to think harder, and to turn concepts into reality.

The hero’s journey is an easy arc that can be mended and twisted in millions of ways. When the cast of “Wishful Thinking” arrived to class, they had no story, no characters, and no musical melody. The class kicked off with concepts of story building, finding what it takes to develop rich plots with lively characters and impactful themes. There are many elements that go into creating each act, but musicals add another layer to the production process.

One of the first assignments in this class is to help create the musical score. Each student is asked to study course material and then create their own chord progression, which is turned in as an individual homework assignment. From there, they listen to students’ ideas and find the main melody, counter melody, or other harmonic features which can serve as the backbone of the show.

As the music continues to be written and characters continue to emerge, Nields continues to identify the top talents of each student—whether they are strong dancers, instrumentalists, directors, or have a niche with portraying a certain type of character. Depending on the type of production (for example, in “Wishful Thinking”, one lead actress had the opportunity to perform live on her ukelele), Nields can work in scenes or storylines which let students tap into their strengths.

Nields refers to a book he thoroughly enjoys, The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel. The book explores the concepts of song themes and how song placement in a musical impacts the overall tone of the show. For example, an obstacle must be introduced in the first act—in “Wishful Thinking’s” case, both characters want their lives to look different—and as conflict unfolds and the characters make new discoveries, writers save their “best song” for last (or next to last). That way, there is a loud and proud resolution that leaves the audience captivated, perhaps wishing for more.

“Wishful Thinking” proves that it doesn’t take a large, big-budget production to accomplish something special. With commitment to learning and the patience to try and try again, even a small group of students can finish a story from beginning to end. Sometimes, it may even require going back to the drawing board—as was the case after the show’s opening weekend, when the class realized there was a major plot hole that needed to be filled in a short amount of time. After just one week of writing, the students and instructor Nields were able to create and add an entirely new song that fit their characters, closed the plot hole, and was ready for the show during the second weekend of performances.

From the rehearsal hall to the Black Box, “Wishful Thinking” left our theatre students feeling inspired to chase creative pursuits. It is a thrilling achievement to take center stage and know, from start-to-finish, you can make meaning out of nothing—and come out on the other side ready for the next challenge.

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