Crush

One-Act Opera // 2023

Summary

Crush began as Crush Play, a short choreopoem about two men drifting together and apart, dancing through the the breezy conversation of first meetings and struggling with the hard work of building a life together. The piece premiered January 2023 at Longy School of Music in Boston, MA.

Producer

Boston Opera Collaborative

Role

Librettist

Type

Production

Instrumentation

Opera | 15mins | Piano, Violin, Baritone, Tenor

Collaborators

Composer // Tony Solitro // Music Director // Tian Hui Ng // Stage Director // Greg Smucker // Stage Manager // Jessie Marasco // Asst. Stage Manager // Sophie Carpenter // Marketing // Natalie Vacher // Photography // Dan Busler // Production Manager // Kailey Bennett // Asst. Stage Manager // Makayla Lane // Supertitles // Delaney Finn // Pretty Man // Mitch Fitzdaniel // Violin // Leo Eguchi // Cello // Colleen Brannen

Production Details

History

Crush Play received one virtual performance with Planet Connections Festivity (2020) beforehand. Crush Play was selected by the Boston Opera Collaborative (BOC) for adaptation, along with five others, from their public call for short plays.

Development

From short play to libretto, this piece took many twists and turns. Through several workshops with award-winning librettist Lila Palmer and director/dramaturg Adam Lenson, the piece reached a more operatic (read: concise) form.

Collaboration

Crush was developed in collaboration with Greg Smucker, Patricia Weinmann, and Tian Hui Ng from the BOC. The final work was also developed with generous collaboration and contribution by the composer, Tony Solitro.

Challenges & Opportunities

Time

Time is neither plentiful nor constant. Unless users set aside and protect their time, they will rarely — if ever — invest in their own careers during the workday.

Solve

Streamline

Let the platform do most of the thinking. Streamline the browsing, reading, and recommendation features so users can get in and get out more easily.

Undo

Energy

Energy wanes naturally over time. While users feel inspired to pursue their career goals after WFF's conference, this energy doesn't last throughout the year.

Solve

Inspire

Show users a path toward their goals using inspirational narratives from women in similar situations; create role models.

Undo

Benefit

Career growth is not a linear path; nor is it purely a question of ability. Often, users will focus on more immediate wins rather than invest long-term because of this ambiguity.

Solve

Reframe

Rather than incentivizing users through results-first language, reframe the benefit around relationship-building and feminine community.

Undo

Sounds Great!

but...can I listen to it?

Want to Produce or Peruse?

Please direct all inquiries about this piece and others to the librettist (it's me! Email me! Send me a little note, it'll make my day).

Contact the Librettist

Crush

One-Act Opera // 2023

Summary

Crush began as Crush Play, a short choreopoem about two men drifting together and apart, dancing through the the breezy conversation of first meetings and struggling with the hard work of building a life together. The piece premiered January 2023 at Longy School of Music in Boston, MA.

Producer

Boston Opera Collaborative

Role

Librettist

Type

Production

Instrumentation

Opera | 15mins | Piano, Violin, Baritone, Tenor

Collaborators

Production Details

History

Crush Play received one virtual performance with Planet Connections Festivity (2020) beforehand. Crush Play was selected by the Boston Opera Collaborative (BOC) for adaptation, along with five others, from their public call for short plays.

Development

From short play to libretto, this piece took many twists and turns. Through several workshops with award-winning librettist Lila Palmer and director/dramaturg Adam Lenson, the piece reached a more operatic (read: concise) form.

Collaboration

Crush was developed in collaboration with Greg Smucker, Patricia Weinmann, and Tian Hui Ng from the BOC. The final work was also developed with generous collaboration and contribution by the composer, Tony Solitro.

People say,

"Joshua’s rare gift for expressing the modern human conditionthrough sound makes him one of the most promising theater and opera composers I have encountered in more than 10 years of teaching."

People say,

"Joshua’s rare gift for expressing the modern human conditionthrough sound, make him one of the most promising theater and opera composers I haveencountered in more than 10 years of teaching."

Challenges & Opportunities

Time

Time is neither plentiful nor constant. Unless users set aside and protect their time, they will rarely — if ever — invest in their own careers during the workday.

Streamline

Let the platform do most of the thinking. Streamline the browsing, reading, and recommendation features so users can get in and get out more easily.

Energy

Energy wanes naturally over time. While users feel inspired to pursue their career goals after WFF's conference, this energy doesn't last throughout the year.

Inspire

Show users a path toward their goals using inspirational narratives from women in similar situations; create role models.

Benefit

Career growth is not a linear path; nor is it purely a question of ability. Often, users will focus on more immediate wins rather than invest long-term because of this ambiguity.

Reframe

Rather than incentivizing users through results-first language, reframe the benefit around relationship-building and feminine community.

Sounds Great!

but...can I listen to it?

Want to Produce or Peruse?

Please direct all inquiries about this piece and others to the librettist (it's me! Email me! Send me a little note, it'll make my day).

Wireframing

A Peronsal Browsing Experience

Visual Design

Aspirational Graphic Language

Branding

Articulating WFF's Value Proposition

Outcomes

Overall platform usage by Members increased 42%.

as of December 2023.

Annual membership renewals by Partners increased 12%.

as of December 2023.

WFF Conference attendance is at an all-time high.

projected for the March 2024 conference.

Thank You

for your time and energy.

"Joshua’s rare gift for expressing the modern human condition
through sound makes him one of the most promising theater and opera composers I have encountered in more than 10 years of teaching."

"Joshua’s rare gift for expressing the modern human condition
through sound, make him one of the most promising theater and opera composers I have
encountered in more than 10 years of teaching."