Mel Rides the Bus Alone

One-Act Opera // 2019

Summary

Mel Rides the Bus Alone follows Mel, a young woman on a cross-country bus going home to a family she’s long felt estranged from. As the bus nears its destination, she becomes increasingly agitated, quickly becoming full-on panicked at the prospect of facing her family once more. To distract herself, she turns her attention toward her quirky passengers and imagines conversations with them. When each imaginary friend begins rambling about their own home, Mel shuts them down. Eventually, her imagination becomes too powerful, and it begins to overwhelm her.‍

Producer

Pittsburgh Opera // Carnegie Mellon University

Role

Composer + Director

Type

Fellowship

Instrumentation

Opera | 25mins | Chamber Orchestra (10px) + SATB Soloists

Collaborators

Composer // Joshua Brown // Librettist // Lauren D’Errico // Music Director // Daniel Nesta Curtis // Lighting // Anirudh Anand // Media // Sean B. Leo // Photography // Joshua Brown // Stage Directors • Lauren D’Errico + Joshua Brown Scenic // Dana Weintraub // Costumes // Jean-Luc DeLadurantaye // Mel // Jacqueline Tardanico // Green Shirt Guy // Alex Taylor // Ensemble // Carnegie Mellon Contemporary Ensemble // Chapstick Girl // Emerson McAlister // Blond Ass-Tat // Russell H. Holbert

Production Details

Structure

Co-Opera is a two-year fellowship wherein composers and librettists from Carnegie Mellon partner with the Pittsburgh Opera to write, direct, and produce new operatic works.

Collaboration

While I love this piece, the true gem of this project has been my continued friendship and collaboration with playwright Lauren D'Errico.

Process

The process of creating this opera was one of the most humbling and educational in my life. It taught me to rely heavily on my collaborators and never take someone's generocity for granted.

People say,

"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."

— Daniel Nesta Curtis, Artistic Director

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 composer (it's me! Email me! Send me a little note, it'll make my day).

Contact the Composer

Mel Rides the Bus Alone

One-Act Opera // 2019

Summary

Producer

Pittsburgh Opera // Carnegie Mellon University

Role

Composer + Director

Type

Fellowship

Instrumentation

Opera | 25mins | Chamber Orchestra (10px) + SATB Soloists

Collaborators

Production Details

Structure

Co-Opera is a two-year fellowship wherein composers and librettists from Carnegie Mellon partner with the Pittsburgh Opera to write, direct, and produce new operatic works.

Collaboration

While I love this piece, the true gem of this project has been my continued friendship and collaboration with playwright Lauren D'Errico.

Process

The process of creating this opera was one of the most humbling and educational in my life. It taught me to rely heavily on my collaborators and never take someone's generocity for granted.

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 composer (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."