Aqua Net & Funyuns Experiments in Opera

Aqua Net & Funyuns is a podcast of five different operas connected by dozens of hidden Easter Eggs. Each episode features three stories.

Donna Pearlbottum, private eye, goes undercover as an understudy to a soprano.
Alden and his cousin, Janelle, sort through his deceased mother’s possessions and make a surprising discovery.
Mel ditches an anti-drug assembly to smoke pot.
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The Understudy, Act 1, music by Kamala Sankaram, story by Jason Cady and Cara Ehlenfeldt
Ships that Pass, Act 1, music by Aaron Siegel, story by Cara Ehlenfeldt
Another One Bites, Act 1, music and story by Jason Cady
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Experiments in Opera is a New York City-based community of artists looking for unconventional ways to bring together stories and music.  For more information about our work and a full list of performers who made Aqua Net & Funyuns, visit experimentsinopera.com.

Arthur starts a new job as a custodian at an aquarium and hears the voice of his deceased wife.
Tonya shares gossip with her friends about June leaving her husband Frank.
Donna Pearlbottum, private eye, is forced to sing in this opera-within-an-opera.
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Arkana Aquarium, Act 1, music by Michi Wiancko, story by Annie-Sage Whitehurst
Beauty Shot, Act 1, music by Tariq Al-Sabir, story by Daniel Shepard
The Understudy, Act 2 music by Kamala Sankaram, story by Jason Cady and Cara Ehlenfeldt
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Experiments in Opera is a New York City-based community of artists looking for unconventional ways to bring together stories and music.  For more information about our work and a full list of performers who made Aqua Net & Funyuns, visit experimentsinopera.com.

Janelle reads the Sherlock Holmes fanfiction that Alden’s mother had written.
Mel discovers that the porta potty she hid in is a portal to a parallel universe.
Arthur realizes that his deceased wife has reincarnated into the body of a fish.
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Ships that Pass, Act 2, music by Aaron Siegel, story by Cara Ehlenfeldt
Another One Bites, Act 2, music and story by Jason Cady
Arkana Aquarium, Act 2, music by Michi Wiancko, story by Annie-Sage Whitehurst
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Experiments in Opera is a New York City-based community of artists looking for unconventional ways to bring together stories and music.  For more information about our work and a full list of performers who made Aqua Net & Funyuns, visit experimentsinopera.com.

June threatens her friends with a gun.
Janelle helps Alden come to terms with his mother.
Donna Pearlbottum reveals “who dunnit.”
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Beauty Shot, Act 2, music by Tariq Al-Sabir, story by Daniel Shepard
Ships that Pass, Act 3, music by Aaron Siegel, story by Cara Ehlenfeldt
The Understudy, Act 3 music by Kamala Sankaram, story by Jason Cady and Cara Ehlenfeldt
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Experiments in Opera is a New York City-based community of artists looking for unconventional ways to bring together stories and music.  For more information about our work and a full list of performers who made Aqua Net & Funyuns, visit experimentsinopera.com.

This concludes Aqua Net & Funyuns. If you haven’t already, please start with the first episode and listen in order.

Mel encounters her parents and doppelgänger in a parallel universe.
June finds out who the other woman is.
Isabel and Margaret reconcile while Arthur comes to understand Audrey.
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Another One Bites, Act 3, music and story by Jason Cady
Beauty Shot, Act 3, music by Tariq Al-Sabir, story by Daniel Shepard
Arkana Aquarium, Act 3, music by Michi Wiancko, story by Annie-Sage Whitehurst
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Experiments in Opera is a New York City-based community of artists looking for unconventional ways to bring together stories and music.  For more information about our work and a full list of performers who made Aqua Net & Funyuns, visit experimentsinopera.com.

The Understudy, Act I
Libretto by Jason Cady and Cara Ehlenfeldt; Music by Kamala Sankaram; Rocky Duval as Pat Dickson; Kamala Sankaram as Donna Pearlbottum; Rachel Doehring as the Impresario; Eric McKeever as Rich; Joshua Jeremiah as Manny; Eliza Bonet as Missy; Brandon Snook as Tony; Dmitry Glivinskiy (pn and md); Jeanann Dara (vla, vln); Jeff Hudgins (rds) ; Drew Fleming (gtr); Pat Swoboda (b) ; Kamala Sankaram, (samples); Cara Ehlenfeldt, (sd) ; Jeff Cook, (mx)