Writing & Directing

Some of Melody’s writing and directorial highlights include short film screenplays — The Skunk is Dead, Thanks For Something, and BRAILLE— which achieved significant recognition at film festivals.

Furthermore she wrote and directed the original musical EP Devil You Don’t and was able to produce it with a full band in Carson City. This accomplishment demonstrates Ricketts’ success in both filmmaking and music composition. The writer's work has garnered notable awards including Best Writing at the 2021 Carson City Love Notes Short Film Festival, Top 5 Nevada Films at the 2021 Cordillera International Film festival and Top 30/ semi-finalist at the 2024 Cordillera International Film Festival.

Melody's work is an international success across mediums.

Currently, she is in pre-production to be making her professional debut as a theatrical director with a dark comedy/drama titled SNOW at Truckee Meadows Community College.

Melody Ricketts has performed leading roles in approximately 40 musicals, over the course of her 20+ year career.

Her extensive musical theater career includes a notable performance as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. Ricketts booked the leading role in the equity production at Farmers Alley Theatre (Michigan) by submitting a video audition from her car. Over 300 women submitted… including ones that played the role on and off Broadway. The following year, she won 1st Place at the North Hollywood O’Shadowfest competition for the 2-person play in which she portrayed Death (Flying Standby).

Her work as a princess/character performer from 2014 - 2020 significantly boosted her social media presence. While working for the two top companies in Southern California (Smile and A Song Parties and Wishing Well Entertainment), she amassed a following of 70K to watch her expertise in makeup transformations and comedic skit work. You can find her Princess Personal @melodysprincesslife on Instagram and a full Allure Magazine interview here.

In 2021, Melody Ricketts originated the musical role of Lauren Gunderson in composer/playwright Jen Coogan’s The Women in Theatre Project. Since February of 2024, She has since performed the piece at the iconic Feinstein’s at The Nikko (San Francisco), The Marin Theatre’s Spring Soiree - Honoring Lauren Gunderson, and the world-renown nightclub 54 Below in New York City.

Musical Theater & Thespian Acting

Melody Ricketts most recently starred in a large-scale Hallmark short film/movie spoof (A Winter’s Charm in Carson City) for Visit Carson City’s winter marketing campaign. In June of 2024, she made her debut in Kristoffer Polaha’s SAG feature film (Mimics) by landing the supporting role of Connie Swanson. The film, which also stars Stephen Tobolowsky, Jason Marsden, Arianne Zucker, and Chris Parnell, is set for theatrical release in 2025. Melody also voiced a leading character in FOR SALE - a short film by Stephen George which made it into the Top 5 Nevada Films at the 2024 Cordillera International Film Festival and was an official selection at Canada’s world-renown Whistler Film Festival. In 2022, she was honored with the Award for Exceptional Acting at the Carson City Film Noir Festival for her 1940’s portrayal of a woman grieving the loss of her beloved.

Looking ahead, Ricketts is set to voice three supporting roles in a feature film based on the life of poet Sylvia Plath, beginning production in December, 2024. Additionally, she is in pre-production for her original short screenplay The Skunk is Dead.

On Screen Acting

Singing & Music Production

While Melody has had a passion for writing and music for as long as she can remember, music production snuck up on her. Sometime in 2018, she distinctly remembers listening to Lorde’s album Melodrama for the first time and thinking “I’ve got to purchase a proper recording program and get some s**t off my chest and out of my imagination.” Since then, she’s independently produced 20-something tracks… and while other creative projects tend to remain at the front burner, she doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.

The majority of her musical inspiration comes from Lorde, Lana Del Rey, The 1975 and Bon Iver.