ONE UP: THE MUSICAL Will Have World Premiere at the 2025 Hollywood Fringe Festival

Grab your NES and dust off your Walkman because the world premiere of ONE UP: THE MUSICAL, a high-energy original musical set in the neon glow of the 1980s tech boom, is landing at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this June! With big hair, bigger dreams, and an infectious synth-pop soundtrack, One Up is a heartfelt celebration of ambition, friendship, and what it takes to make it on the digital frontier. Performances run June 6-28.

The Plot: Meet Bryson, the bright but untested intern at Classic Games. An aspiring video game programmer in 1987 who's ready to level up, Bryson sneaks her original game into the company's Testing Day. When the game tests well, Greg, the company's CEO, begrudgingly agrees to let her develop it further under the supervision of Carol, his secretary and the one who keeps the wheels turning behind-the-scenes. As Bryson's career begins to take off, she risks losing sight of what matters most: the community that inspired her and the friends who believed in her from the start.

Creative Power-Up: To honor the legacy of women in gaming, the production welcomes Dona Bailey, co-creator of the iconic 1981 arcade game Centipede, as Creative Consultant. Her insight into the era and her trailblazing career add authenticity and inspiration to Bryson's journey and the world of One Up.

Creative Team: Mary Bonney, who also produces and stars in One Up, began developing the story in 2018 when looking for a way to combine her love of musicals, console games, and stories about people who tell stories. She produced the 2023 Hollywood Fringe musical Les Millénniables, a LA Times "Pick of The Fringe" and Fringe nominee for Best Musical or Opera. She also wrote, produced, and starred in the digital series Break: The Musical, an Official Selection at SeriesFest and winner of "Best Soundtrack" at the Indie Series Awards.

Weslie Lechner is the award-winning writer of Grifters, winner of the Golden Script Competition. She also wrote and starred in the short comedy sci-fi film Eindis Ends It All which was an official selection in nine film festivals, including Slamdance, Nashville Film Festival, and Sci-Fi-London.

The Book was written by Bonney and Lechner with music and lyrics by Matt Dahan, creator of Pulp Musicals and music director of acclaimed theater company Team Starkid. Hannah Globus, award-winning writer of The Relentless Award's Picket Plays, joins as the show's director.

"We wanted to tell a story that celebrated creativity, community and ambition while highlighting the often-overlooked women who helped shape the early gaming industry," says Bonney. "It's a love letter to console games from the view of their pioneering programmers and their passion that powered up generations to come."

Why You'll Love It: One Up: The Musical, an unabashed musical-lover's musical, fuses heartfelt storytelling with gaming nostalgia, laugh-out-loud humor, and an original, synth-pop score as captivating as the video games of this era.

More Information: Book by Mary Bonney & Weslie Lechner, Music & Lyrics by Matt Dahan, Directed by Hannah Globus, Musical Direction by Sam Johnides, Choreography by Aaron Hoshiko, Costume Design by Emily Winokur, Produced by Mary Bonney, Weslie Lechner, Lauren Sperling, Creative Consultant Dona Bailey.

Starring: Alanna Hernandez, Mary Bonney, Patrick Boylan, Erik Olson, James Beardsley, Juliet Johnson, D'Angelo Reyes, Michael Coale Grey, Gabrielle Fleck

Where: The Actors Company, LetLive Theater, 916 N Formosa Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Tickets: $15 General Admission; comps available for press and industry guests

Los Angeles Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)

9.2% of votes

2. HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)

5% of votes

3. HEATHERS (Backyard Playhouse: Treetop Production)

4.9% of votes

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