New Musical PICKING UP SPEED To Play Limited Off-Broadway Run In December

Acclaimed stage and screen actor and writer Alex Wyse (Summoning Sylvia, Good Night Oscar, Spring Awakening) will be debuting his original solo musical, Picking Up Speed, will play a limited one-week-only engagement at the Royal Family Performing Arts Space (145 W 46th Street) from December 6-11, 2023.

Described as a cross between a full book musical, a concert, and a storytelling event, Picking Up Speed is a humorous and affecting account of someone who loses themselves in a narcissistic relationship. It's performed as a musical story-hour (at seventy-five minutes long) with a narrative through-line and fourteen original songs performed with a full band. Written and performed by Wyse, the musical will be directed by Marlo Hunter (Ever After, American Reject, Mystic Christmas.)

Performed in an intimate setting with only 89 audience members at each performance encircling Wyse and the five-piece band, this up-close and personal production is sure to be a memorable theatrical experience.

“What Alex has written is funny, heartbreaking, completely surprising, and unlike most things I've seen as a theatergoer,” says producer Cody Lassen. “I'm honored to help him bring it to the stage.”

Alex Wyse has appeared on Broadway in Good Night Oscar, Waitress, Deaf West's Spring Awakening, and Lysistrata Jones, on tour in Wicked, and off-Broadway in Ride the Cyclone, Bare, Triassic Parq, and A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet, which he also co-wrote. His feature film writing and directing debut, Summoning Sylvia, was recently seen in theaters and is now streaming on Starz.

The creative team includes Tony Award-winner and Grammy nominee Cody Lassen (producer), Jesse Stalnaker (producer), Peter McKown (producer), Sean Cocchia (producer), James Forbes Sheehan (associate producer), Kyle Brenn (orchestrator and music director), and Bailie Slevin (production stage manager.) Matthew D'Arrigo serves as General Manager and marketing is by Fever.

Performances will be held at the Royal Family Arts Space in Midtown Manhatten (145 W 46th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues) from December 6-11, 2023. Tickets, which start at just $29, and more information are available at www.pickingupspeedmusical.com. The performance schedule is:

Wednesday, December 6 – 7pm

Friday, December 8 – 7 pm

Saturday, December 9 – 7 pm

Monday, December 11 – 7 pm

 

Alex Wyse (Writer/Performer) has appeared on Broadway in Good Night Oscar, Waitress, Deaf West's Spring Awakening, and Lysistrata Jones, on tour in Wicked, and off-Broadway in Ride the Cyclone, Bare, and Triassic Parq. His TV credits include “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "The Other Two," "Iron Fist," "Masters of Sex," "NCIS: LA," “The Bold and the Beautiful," "Switched at Birth," "Modern Family," "Agent X," "A to Z," "Bad Judge," and "Bored to Death.” As a creator, he was the co-writer and star of off-Broadway's A Commercial Jingle For Regina Comet, he co-wrote, directed, and starred in the Emmy nominated and Indie Series Award winning "Indoor Boys," now streaming on Here TV, and he co-wrote/directed the feature film Summoning Sylvia, which was recently seen in theaters and is now streaming on Starz.

Marlo Hunter (Director) is a theatre, film. TV director and choreographer who was recently honored as a “2022 Woman to Watch on Broadway”. Her feature film directorial debut, American Reject, is available on Amazon and Apple+. The film debuted at festivals in fall 2020 where it garnered multiple honors. Marlo recently directed and choreographed the Off-Broadway World Premiere of Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical for TheaterWorksUSA, which was hailed as a New York Times Critic's Pick and launched its national tour in Fall 2023. Earlier this year she directed Mystic Christmas for Hallmark, which is now airing. Marlo is currently helming the Ever After musical, produced by Tony Award-winner, Kevin McCollum, with Music by Zina Goldrich, Lyrics by Marcy Heisler, and Book by Kate Wetherhead. 

Cody Lassen (Producer) Tony Award-winning and Grammy-nominated film, theatre and music producer. His most recent feature, “Summoning Sylvia”, had a theatrical release in 23 markets and was acquired by Starz. He was most recently represented on Broadway by Paula Vogel's How I Learned To Drive, Indecent, the Deaf West Theatre revival of Spring Awakening, and Off-Broadway's A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet. Combined, his productions have grossed over $770M and have a recoupment rate of 46.7%, which is more than twice the industry average.

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