There’s a saying that trickles along the lines of, “when opportunity knocks, you answer the door!” For Broadway actor Alex Wyse, that proverbial knock was a phone call. Alex loves picking up as many of those calls as possible, which allows him to diversify his life. If we were to call stage acting his primary home, screen acting would be his vacation home. Excitedly enough, a recent phone call Wyse received opened up some real estate for him as a writer/director. From being in front of the camera to standing behind it, Alex finds a way to deal with it all.
When dealing with auditions, one must get used to hearing “no.” Knowing that doesn’t make it any easier, though. Alex, no stranger to rejection, is doing a better job at realizing he was supposed to get rejected for a reason. “By not getting [that role], it’s left my world open and available for when the right thing happens,” Wyse explained. He credits hindsight’s power for helping him realize that other connections (and friendships) wouldn’t be possible if specific opportunities had happened. Even with denial as the likely option, Alex still runs towards auditions because “when the thing happens, it feels special. Because it’s so rare.”
New Hats
Alex didn’t have childhood dreams of being a director; it just came about. Unafraid to admit apprehension in adjusting to a new role, Alex wore the writer and director hats alongside Wes Taylor (for the first time) in the upcoming horror comedy Summoning Sylvia. Although terrifying, Alex did not shy away from the opportunity to direct a film. “I jumped at the opportunity to learn, get better, and be a better leader,” he stated. Out of his many hats, his newest, as director, is worn with the least confidence. Much of that comes from his lack of experience in directing. He hopes it will be less stressful once he finalizes more movies.
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No one cares what a writer looks like, so Alex feels confident wearing his writer hat. “I feel less like I’m being watched,” he expressed, “so I can really let my mind go and explore.” As a writer, Wyse can comfortably assemble a story he loves without the added external pressures of appearance. He enjoys the writing process because he gets to work as part of a team. Writing also helps him deal with the stresses of life.
In Charge, Boss.
The transition from actor to writer has taken a while for Alex. He acknowledged that he’s still getting comfortable adjusting to the new roles. As an actor, he has grown accustomed to waiting around to be told what to do, so being in charge has been challenging. “It has been difficult for me to activate the part of the brain that says, ‘you’re the leader now,'” Alex mentioned.
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“My energy is being saved for when it’s to be called upon later.”
Alex Wyse on the overcoming rejection
One of the less talked about drawbacks of being a director is that it can get lonely. “The higher you go up on the mountain, the more difficult it is to see who’s around,” Wyse warned. Being the boss has disadvantages, but Alex values the shift from waiting on someone else’s call to the person making the calls.
Upcoming For Alex
Alex Wyse will star in the highly-anticipated Broadway production of Good Night, Oscar, opposite Sean Hayes. The story follows musician Oscar Levant (Hayes), who appears on The Tonight Show with Jack Paar at the peak of his addiction. Wyse stars as Max Weinbaum, a new Tonight Show intern. Max, a well-meaning fan of all things showbiz, tends to Oscar during his appearance. The show explores the nexus between humour and heartbreak and the ever-dwindling distinction between exploitation, entertainment and the high cost of baring one’s soul for public consumption. Good Night, Oscar is set to open for previews at The Belasco Theatre on April 7th.
The film Summoning Silvia, which stars Michael Urie and Frankie Grande, chronicles a gay bachelor party that takes a mysterious and hilarious turn. His three best friends kidnap Larry (Travis Cole) for a bachelor weekend getaway at a haunted house. Together they recount the house’s legend from a hundred years ago, where a woman (Sylvia) slaughtered her son and buried him beneath the floorboards. Later, they hold a high-spirited séance to summon Sylvia, which forces the group to welcome more houseguests than they bargained for.
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Feature Image by Matt Rodin
