Composer, Lyricist and Dramaturge
Composing Musicals with a Message
Alex Petti (CMU 2015) has something to say ... or rather, something to sing. He’s a composer, lyricist and guitarist achieving his musical theater dreams in New York City.
Along with fellow Tartan on the Rise Annie Pulsipher, he debuted “The Trouble with Dead Boyfriends” in 2023. It’s a project they started together at CMU as part of the PLAYGROUND festival of student work. Packed with wordplay and puns and driven by a pop-punk score, it’s the story of three best friends dreaming of perfect prom dates. Unfortunately, what they find are literal monsters: a possessive ghost with very old-fashioned values, a negging vampire who targets girls with physical insecurities and a former footballer zombie so co-dependent that his girlfriend has to stitch him back together. Their journey is a gory, feminist comedy described as “practically perfect” in one of many positive reviews of its off-Broadway debut.
“My main goal with the work that I create is trying to put my worldview out there whether it be my personal solutions for mental health or thoughts on toxic men and the way that they harm younger girls,” he says.
Alex is also working on several new projects. In “Success Academy for the Magically Gifted,” he explores his Arab identity through the story of a teenager discovering his magical abilities as he searches for his roots. Another new work, “The Hometown Tour,” tells the autobiographical story of Alex and his punk rock band. It explores themes of mental health and self-forgiveness.
“The Hometown Tour” earned Alex a competitive spot in the Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals residency program for musical theatre writers. Previous participants have staged recognized and award-winning Broadway shows. Alex has also been selected for the BMI Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop, a finalist for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT)’s Festival of New Musicals, an O’Neill Semi-Finalist and other selective opportunities.
“A lot of things are coming to fruition, and very reasonably within grasp,” Alex says.
Story by Elizabeth Speed