Steve Basilone has been writing for film and television since graduating from Emerson College in 2003. In 2007 he sold his first spec with Benderspink. In 2009, Basilone wrote, produced and starred in a pilot for Fox Television Studios. Since then Steve has written and produced 200 episodes of television, working for critical and commercial successes like Happy Endings and Community. In 2015, he wrote a feature for Jon Chu and Focus Films, and in 2017 Basilone wrote the sequel to the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito classic, Twins, for Montecito Pictures. For six seasons Steve served as Co-Executive producer for the ABC hit, The Goldbergs. Currently Basilone’s developing an action-comedy series for Seth Gordon and Sony. Long Weekend is Steve’s directorial debut.
EPISODE 248 - KURT SUTTER
Kurt Sutter is a storyteller. That obligation has manifested into writing, producing, directing, and acting. Born and raised in the homogenous suburbs of Jersey, his home positioned between the Mafia-stronghold neighborhoods to the west and Rahway State Prison to the east. Sutter would struggle with those conflicting influences -- absolute authority and unbridled rebellion -- for most of his life. After graduating from Rutgers University with a BA in Mass Media & Film, Kurt spent several years as an actor in NYC, performing in off-off-Broadway theatres, meatpacking warehouses, and NYPD holding cells. His theatre work eventually led to teaching and directing and in the mid-nineties he joined the faculty of The Gately-Poole Acting Studio on Theatre Row, teaching the Sanford Meisner Technique and directing productions at The Nat Horne Theatre. In the late 90’s Kurt was awarded an MFA Fellowship to attend Northern Illinois University. In Chicago, his exposure to the dramatic masters -- Strindberg, O'Neill, Genet -- inspired Sutter, and he began writing unproducible plays and cultivating ideas for the screen. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts, Kurt moved to Los Angeles where he began his writing career. In 2001, he landed his first gig on FX's The Shield. Starting as a staff writer, he finished the last two seasons as an Executive Producer. Then, in 2008, Kurt created the critically acclaimed drama series Sons of Anarchy for FX. Its seven-year run is the most successful episodic series in the history of the network. In 2014, he followed up SOA with the medieval drama series, The Bastard Executioner. Then, co-created the next chapter of the Sons saga, Mayans MC. Mayans is entering its third season on FX. Kurt also ventured into reality programming with a documentary series on the Discovery Channel, Kurt Sutter’s Outlaw Empires. In 2015, Sutter made his feature writing debut with Southpaw starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Antoine Fuqua. A collaboration with award-winning BOOM! Studios produced several successful comic books for Sutter. Including Sons of Anarchy and two originals -- Lucas Stand, about a drug-addicted vet turned hit man for Hell. And Sisters of Sorrow, where victims of abuse spin their pain and rage into vengeance through the cover of vigilante nuns. The next four issues of Sisters will be on shelves in 2021. As an actor, Kurt had recurring roles on The Shield and Sons of Anarchy. Playing an Armenian hitman with a foot fetish and an incarcerated outlaw with a proclivity for ironic, self-mutilation. Chaos Walking, directed by Doug Liman, is Sutter’s first feature film role. Awards/Nominations Peabody Award (The Shield) Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics: “Come Join the Murder” (SOA) Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics: “Day is Gone” (SOA) Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Original Main Title Music: “This Life” (SOA)
EPISODE 247- ANNABELLE GURWITCH
ANNABELLE GURWITCH is an actress, activist, and New York Times bestselling author of five books including her latest You're Leaving When, Adventures in Downward Mobility. Other books include: I See You Made an Effort (a Thurber Prize finalist), Wherever You Go, There They Are; and Fired! (also a Showtime Comedy Special). She’s written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, amongst other publications and is currently adapting You're Leaving When? for HBO, centering on her Los Angeles Times op-ed about hosting an at-risk housing insecure couple in her home which was recognized with a 2020 Los Angeles Press Club excellence in journalism award. Gurwitch was the longtime cohost of Dinner & a Movie on TBS; a regular commentator on NPR; and host of WA$TED for the Discovery Channel. Her acting credits include: The World Premiere of Donald Margulies' Coney Island Christmas, The West Coast Premiere of Wendy MacLeod's Women in Jeopardy, and the West Coast Premiere of David Greenspan's Go Back to Where You Are. Her performance in the title role of Joe and Betty off Broadway and in Los Angeles won her inclusion in "The Top Ten Performances of the Year in Theater" in both The New York and LA Times. Other credits include: Seinfeld, Murphy Brown, Boston Legal, Dexter, and Melvin Goes to Dinner. She performs her stories with The Moth and at arts centers around the country. Gurwitch lives in Los Angeles and co-hosts the Tiny Victories podcast on the Maximum Fun Podcast Network, which Vulture called a “bright spot of light and laughter in 2020.”
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EPISODE 246- JEFFREY OMURA
Jeffrey Omura is an artist, activist, labor leader, and candidate for New York City Council District 6. As an actor, he recently appeared on TV in The Blacklist, Limitless, Succession, and Hawaii Five-0, and he's known for his work onstage across the country. He's a founding member of both Fair Wage Onstage and Be An Arts Hero, and an elected officer of Actors' Equity Association. If elected, he will be the first openly gay person to represent District 6 and the first Japanese American ever elected to office in New York State.
EPISODE 245 - JENNIFER TODD
Jennifer Todd has been a film and television producer for over 20 years, and some of her notable credits include THE WAY BACK (2020), ALICE IN WONDERLAND and ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, MEMENTO, and the AUSTIN POWERS franchise. In 2017 and 2018, Jennifer produced the 89th and 90th Annual Academy Awards with Michael DeLuca for ABC, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. She currently serves as an Academy Governor representing the Producers Branch.
Jennifer is currently producing films under her banner, Jennifer Todd Pictures, with a first-look feature deal at MGM. She is partnered with director Thomas Kail (FOSSE/VERDON, HAMILTON) in television, under an overall deal with Walt Disney Television Studios. She also currently serves as an Executive Producer on the Showtime series CITY ON A HILL.
Prolific in both independent and studio films as well as television, Jennifer has been nominated for three Emmys, two Golden Globes, and the PGA David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Longform Television. She has won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Picture, Women In Film's Lucy Award, The Glaad Media Award and a People's Choice Award. From 2012 to 2018, Jennifer served as the President of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's production company Pearl Street Films, where she produced LIVE BY NIGHT for Warner Bros., which Affleck directed and starred in. She also served as an Executive Producer on JASON BOURNE in 2016. Additionally, Jennifer was an Executive Producer on HBO’s PROJECT GREENLIGHT, as well as the series INCORPORATED for the Syfy channel.
Some of Jennifer’s other credits include CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER, MUST LOVE DOGS, PRIME, BOILER ROOM, NOW AND THEN, and the HBO film IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK II.
EPISODE 244 - JEREMY WEIN
JEREMY WEIN (Producer) is a producer and director based in New York City. Jeremy is the founder and artistic director of the virtual theatre initiative Play-PerView. His additional producing credits include Open Mike Eagle: Anime, Trauma, + Divorce: Live Emotional Processing Event (Dynasty Typewriter) Kevin McDonald: ALIVE (Theatre Row, Dynasty Typewriter), Neva (Brooklyn College) Godspell (2011 Broadway Revival) Faux Snow (Thespis Theater Festival), Take Me Home (Incubator Arts Project, Associate Producer, dir. Meghan Finn) and the 2012 documentary The Bitter Buddha (Co-Producer). He is also the founder of the New York City Podcast Festival, which he produced from 2013-2018. His directing credits include 8 by Dustin Lance Black (BMCC) and Neva by Guillermo Calderon (Brooklyn College). He recently produced the debut EP for The U.S Open (featuring Shawn Randell, William Jackson Harper, Steven Boyer, Diana Oh, Jeff Biehl and Bobby Moreno), which will be released later this year. Follow him on Twitter: @ThisMyShow and Instagram: @JeremyWein90
EPISODE 243 - JORDAN THIERRY
Jordan Thierry is a documentary filmmaker, activist, and storyteller. He has worked for over a decade to highlight the stories of people of color and working to undo the ongoing legacy of systemic racism in the U.S.A.
EPISODE 242 -KATE BURTON
Kate Burton is best known for her Tony nominated work on Broadway (where she last appeared in Present Laughter with Kevin Kline) and for her Emmy nominated work in Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. On film, she was most recently seen in Where’d You Go, Bernadette! She can also be seen on television in Inventing Anna, Prodigal Son, Charmed and Supergirl. She is a professor at USC and lives in Los Angeles.
EPISODE 241 - SERGIO TRUJILLO
Internationally renowned theater choreographer and director, SERGIO TRUJILLO is the first ever Latinx recipient of the Tony Award for Best Choreography. He was honored with the Tony in 2019 for AIN’T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS. Additionally, he won the 2015 Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for MEMPHIS. Sergio was previously nominated for several awards including a Tony Award for ON YOUR FEET!, Drama Desk Awards for HANDS ON A HARDBODY, LEAP OF FAITH, MEMPHIS, and JERSEY BOYS, a Lucille Lortel Award for SAVED, and received an Ovation Award for EMPIRE. He made his Broadway debut in 1999, dancing in JEROME ROBBINS’ BROADWAY. As a dancer, he has performed on Broadway in GUYS AND DOLLS, VICTOR/VICTORIA, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, and FOSSE. Sergio made his choreographic debut in 2005 with Broadway’s ALL SHOOK UP. His success expanded from there with JERSEY BOYS — which continues to grow in popularity worldwide. In 2011, four of his productions ran simultaneously on Broadway: NEXT TO NORMAL (2010 Pulitzer Prize), THE ADDAMS FAMILY, MEMPHIS (Olivier Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, NAACP Award, Drama Desk Award nomination, Astaire Award nomination), and JERSEY BOYS (Greenroom Award, Olivier Award nomination, Drama Desk Award nomination, Dora Award nomination, Outer Critics Circle Award nomination). Adding to his list of Broadway choreography credits are SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL (Chita Rivera Award, NAACP Award nomination), A BRONX TALE (Chita Rivera Award nomination), and GUYS AND DOLLS (Astaire Award nomination). Recent directing credits include Cirque Du Soleil’s PARAMOUR currently playing in Germany, ARRABAL for American Repertory Theater (Elliot Norton Award for best direction), the North American tour of FLASH DANCE THE MUSICAL, and the Broadway concert of GLORIA ESTEFAN & MIAMI SOUND MACHINE. Sergio is bringing a number of Latinx musicals aimed at bringing forth the stories of the Hispanic Culture in America. Some of his favorite future productions include: WAITING FOR SNOW IN HAVANA based on the book of the same title by Carlos Eire, LIVES IN LIMBO based on the book by Roberto Gonzales, REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES based on the play by Josefina Lopez, and CASA DE LAS FLORES inspired the Netflix Series by Manolo Caro. He has introduced audiences to his choreography in many noteworthy Off-Broadway shows including INVISIBLE THREAD for Second Stage, ROMEO & JULIET for The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN and KISMET for New York City Center Encores!, THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK for Dodger Stages, and BARE: A POP OPERA for the American Theatre for Actors.
Over his 25-year career, his list of international theater hits has expanded exponentially, to the point where he has had over 15 productions running at the same time globally. His work on Disney’s TARZAN ran for 12 years in Europe, JERSEY BOYS continues a successful run all over the world — simultaneously in Europe, Asia, Australia, South Africa and the US. THE ADDAMS FAMILY found homes in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. Tony-Winning musical MEMPHIS played in movie theaters nationwide concurrently with its Broadway run, and streamed on Netflix soon after. His exceptional moves landedThe list of national theaters and companies he has created original content for has grown to include FREAKY FRIDAY for Disney, MAMBO KINGS out-of-town tryout at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre, ZHIVAGO and THE WIZ for La Jolla Playhouse, the US tour of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, CARMEN: AN AFRO-CUBAN MUSICAL for the Olney Theatre Center (Helen Hayes Award nomination), THE WEDDING BANQUET for Seattle’s Village Theater, and CHITA AND ALL THAT JAZZ in which he served as co-choreographer to Chita Rivera. For the Los Angeles Opera he has choreographed THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, and for the New York City Opera, SALOME. Sergio works and resides in New York City. He is proud to be the first choreographer ever invited to serve as a voting member of the American Theatre Wing’s Advisory Committee for the Tony Awards, is an avid supporter of and serves on the advisory boards of R.Evolution Latina and New York Theatre Barn, and is an active member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Sergio is Colombian born, and was raised in Toronto. He studied science at the University of Toronto, and later pursued further education by attending chiropractic school. Recently he was distinguished as one of the Top 100 Colombians in the world by President Juan Manuel Santos and was voted as one of the top 50 Creative Colombian Artists in the world by Forbes Magazine. Since 1990, he has been in a loving and inspiring relationship with actor Jack Noseworthy. They married in 2011 and were ecstatic to welcome their baby boy, Lucas Alejandro Truworthy, in March 2018.
EPISODE 240- EDEN ESPINOSA & KAREN OLIVO
Eden Espinosa is the Co-Founder of Artists for Economic Transparency and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. She is engaged in oversight of operational activities for the organization and takes an active role in relationship building with community stakeholders and partners. Eden co-created AFECT’s mission and vision and oversees its developmental activities.
Eden has over 17 years of industry experience and is a tirelessly vocal advocate of more progressive, transparent, and accountable live theater. Shaped by her experiences as a woman of color, off-stage advocacy has played a significant part in Eden’s career, including involvement and leadership with countless charitable and nonprofit organizations and causes.
Eden is committed to using her platform to build a more equitable, stronger live-theater community, and passionately believes that in order to generate meaningful change, systems need to be dismantled and rebuilt with love, a value which she brings to her work at AFECT.
Karen Olivo is the Co-Founder of Artists for Economic Transparency and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. Karen engages in the oversight of the organization’s development and is actively involved in the formation of the organization’s governance and financial structure, including building key partnerships within the industry and developing the organization’s mission and vision for the future.
Karen has extensive experience as a performer, advocate, and teacher. She has been acting in live performances for over twenty years, winning numerous awards and starring in countless stage productions. Off-stage, she is an educator who deeply values the impact of open, constructive dialogue. As an advocate, Karen’s work is continuous, actively engaging with and leading positive forces for change in her industry, community, and country.
Karen’s growing understanding of the business behind Broadway has shifted their perspective as a member of the live-theater community. Karen is dedicated to taking an active role in empowering others to make informed, educated choices in pursuit of a more accountable and transparent system.
EPISODE 239- HOWARD SHERMAN
Howard Sherman is a theatre administrator, writer, and advocate. He has been executive director of the American Theatre Wing and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, managing director of Geva Theatre, general manager of Goodspeed Musicals, and public relations director of Hartford Stage, as well as interim director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts. He has also held administrative positions at the Westport Country Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays.
Since 2012, he has been the US columnist and a feature writer for The Stage newspaper in London, and in 2018 was named Contributing Editor of Stage Directions magazine. His writing has appeared in a number of other publications including Slate, The New York Times, The Guardian, and American Theatre magazine.
Howard frequently consults, writes and speaks on issues of censorship and artists’ rights in both academic and professional theatre and he created the Arts Integrity Initiative in 2015 to focus on those efforts. He has delivered keynote addresses for, among others, the Educational Theatre Association, KCACTF, Florida Association for Theatre Education, and the Texas Educational Theatre Association’s Arts Program Administrators Conference. He was cited as one of the Top 40 Free Speech Defenders in 2014 by the National Coalition Against Censorship and received the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund’s “Defender” Award in 2015.
A native of New Haven, Connecticut and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Howard resides in New York with his wife, producer Lauren Doll.
Photo Credit- Steve Marsel
EPISODE 238 - JOSH MALINA
After graduating from Yale University with a B.A. in Theatre Studies, Josh made his professional acting debut in the Broadway production of Aaron Sorkin’s A FEW GOOD MEN. He went on to star as Jeremy Goodwin in Sorkin’s critically acclaimed television series SPORTS NIGHT. Later, Josh co-starred as Will Bailey in Sorkin’s multi- Emmy winning THE WEST WING. Other Sorkin credits include the hit features THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT and MALICE.
For three seasons, Josh portrayed multi-millionaire Peter Alpert on USA Network’s hit IN PLAIN SIGHT. Josh’s film credits include the comedy A VIEWFROM THE TOP with Gwyneth Paltrow and Mike Meyers, IN THE LINE OF FIRE with Clint Eastwood, and BULWORTH with Warren Beatty and Halle Berry. For seven seasons, Josh co-starred as David Rosen on ABC’s hit show SCANDAL.
A co-creator of Bravo’s hit show CELEBRITY POKER SHOWDOWN, and a co-host of the podcast THE WEST WING WEEKLY, Josh was seen recently as President Siebert on the final season of THE BIG BANG THEORY. He can currently be seen on the final season of Showtime’s SHAMELESS
EPISODE 237 - MAURICIO MARTINEZ
MAURICIO MARTÍNEZ is a Mexican Emmy Winning actor, Broadway veteran and recording artist. He recently starred as Emilio Estefan in On Your Feet! The Story Of Emilio & Gloria Estefan on Broadway and in the world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical memoir Unmasked at PaperMill Playhouse. He can also be seen in NBC Universo’s original Emmy Wining TV series “El Vato” on Netflix.
Mauricio’s television credits include multiple Telenovela’s in Univision and Telemundo like Señora Acero and La Mujer Del Vendaval as well as the 40th Annual Kennedy Honors on CBS and “The 2019 Gershwin Prize” on PBS (performing next to artists like Patti Labelle, Cindy Lauper, Rita Moreno, Andy García and Gloria Estefan).
In the Mexico City stage, Mauricio starred in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Saturday Night Fever, The Drowsy Chaperone, Sweet Charity, the premiere Spanish versions of Off Broadway's The Last Five Years, Songs From An Unmade Bed and Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge, among others.
Mauricio has released two Latin pop albums available on iTunes and is currently working on his first english album with Broadway Records.
Follow @martinezmau on Instagram & Twitter
Facebook.com/MauricioMartinezOficial
EPISODE 236 - JULIA MURNEY
Julia Murney last appeared on Broadway as Elphaba in Wicked after playing the role on the national tour for which she received an Acclaim Award. Other New York credits include Lennon, The Wild Party (Drama Desk nomination), The Vagina Monologues, Falling (Drama Desk nomination), A Class Act, The Landing, Saved, Crimes of the Heart, Queen of the Mist, and Time and Again (Lucille Lortel nomination). She’s been seen regionally all over the U.S.- Signature, Muny, Williamstown, Reprise!LA, Sacramento Music Circus, NCT, Lyric, Rubicon and Goodspeed, to name a few-and in concert she has performed solo shows nationally as well as in NYC at Feinstein's/54 Below, Birdland, Joe's Pub & Ars Nova. Symphony appearances have ranged from Carnegie Hall to The Kennedy Center, Caramoor to Town Hall, from Malaysia to Maui & a lot of spots in between. Among her TV credits are Madam Secretary, 30 Rock, Sex and the City, Elementary, Brothers and Sisters, Ed, NYPD Blue, all the Law and Orders, First You Dream and about a gazillion voiceovers. A Syracuse University graduate, her recordings include the original cast albums of The Wild Party and A Class Act, the Grammy nominated Actor’s Fund Benefit of Hair and her first solo album I’m Not Waiting, which is available on iTunes & on her website, juliamurney.com. Twitter: @juliamurney Instagram: @pepamama
EPISODE 235- MAX von ESSEN
Max von Essen is a Tony, Drama Desk and Grammy nominated singer and actor best known for his role as Henri in the award winning production of An American in Paris on Broadway. Most recently, he completed a year long run in the Broadway production of Anastasia and then toured the country in Lincoln Center Theater's revival of Falsettos. Other Broadway credits include Evita, the revivals of Les Miz and Jesus Christ Superstar, Dance of the Vampires, and the closing company of the original Les Miz. Additional New York credits include Yours Unfaithfully, Death Takes a Holiday, The Jerry Springer Opera, Hello Again, Finian's Rainbow and The Fantasticks. Tours include Xanadu, West Side Story and Chicago. TV & Film include Law & Order: SVU, Elementary, Boardwalk Empire, The Good Wife, Royal Pains, Gossip Girl, Seven Lovers, Sex and the City 2, and the webseries Submissions Only.
Max's concert work has brought him all across the country and Canada, including The Kennedy Center, Birdland Jazz Club and a recent solo debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops. Recordings include An American in Paris, Evita, Death Takes a Holiday, Finian's Rainbow, Love Songs of Andrew Lloyd Weber, and his debut solo album, Call Me Old Fashioned: The Broadway Standard, now available on iTunes.
EPISODE 234 - NICOLE KANG
Nicole Kang stars in the CW television series BATWOMAN as Mary Hamilton.
Kang was also seen on Greg Berlanti's Lifetime/Netflix series YOU. In the highly successful show, based off of Caroline Kepnes’ bestselling novel, she starred as Lynn alongside Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail and Shay Mitchell. Her other television credits include: THE CODE, INSTINCT and ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK.
On the big screen, Kang was most recently seen in SWALLOW, which premiered at the TriBeCa film festival, and will next be seen in TEN MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT, THE SOCIAL ONES and FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY.
She has starred in numerous productions on stage including the 2016 production of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY at the Folger Theatre, for which she earned a Helen Hayes Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play.
Kang is an NYU BFA trained actress and a proud member of The Actor’s Studio.
#ProtectMary
EPISODE 233- FELICIA FITZPATRICK
Felicia Fitzpatrick is a content creator and a storyteller. She is Playbill's social media director and the creator/host of Call and Response, a podcast that explores the intersection of Blackness and the performing arts. Her writings and musings have been featured in Teen Vogue, BuzzFeed, Zora, and more. Plus, she has moderated panels for BroadwayCon, NBC, and The Strand Bookstore. She is a TedxBroadway Young Professional Program alum and is the proud owner of NOW That's What I Call Music! albums 4, 7-8, 10 and 16.
Photo Credit: Roberto Araujo
EPISODE 232- TY BURRELL & BILL WRUBEL
Did you ever wonder what the relationship between the stars and the writers of a hit sitcom is like? Go behind the scenes with Modern Family’s Ty Burrell and writer/exec producer Bill Wrubel-
TY BURRELL
With a range of performances across television, film, and theater, award winner Ty Burrell continues to proves himself as one of the finest and most versatile actors today.
Burrell starred on ABC’s critically acclaimed hit, Modern Family. The actor garnered countless awards for his fan-favorite role of ‘Phil Dunphy’ including the 2014 and 2011 Emmy® Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; the 2014 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series; the 2012 Critics Choice Television Award for the Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; as well as the 2012 Comedy Award in the category of Performance by An Actor – TV.
In 2012, Burrell shared the TCA Award with Nick Offerman for Individual Achievement in Comedy. Additionally, he has received notable nominations from the Teen Choice Awards, the Television Critics Association Awards, the People's Choice Awards, the American Comedy Awards and the Kids' Choice Awards, all for his role on the series.
Currently Burrell can be heard as a series regular opposite Amy Poehler in Fox’s animated family comedy Duncanville, from Poehler and her Paper Kite Productions, The Simpsons‘ veteran Mike Scully and his wife, former Simpsons writer-producer Julie Scully, 20th Century Fox TV and Universal TV. The second season of Duncanville will premiere this year.
In July 2020, Burrell launched his production company, Desert Whale Productions, and signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, the studio behind the acclaimed comedy series, Modern Family. Desert Whale’s first sale under the deal is for the comedy show, Yours, Mine & Paul. The show centers on a woman named Lauren who agrees to be a surrogate for her best friend, Paul, and his husband Xander despite her and Xander hating each other. The show has been put into development at ABC and it was recently announced Sarah Hyland is set to star in the series.
In 2016 Burrell lent his voice in the Disney/Pixar Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory. The film has the second best opening for an animated film of all time. Dory grossed $486.3 million at the North American box office and over $1 billion worldwide. He starred opposite Diane Keaton, Ellen DeGeneres, Ed O’Neil.
Burrell has expanded on his enthusiasm for food and drink by becoming a restauranteur himself. Alongside his brother and two brothers-in-law, Burrell co-owns three places in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he lives when he’s not filming: the craft cocktail bar, Bar X, which was opened the day Prohibition was repealed in 1933 and was purchased and refurbished by Ty and his business partners in 2010; its sister bar, Beer Bar, which they describe as “a love letter to the beer of the world”; and the Park City classic, The Eating Establishment.
His additional film credits include Warner Animation Group’s Storks; DreamWorks Animation’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman; Disney’s Muppets Most Wanted; The Weinstein Company's Butter opposite Jennifer Garner; Christopher Neil's film Goats; Roger Michel's Morning Glory, opposite Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton; Universal's The Incredible Hulk opposite Edward Norton and Liv Tyler for Louis Leterrier; National Treasure 2 opposite Nicolas Cage; Steven Shainberg's Fur about the life of Diane Arbus; Nicole Holofcener's Friends with Money opposite Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand and Jennifer Aniston; Finn Taylor's romantic comedy The Darwin Awards; David Jacobson's Down in the Valley opposite Edward Norton and Evan Rachel Wood; the Weitz brothers' In Good Company; Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down; Dawn of the Dead; and Ivan Reitman's Evolution. His additional TV credits include Boondoggle, a digital series which launched on ABC’s video-streaming service in July 2016. The show was very loosely based on his life. In 2017, he was nominated for an Emmy® Award in the category of ‘Outstanding Actor In A Short Form Comedy Or Drama Series.’
On stage, Burrell starred to incredible reviews in the world premiere of Caryl Churchill's two-hander play, Drunk Enough to Say I Love You, at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Burrell's extensive Broadway and Off-Broadway theater credits include the highly acclaimed Signature Theater Off-Broadway production of Burn This opposite Edward Norton, Catherine Keener and Dallas Roberts; starring as Lord Buckingham in the Public Theater's production of Richard III opposite Peter Dinklage and directed by Peter DuBois; and starring opposite Debra Monk and Judy Greer in Paul Weitz's Show People, directed by Peter Askin at Second Stage Theater.
Burrell has been a longtime supporter of KIDS IN THE SPOTLIGHT (KITS) which trains youth in foster programs and other under-served youth to create, write, cast and star in their own 10-minute short films. This training culminates in an annual film festival where they present “Movies by Kids, for Kids.” During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Burrell created the program, “Tip Your Server,” to raise money for restaurant employees in Salt Lake City, Utah who lost their jobs due to restaurant closures. Burrell and his wife, Holly, donated $100,000 of their own funds to help ease the burden for the vulnerable members of the Salt Lake community.
BILL WRUBEL— TV Writer/Producer, credits include Sports Night, Ugly Betty, Will & Grace, Modern Family, Ted Lasso. Winner of 5 Emmy awards. Also Writers Guild, Producers Guild, Golden Globe, Humanitas, Peabody and AFI awards. Member of the Atlantic Theater Company. Short plays have been produced by Atlantic and 52nd Street Project.
Before TV, worked in production on and off Broadway on shows at Lincoln Center Theater, Williamstown Theater Festival.
EPISODE 231- ALEX BONIELLO
Alex Boniello is an actor, musician, writer, and Tony Award winning producer from New York City. Most recently, he starred as Connor Murphy in the Broadway production of “Dear Evan Hansen” and has also appeared on Broadway as the voice of Moritz in Deaf West’s revival of “Spring Awakening.” Additionally, he is represented on Broadway in “Hadestown” for which he received a Tony Award as a co-producer. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, he created “Broadway JackBox” and "Broadway Whodunit" alongside his Dear Evan Hansen co-star, Andrew Barth Feldman. Broadway JackBox has raised over $100,000 for the Actor’s Fund since its creation. He can be seen in numerous television shows and films, has appeared in many theatre productions across New York City and North America, and his original work as a songwriter and singer is available wherever music is sold.
EPISODE 230- FATHER'S DAY
A conversation with my father.
Robert ( Bob) Levine was born on December 16th, 1929 in Brooklyn , New York. His father , Julius , was a Certified Public Accountant by profession, his mother ,Tess , was a homemaker and president of the P.T.A and both my grandparents were constantly volunteering for the many organizations that supported the causes they believed in.
Their commitment to social activism was passed down to my father and his siblings and then to me and it is my hope that my children will continue that legacy- to be activists for the things they believe in and to use their voices even when others wish it to be silenced.
During the Covid- 19 pandemic my visits with my parents were limited to good weather days when we could be outside with each other and talk from a distance. This conversation was recorded during one of those visits in December of 2020 at their home.