BWW Interviews: Tituss Burgess Talks New Netflix Comedy UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT

Broadway's Tituss Burgess (Jersey Boys, The Little Mermaid) stars as struggling actor and diva roommate Titus Andromedon on the new comedy series UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT, from co-creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock. The series stars Ellie Kemper (The Office) as a woman who escapes from a doomsday cult and starts life over in New York. The 13-episode first season is now exclusively available across all Netflix territories.

Today, the multi-talented actor talks exclusively with BWW about starring in the new hit comedy!

I have to start by telling you that I actually binged-watched all 13 episodes of the series, it was just too funny to stop in the middle.

My goodness - I love hearing that!

I'm assuming Tina (Fey) already had you mind for the role after working with you on '30 Rock.'

Well, it was based on what she viewed as the talent that I have, but yes, I think she and Robert (Carlock) had me in mind before I knew anything about it.

It seems in many ways like this would be a dream role for you. Your character is not only quirky and colorful but just happens to love singing and performing as well.

Oh it's absolutely a dream role. It's everything that I love all at the same time. And working with these comedic legends, I couldn't ask for a better fit.

Yes speaking of that, can you talk about this talented cast?

Well, Ellie Kemper I just adore. She is such a warm, generous actor and we have this wonderful rapport off camera and that's very important. Carol Kane is just as warm as you would think she is and she is so smart and really a living legend, and has so much to offer. And Tony Award winner Jane Krakowski is so sharp and so quick-witted. So really, it's an embarrassment of riches to work with all these people.

Do you draw from your own experiences of starting out as an actor in your portrayal of Titus?

Of course I do! I worked at Ruby Foos early on as a host. I was only there for a little bit, but I had several odd jobs to pay the bills before that. And being in New York for the first year, I got here in 2003, and it was a very exciting but very scary time not knowing how you would make ends meet and me trying to meet people. So it's not a far cry to understand where Titus is coming from.

And I'm sure when you walk through Times Square and see those actors dressed as different characters, you can really appreciate their efforts.

Yes, I certainly feel their pain. That's not an easy job to do. That is a very difficult job, especially both in the summer, as hot as it gets here in New York, and then in the winter, you would think those costumes are well-insulated but they're so cheaply made they really are not. So it's a very tedious job but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Exactly, the life of an actor! Even though your character is larger than life, do you find you have to rein him in a bit because you are acting for the camera rather than on stage?

That's a yes and no answer. I was actually urged to go further by Tina and Robert from early on, but in terms of the skill set that it takes to act for the camera, of course you have to reel it in, everything doesn't work on camera as it does on stage. On stage everyone stays put, the vantage point is always the vantage point and you have to play to the size of the house. And of course on film there's different angles, different shots so that determines how animated or how still you must be.

So I'm guessing you must love it when you're encouraged to take the role even further.

Oh I love all of it. It doesn't make me more excited to be crazier or less excited to not be crazier, it all depends on what the joke is calling for.

Of course one of the things that I love, and all theater fans out there love, is the cameos by so many wonderful Broadway actors which have poppoed up throughout the series.

Yes! Christine Ebersole was on and we just had a wonderful time chatting it up. And there have been so many wonderful appearances, Martin Short, who did a terrific job.

Oh he was great. And I wasn't even sure at first if that was him, the way they had him made up!

Well then that's good - he did his job!

And of course there was James Iglehart, who was terrifc.

Oh yes of course, he was a delight. I adore that boy! We had a wonderful time.

Who is the force behind casting all those Broadway folks?

Oh Tina and Robert - everything begins and ends with them.

So a second season of the show has already been ordered, correct?

Yes, when Netflix acquired 'Kimmy Schmidt', the deal was that we got a two-season order out of that, so that was announced a long time ago.

Have you started filming yet?

No, we won't start up again until late summer.

So I guess you haven't seen a script or know where the story line is heading yet.

Who knows, who knows! (laughing)

What do you think it is about the show that has made it such a huge success?

Well it is smartly written, it's so clever, it doesn't pander to its audience. Tina writes for very intelligent people and it's an intelligent viewpoint of the world, it's a very unusual scope, it's a very different lens, and it's a very different subject matter. And I think its uniqueness makes is so intriguing. And when you add those things together, you have a delicious, unbreakable sweet cake!

How about outside of the show, what's ahead for you?

Oh I'm working on quite a few things and I better stay as tight-lipped as possible until they tell me I can talk about it.

That's not fair!

Well I don't want them to cancel the deal because I let the cat out of the bag!

Of course, I understand. Well it was so much fun to watch you this season and I'm already excited for Season Two.

That means a lot. Thank you very, very much.

Below, catch Burgess in his character's fake video "Pinot Noir," featured in episode 6 of the show:

Watch Burgess' funniest moments from the series below:

Watch a trailer for the series below:

About UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT:

After living in a cult for fifteen years, Kimmy decides to reclaim her life and start over in New York City. Armed with just a backpack, light-up sneakers, and a couple of way-past-due library books, she's ready to take on a world she didn't even think existed anymore. Wide-eyed but resilient, nothing is going to stand in her way. She quickly finds a new job (working for 30 Rock's Jane Krakowski), a new roommate (Tituss Burgess, 30 Rock), and a new beginning. The cast also includes Lauren Adams, Sara Chase, Sol Miranda and Emmy winner Carol Kane (Taxi,The Princess Bride).

The series was created by Tina Fey (30 Rock) and Robert Carlock (30 Rock), who serve as executive producers with Jeff Richmond (30 Rock), Jack Burditt (30 Rock, The Mindy Project) and David Miner (30 Rock, Brooklyn Nine-Nine).

About TITUSS BURGESS:

Burgess made his Broadway debut in the musical Good Vibrations as Eddie in 2005, and then appeared in Jersey Boys in 2005 as Hal Miller. He originated the role of Sebastian in the musical The Little Mermaid in 2007 and went on to the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the revival of Guys and Dolls in 2009. Recently, Burgess played the Witch in Into the Woods in a 2015 production with the Miami's Carnival Studio Theater.

Photos Courtesy of Netflix

Photo: Facebook/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt