Scott Ellis (born April 19, 1957) is an American stage director, actor, and television director.
Life and career Ellis graduated from Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago (now at DePaul University) in Chicago."Scot Ellis" pbs.org, accessed June 7, 2013 He also graduated from James W. Robinson Secondary School, in Fairfax, Virginia, in 1975. He studied acting at HB StudioHB Studio Alumni in New York City. Ellis has a twin brother named Mark Ellis, who is the Executive Director of the International Bar Association.
Before he became a director, Ellis was a successful stage actor; he performed on Broadway in the original casts of the 1980 original musical Musical Chairs and The Rink with Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera.Ellis Nassour. "Scott Ellis Is an Actor's Director". Playbill date: November 19, 2008 accessed: March 8, 2016
He has directed numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway productions, as well as the New York City Opera Company revivals at the New York State Theater of A Little Night Music (1990) and 110 in the Shade (1992).
Ellis has been the Associate Artistic Director for the Roundabout Theatre since 1998."Scott Ellis Takes a New Roundabout Post" The New York Times (webcache), September 4, 1998
He has been nominated for the Tony Award as Best Director nine times for a revival of She Loves Me (1994), Steel Pier (1997), a revival of 1776 (1998), Twelve Angry Men (2005), Curtains (2007), a revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2013), a revival of You Can't Take It with You (2015), another revival of She Loves Me (2016), and Tootsie (2019). He received the 1991 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Director of a Musical, for And The World Goes Round. He won the Olivier Award as Best Director, Musical, for She Loves Me."Olivier Awards, 1995" olivierawards.com, retrieved October 24, 2017
He was the executive producer for the television drama Weeds on Showtime, and has directed television episodes of Modern Family, Nurse Jackie, The Good Wife, Hung, 30 Rock, Desperate Housewives, The Closer and Frasier. He received an Emmy Award nomination in 2007 for directing the episode "The Break-Up" of the comedy series 30 Rock.
In 2010, Playbill announced that Ellis was expected to direct upcoming musical adaptations of the 1930s films The Blue Angel and Little Miss Marker. Both would have books by David Thompson.Robert Simonson. "Scottsboro Librettist David Thompson Working on New Musicals With Stew, Scott Ellis". Playbill, date: April 1, 2010 accessed: March 8, 2016
He played the role of Leonard Bernstein's manager Harry Kraut in the biopic Maestro (2023).
Credits Stage As actor Year Title Role Notes1978GreaseDoody1980Musical ChairsSally's Boyfriend1984The RinkVarious1987Billy Bishop Goes to WarBilly Bishop
As director Year Title Notes1991And the World Goes 'Round1993She Loves Me 1995A Month in the Country1997Steel Pier199717761998Present Laughter 1999The Rainmaker 2002The Man Who Had All the Luck2002The Boys from Syracuse2004Twelve Angry Men2006The Little Dog Laughed2007Curtains2011Gruesome Playground Injuries2012Harvey2012The Mystery of Edwin Drood2014You Can't Take It with You2014The Elephant Man2015On the Twentieth Century2016She Loves Me2019Kiss Me, Kate2019Tootsie2022Take Me Out2024Doubt2025Pirates: The Penzance Musical
Television Year Title Notes2000–04Frasier2003Charlie Lawrence2005–06Hope & Faith 2005Out of Practice2005–06Stacked2006–0930 Rock 2007–09The Closer2008Desperate Housewives 2008–11Weeds2009Trust Me2009Hung2009Nurse Jackie2009The Good Wife Episode: "Home"2010Running Wilde 2010–11Modern Family 2011Mad Love 2011–132 Broke Girls2012Guys with Kids2012–13The New Normal 2013–14The Michael J. Fox Show 2013Dads Episode: "Comic Book Issues" 2014Mixology Episode: "Dominic & Stacey"2014Undateable2015Us & Them Episode: "Upstairs & Downstairs" 2015One Big Happy Episode: "Pilot"2015–16Dr. Ken 2017Superior Donuts 2017–23The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel2017A Christmas Story Live! 2018Divorce2019Fam 2019–20Carol's Second Act 2020–21All Rise 2020Tommy Episode: "Cause of Death"2021–22B Positive2022East New York2022–23Julia2025Etoile2026Elsbeth2 episodes
References Notes
Bibliography
"PLAYBILL.COM'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER with Scott Ellis" by Ernio Hernandez, Playbill.com, January 26, 2006 Ellis Bio American Theatre Wing
External links