He’s raising twins at home and triplets on stage.
Meet Mr. Multiples, Scott Ellis, the busiest director on Broadway this season.
In a rare theatrical hat trick, Ellis has staged a trio of revivals — the fizzy musical comedy “On the Twentieth Century,” which starts previews Feb. 12, the vintage comedy “You Can’t Take It With You,” closing Feb.22, and the Victorian-era drama “The Elephant Man,” closing Feb. 21.
For a week and a half, all three shows will run simultaneously. It’s an impressive feat, but the threepeat was unplanned, according to the Tony- and Emmy-nominated director.
“You can barely figure what your next job will be and when,” says Ellis, 57, who landed “You Can’t Take It With You” when another director had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. “How this has all worked and overlapped is pretty remarkable.”
And challenging. His secret? Being organized and methodical and anticipating issues before they arrive. Ellis and his domestic partner, Scott Drummond, an actor, rely on the same formula when it comes their 5-year-olds, Parker and Charlotte.
“The night before ‘The Elephant Man’ opened, we had a sleepover for 12 kids,” Ellis says. Pancakes for breakfast were made the day before. “Being organized is the key,” he adds.
So is picking the right collaborators. “I get to choose the people I work with,” Ellis says. “At least 95% is casting.”
His current slate of shows marks a number of reunions. He directed Anna Chlumsky, who’s joined the cast of “You Can’t Take It With You,” in a TV pilot that didn’t fly. He worked with Richard Thomas, who now plays Chlumsky’s fireworks-mad father, in “Twelve Angry Men” on Broadway.
Ellis has been friends with “Elephant Man” star Bradley Cooper since the actor’s “Alias” days. And he cast Kristin Chenoweth, who stars with Peter Gallagher in the Roundabout’s “Twentieth Century,” in “Steel Pier” in 1997.
Ellis made his directing debut on Broadway in ’93 with “She Loves Me.” His TV credits include “30 Rock,” Frasier” and “The Closer.” He prides himself on creating a comfortable environment that lets creative juices flow.
Ask Chlumsky. “Scott doesn’t miss a beat,” she says. “You know when he’s watching that he’s taking care of you and the entire picture. That’s why it’s so easy to feel safe in his hands. He knows you’ve got him and you know he’s got you.”
Ellis concurs. “My directing style has changed over the years,” he says. “I allow things to breathe a lot more. Actors are smart. They have to feel safe enough to fall and to get back up. My job is to make sure they don’t get hurt.”
Ellis’ summer projects are outside New York. He’ll direct “The Comedy of Errors,” his first Shakespeare production, in San Diego. And “The Elephant Man” is headed to London. “It’s in discussion,” he says. “It looks like it will happen.”
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THE QUOTABLE SCOTT ELLIS
Director Scott Ellis shines a light on three of his stars:
James Earl Jones , Grandpa in “You Can’t Take It With You” — “James Earl Jones had never done a comedy before. He was learning how to ride a laugh and that was challenging.”
Bradley Cooper, the title character in “The Elephant Man” — “We were on the same page about this production from the start, about keeping it small-scale. Bradley’s star keeps rising but he’s still the same guy I know. He’s about the work, nothing else.”
Kristin Chenoweth, movie goddess Lily Garland in “On the Twentieth Century” — “You can’t do that show without your Lily. Kristin’s got an incredible voice and she’s funny. You believe she’s a woman who rose to being a star.”
