Biography

Ellis graduated from the Chicago Goodman School of Drama.

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.

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: A Little Night Music (1990) and 110 in the Shade (1992).

Ellis has been the Associate Artistic Director for the Roundabout Theatre since 1998.

He has been nominated for the Tony Award as Best Director seven times: the revival of She Loves Me (1994), Steel Pier (1997), the revival of 1776 (1998), Twelve Angry Men (2005), Curtains (2007), the revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2013), and the revival of You Can't Take It with You (2015). He received the 1991 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Director of a Musical, for And The World Goes Round.

He is 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 is expected to direct upcoming musical adaptations of the 1930s films The Blue Angel and Little Miss Marker. Both will have books by David Thompson.

Work

Stage She Loves Me (2016) On the Twentieth Century (2015) The Elephant Man (2014) starring Bradley Cooper You Can't Take It with You (2014) The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) Harvey (2012) Curtains (2007) The Little Dog Laughed (2006) Twelve Angry Men (2004) The Boys from Syracuse (2002) The Man Who Had All the Luck (2002) The Rainmaker (1999) Present Laughter (1998) 1776 (1997) Steel Pier (1997) A Month in the Country starring Helen Mirren She Loves Me (1993) And The World Goes 'Round (1991) The Rink (1984) (as an actor) Musical Chairs (1980) (as an actor)

Television 30 Rock (2006) Hope & Faith (2005-2006) Out of Practice (2005) Stacked (2005) Frasier (2000-2004) Desperate Housewives (2008) Weeds (2009) Hung (2009) The Good Wife episode "Home" (2009) Modern Family (2009)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]