Titus Burgess

Tituss Burgess (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in several Broadway musicals and is known for his high tenor voice. He is best known for starring as Titus Andromedon on the Netflix comedy series ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' (2015–2020), for which he received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He was also featured in ''Schmigadoon!'' (2023).

On the Broadway stage, Burgess originated the role of Sebastian in ''The Little Mermaid'' and played the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the 2009 revival of ''Guys and Dolls''. In 2023, he played the role of Harold Zidler in ''Moulin Rouge!'' and took over the title role in ''Oh, Mary!'' in March 2025.

Personal life

Born and raised in Athens, Georgia, Burgess attended Cedar Shoals High School where he was active in the theatre program. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Art degree in music. Burgess is gay.
After college, Burgess moved to Orlando, Florida to work at Walt Disney World, where he performed as a vocalist at the Festival of the Lion King at Disney's Animal Kingdom, earning his actors equity card.

Career

2005–2014: Broadway debut

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. Burgess originated the role of Sebastian the Crab in the Broadway musical ''The Little Mermaid'' in 2007 opposite Sierra Boggess, Sean Palmer, and Norm Lewis. Burgess portrayed Nicely-Nicely Johnson, traditionally played by a white actor, in the revival of ''Guys and Dolls'' in 2009. He has also performed in several regional theater productions, including ''The Wiz'' and ''Jesus Christ Superstar''.

Burgess performed at the "Broadway for Obama" benefit concert at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Easton, Pennsylvania on October 20, 2008. He performed at the "Broadway After Dark" benefit concert on October 26, 2008, in New York City, and in a solo concert at Birdland in New York City on July 27, 2009.

In July 2009, he was a performer on the R Family Vacations Summer Cruise. Three months later, he was featured on an episode of the popular web show ''The Battery's Down''. He appeared in Season 5 of ''30 Rock'' as D'Fwan, a member of Tracy Jordan's wife's entourage. He reprised the role in Season 6. He was cast as The Caterpillar in the 2011 Broadway musical '' Wonderland'' in October 2010. A month later he dropped out of the project.

In March 2013, Burgess performed "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the Broadway musical ''Dreamgirls'' at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS fundraising concert Broadway Backwards. He was cast as The Witch, a role traditionally played by a female, in ''Into the Woods'' in a 2015 production by DreamCatcher Theatre, presented in Miami's Carnival Studio Theater at the Adrienne Arsht Center.

2015–2019: ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt''

On March 6, 2015, Netflix released the first season of ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' which stars Burgess in a main role as Titus Andromedon, Kimmy's roommate. He received universal acclaim for his performance, with ''The New York Times'' saying the role was "tailor-made" for him. For his performance in the first season, he received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2015 Critics' Choice Television Awards and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2015 ceremony.

In June 2016, Burgess and Norm Lewis reprised their roles of Sebastian the Crab and King Triton in the Hollywood Bowl concert event of ''The Little Mermaid'' opposite Sara Bareilles, Rebel Wilson, and Darren Criss. He also took a voice role in ''The Angry Birds Movie'' (2016). He also was a guest star judge in the third season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars'' (2017). He also took guest roles in ''Miracle Workers'' (2019) and ''The Good Fight'' (2019).

2020–present: Return to Broadway

From 2020 to 2022, he starred in the musical cartoon series ''Central Park'' as Cole Tillerman, with Leslie Odom Jr., Kristen Bell, Daveed Diggs, Josh Gad, Kathryn Hahn and Stanley Tucci. Burgess starred as Remy in a benefit concert presentation of ''Ratatouille the Musical'', an internet meme that originated on TikTok, inspired by the 2007 Disney/Pixar film. It streamed on TodayTix on January 1, 2021. On December 2, 2021, he played Rooster Hannigan in the NBC special '' Annie Live!''.

In 2023, he played the Narrator in the second season of the Apple TV+ musical comedy series ''Schmigadoon!''. From October 10 to December 17, 2023, he returned to Broadway in ''Moulin Rouge!'' as Harold Zidler. He starred as Mary Todd Lincoln in the Broadway production of ''Oh, Mary!'' for a temporary engagement from March to April 2025. He's set to reprise the role from June to August 2025.Gordon, Davi
Cole Escola Sets Final Oh, Mary! Show; Tituss Burgess Rejoining as Mary Todd Lincoln
TheatreMania, May 5, 2025

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theatre credits

Discography

* ''Jersey Boys'' (2005) Original Cast Recording
* ''Here's To You'' (2006) debut solo studio album, available on iTunes
* '' Disney's The Little Mermaid'' (2008) Original Cast Recording
* ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (2018) Audiobook, narrator
* ''Saint Tituss'' (2019)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Burgess, Tituss
1979 births
20th-century African-American male actors
20th-century African-American male singers
20th-century American LGBTQ people
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American male singers
20th-century American singers
21st-century African-American male actors
21st-century African-American male singers
21st-century American LGBTQ people
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American male singers
21st-century American singers
African-American LGBTQ people
American gay actors
American gay musicians
American LGBTQ singers
American male musical theatre actors
American male singers
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American tenors
LGBTQ people from Georgia (U.S. state)
Living people
Male actors from Georgia (U.S. state)
Musicians from Georgia (U.S. state)
People from Athens, Georgia
University of Georgia alumni