Video: Will Brill Is Making a Scene in KRAMER/FAUCI and THE MUSICAL

Tony Award winner Will Brill is keeping busy! Following his acclaimed performance as Reg in Stereophonic, the actor is returning to the New York stage in Daniel Fish's Kramer/Fauci, while also starring alongside Rob Lowe and Gillian Jacobs in the new dark comedy film The Musical. He recently caught up with BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge to discuss both projects, his career, and why theatre will always have his heart.

In Kramer/Fauci, Brill stars opposite Thomas J. Ryan as Dr. Anthony Fauci in a theatrical exploration of the historic confrontation between Fauci and activist Larry Kramer during the AIDS crisis. For Brill, the production presents an unusual acting challenge, requiring a level of restraint quite different from his Tony-winning turn in Stereophonic.

"This is a show where I am for the most part planted in one spot and I barely raise my voice and I'm just using the power of ideas to communicate," he explained. "It's really a challenge and it's also really moving and exciting to embody somebody who has that much control over themselves."

Brill is also showing off a very different side of himself in The Musical, in which he plays Doug Leibowitz, a middle school drama teacher whose personal frustrations inspire an elaborate act of theatrical revenge. The film, which also stars Rob Lowe and Gillian Jacobs, holds a particularly special place in Brill's heart, given his own childhood experiences in musical theatre.

"He rallies his students to create something profound in the name of revenge," Brill teased. "And it's really funny, it's really fun. I really was trusted to use all of my powers for this movie and I feel very proud of it. I feel very lucky that I got to do it."

Despite his growing list of screen credits, Brill remains deeply devoted to the stage. Reflecting on what keeps bringing him back to theatre, he shared a perspective that only a performer could have.

"When you are on stage and you're surrounded by other actors, you secretly have the best seat in the house. And so you get to see all of these performances super close up. And in order to earn your keep among them, you have to be doing a good job too."

Watch the full conversation with Richard Ridge to hear more from Brill about working with Daniel Fish, sharing the stage with Thomas J. Ryan, collaborating with Rob Lowe and Gillian Jacobs, his experience playing Roy Cohn in Fellow Travelers, and the unusual place he keeps his Tony Award!