Modern Family Star Ty Burrell Planning ‘Gay Date’ With Nice Work’s Matthew Broderick

It’s been over a decade since Modern Family funnyman Ty Burrell appeared on Broadway in MacBeth, but the Emmy winner will soon spend time rubbing elbows with Broadway elite. Not only is Burrell gearing up to film a Modern Family episode with guest star Matthew Broderick, he’s even planning a real-life “gay date” with the Nice Work If You Can Get It leading man.

“I’m a huge fan of his, so I’m very excited about [doing a scene] with him,” Burrell told New York Magazine about his upcoming rendezvous with Broderick. In the episode Burrell's character Phil will go on an “accidental gay date” with the two-time Tony winner, so Burrell is dreaming up ways to take Broderick on a real-life date for practice. “We could do a theater matinee and brunch!”

Burrell, who recently attended the Emmy Awards after being nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, name-checked Tony nominee (and American Horror Story star) Lily Rabe as one of his favorite celeb sightings of the night. “My first exciting theater experience was doing a play of her dad’s, Corners, which became The Dog Problem,” he said. The production of David Rabe's comedy, which premiered at Williamstown Theater Festival in 1998, starred Burrell as Tommy Stones, a kooky mobster.

Fans may have to be patient for Burrell’s return to Broadway, however. In addition to starring on the hit ABC series, he’s got his hands full playing a champion butter sculptor (yes, they exist) opposite Jennifer Garner in a forthcoming movie called—you guessed it—Butter.

See Burrell in Modern Family Wednesday nights on ABC, and catch Butter in theaters beginning October 5.