Meet the creative team
Telly kousakis Director
Telly Kousakis is a Los Angeles–based writer, director, actor, intimacy coordinator, and former mime with a deep fluency in storytelling. A veteran of both stage and screen, his writing credits include network hits like Glee, Scream Queens, and 9-1-1, while his stage directing work includes productions of The Dining Room and Assistance. As an actor, he’s appeared in Glee, Arrested Development, and the webseries We Don’t Hate It Here.
On stage, Telly has brought to life roles in Fiddler on the Roof, Hay Fever, Fifth of July and Twelfth Night, and is a founding member of the experimental movement trio The Maltman Twins.
Raised in the orbit of Hollywood— his father a renown television producer, his grandfather the legendary Telly Savalas — Telly developed an early reverence for narrative. Combining an insider lens on fame, facade, and familial dysfunction with his background in performance and an instinct for character-driven work, Telly loves finding both precision and play in stories that slip between confession and spectacle.
Also: he’s seen every episode of The Real Housewives, which is the only credential that matters.
Nicholas lanzisera Choreographer
Nick Lanzisera is a celebrated performer, choreographer, and contemporary movement artist whose work spans film, television, music, and global stages. Known for his fluid yet precise style, Nick’s on-screen dance credits include High School Musical 2 & 3, Glee, Rent: Live on Fox, True Blood, and the Fame and Footloose film remakes. He’s performed with industry icons such as Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, and Katy Perry, and appeared on world stages from The Oscars to The Grammys. Most recently, he completed a world tour with Sia and delivered a show-stopping performance with Chappell Roan at the MTV VMAs.
As an educator, Nick is revered for his innovative, emotionally rich movement language. He has been a resident instructor at both Millennium Dance Complex and the legendary EDGE Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, and continues to teach worldwide through conventions and international workshops. As a choreographer, he’s contributed original work to series like Baby Daddy and Guys with Kids, as well as the Oscar-winning documentary LoveTrue. With over a decade of experience shaping the next generation of dancers, Nick’s influence can be seen across today’s commercial and contemporary dance landscapes.