EXCLUSIVE: ATX TV Festival is rounding out the programming for its Season 15 lineup, which will now include a panel featuring the creators and cast of The Paper as well as a Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed screening and Q&A.
The beloved annual script reading is returning, this year as an ode to I Love Lucy. In celebration of the series’ 75th anniversary, a guest cast will perform a series of live script readings of a few episodes. The cast will be revealed at a later date.
There will also be a sit-down with Lisa Katz (President, Scripted Content, NBC & Peacock) and Erin Underhill (President, Universal Television) and the return of the annual Universal Studio Group Presents: Funny AF.
Longtime casting partners Sherry Thomas and Sharon Bialy will receive the first ever Collaborator Award, to be presented to “two or more individuals who have made a significant impact on television – and pop culture as whole – through their creative partnership, and who illustrate the ways in which collaboration is essential to the communal nature of television.”
The duo have been responsible for Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, The Righteous Gemstones, The Handmaid’s Tale, Barry, Better Call Saul, Halt and Catch Fire, The Four Seasons, Pluribus, and The Testaments, among many others. They’ll be joined by some of their collaborators across other projects for a conversation during the festival.
Also, there are new guests joining previously announced panels. Friday Night Lights star Scott Porter and executive producer Sarah Aubrey are now set for the 20-year reunion. That will surely be one of the highlights of the festival.
The creators and cast of Everybody Loves Raymond are also getting together for a 30th anniversary event that will now feature the writers from the sitcom, including Tom Caltabiano, Tucker Cawley, Mike Royce, Lew Schneider, Steve Skrovan, and Aaron Shure.
Below are all the details for the additional programming. ATX TV Festival Season 15 takes place May 28 to 31 in Austin, Texas. See more previously announced programming here and here.
The Paper – Go behind the scenes of Peacock and Universal Television’s The Paper with the creators and cast of Peacock’s critically acclaimed series. Panelists will talk about the fandom of season 1 and what viewers can expect for season 2.
A Conversation with Lisa Katz & Erin Underhill – Lisa Katz (President, Scripted Content, NBC & Peacock) and Erin Underhill (President, Universal Television) sit down for a cross‑platform look at how NBC, Peacock, and Universal Television build on cornerstone brands—from Dick Wolf’s powerhouse franchises to NBC’s enduring comedy legacy—while celebrating NBC’s 100th anniversary.
Universal Studio Group Presents: Funny AF – This annual must-see, laugh-packed panel celebrates the boldest voices in television comedy. Funny AF brings together top showrunners, creators, and actors from NBCUniversal for an unfiltered conversation about the craft, the business, and the beautiful chaos of making great comedy. Whether you’re an industry insider or a devoted fan, Funny AF delivers a front-row seat to the voices shaping the future of comedy — and the laughs that keep us coming back for more.
NBC 100 Presents: Investigating the Legacy of Procedurals – Procedurals are television comfort food — precise, propulsive, and endlessly watchable. But behind every twist, interrogation, and final reveal is a finely tuned machine of storytelling. Hear from the legendary talent of your favorite NBC procedurals as they share anecdotes from set and what it is like to work on the most iconic shows on television.
Apple TV presents Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Screening and Q&A Creator and Cast – The series follows Paula (Tatiana Maslany), a newly divorced mom who falls down a dangerous rabbit hole of blackmail, murder and youth soccer after becoming convinced that she witnessed a crime. Following the screening, creator/executive producer David Rosen and cast members Tatiana Maslany, Brandon Flynn and Murray Bartlett will join for a conversation.
Collaborator Award: Sherry Thomas & Sharon Bialy – The award aims to recognize two or more individuals who have made a significant impact on television – and pop culture as whole – through their creative partnership, and who illustrate the ways in which collaboration is essential to the communal nature of television. As part of the award presentation, Bialy and Thomas will be joined by several of their associates and collaborators from across their projects for a conversation about their ongoing partnership, the collaborative process of casting, and their impact on so many iconic series, as well as television as whole.
“I Love Lucy” 75th Anniversary Script Reading – The Festival will feature a live script reading of classic episodes from I Love Lucy, with guest actors stepping into the iconic roles, in celebration of the beloved series’ 75th Anniversary.
How to Cast a Procedural (and Get Away with It) presented by CSA – ATX TV and Casting Society investigate the intricate process of casting your favorite procedural dramas – from the lawyers, doctors, detectives, firefighters, and cops that anchor some of TV’s most-watched and influential series, to the case-of-the-week guest stars who keep these long-running series feeling fresh episode to episode. Confirmed panelists include Eric Souliere, CSA (9-1-1, 9-1-1 Nashville), Veronica Collins Rooney, CSA (Tracker, Fire Country), and Rebecca Mangieri, CSA (Chicago Med, S.W.A.T.), with more to be announced.
Macaroni Art Productions Co-Founders Steve Zahn and Rick Gomez Return to Talk Indie TV and You Belong Here – The duo will give viewers a one-of-a-kind look at the process of producing their first independent series, from pre-production, to production, to post – and what comes after. The pair will also join for a conversation about launching their Macaroni Art Productions banner; their creative goals as actors, directors, producers, and writers; and forging their own unique path to telling the stories they want to tell (and see).
Development In Progress – Texas Monthly executive producer Megan Creydt (Landman), director/executive producer Kat Candler (Little House on the Prairie), and executive producer Dana Honor (Stumble) will discuss the collaboration, highs and lows of the development process – from the earliest stages of developing a series based on IP, to collaborating with an institution like Texas Monthly, to the give and take of getting a new project off the ground and into production.
Friday Night Lights 20th Anniversary Reunion adds Scott Porter and Sarah Aubrey – Friday Night Lights star Scott Porter and executive producer Sarah Aubrey will join the festival’s 20 Year Reunion supported by Austin Film Commission, which will take place Friday, May 29th at the Paramount Theatre. Also featuring cast members Connie Britton, Kyle Chandler, Gaius Charles, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons, and Aimee Teegarden, showrunner/executive producer Jason Katims, executive producer/writer David Hudgins, executive producer/director Jeffrey Reiner, co-executive producer/writer Liz Heldens, and consulting producer/writer Kerry Ehrin.
Everybody Loves Raymond Writers join 30th Anniversary Event – In addition to Phil Rosenthal and star Ray Romano, confirmed participants include writer/producers Tom Caltabiano, Tucker Cawley, Mike Royce, Lew Schneider, Steve Skrovan, and Aaron Shure.
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