ATX Television Festival Announces Opening Night, With The World Premiere Of Usa's New Original Drama Series “Complications”

ATX TELEVISION FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES OPENING NIGHT, WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF USA’S NEW ORIGINAL DRAMA SERIES “COMPLICATIONS”

ATX’s Second Annual Achievement in Television Excellence Award Recipient Who Will Also Participate in a Career-Spanning Conversation with Phil Rosenthal, Is Television Icon James L. Brooks, And a Panel on the History “The Simpsons” with Producers Al Jean, Matt Selman and David Silverman

Newly Added Panels Include NBC’s “Hannibal,” with Creator Bryan Fuller; Fox Comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” with Creator Dan Goor and Members of the Cast; A “Cancelled Too Soon” Screening for Amy Sherman Palladino’s “Bunheads;” A 25-Year Anniversary Screening of Marta Kauffman’s HBO Series “Dream On;” And a “Dawson’s Creek” Pilot Script Reading Presented by Kevin Williamson

Austin, TX – April 9, 2015 — ATX Television Festival announces the opening night of this year’s festival with the premiere of USA Network’s new original drama series “Complications,” from creator and executive producer Matt Nix (“Burn Notice”), who will be joined by members of the cast. In addition, the season five premiere of USA’s hit series “Suits” will take place later in the weekend. ATX Television Festival will be back for a fourth year June 4-7, 2015, in Austin, TX.

ATX is honored to announce this year’s Achievement in Television Excellence Award recipient, television legend James L. Brooks. Presenting the award to Mr. Brooks will be ATX Television Festival Co-Executive Directors and Founders Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson. He will also participate in a conversation spanning his career hosted by Phil Rosenthal, and a panel on the unique 27-year history and evolution of “The Simpsons” with producers and writers Al Jean, Matt Selman and David Silverman. This marks the second year this award has been given; last year’s recipient was television icon Henry Winkler.

“As a continuation of our commitment to honoring the history of television at the festival, we are humbled and incredibly grateful that the legendary James L. Brooks has agreed to accept our second annual Achievement in Television Excellence Award,” said McFarland and Gipson. “With a career spanning 50 years, Mr. Brooks has created some of the most memorable programs on television, from ‘Mary Tyler Moore,’ to ‘Taxi’ and ‘The Simpsons,’ making him just as much a part of where television has come from as where it’s going.”

Additional panels and screenings were also announced, including NBC’s “Hannibal,” with creator and executive producer Bryan Fuller; Fox’s comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” with creator and executive producer Dan Goor, along with members of the cast; a “cancelled too soon” screening for Amy Sherman Palladino’s ABC Family series “Bunheads,” featuring Palladino and members of The Season Five Premiere of USA’s Hit Series “Suits;” the cast; a 25-year anniversary screening of Marta Kauffman’s HBO series “Dream On,” featuring Kauffman and members of the cast; and a “Dawson’s Creek” pilot script reading, the first of its kind for the festival, presented by creator and executive producer Kevin Williamson, with special surprise guests reading the roles.

USA Network will kick off this year’s festival with the premiere of the new drama series “Complications” on opening night. Along with creator and executive producer Matt Nix, cast members Jessica Szohr and Beth Riesgraf will be in attendance as well. “Complications” premieres on USA on June 18.

As a presenting network sponsor of this year’s festival, USA will also host the season five premiere of “Suits” that weekend, along with a previously announced panel for their comedy series “Playing House,” featuring stars and creators Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham. “Suits” debuts on USA on June 24, and “Playing House” on August 4.

A premiere screening for NBC’s “Hannibal” will feature an exclusive sneak peak of episode two of this new season, along with a discussion with creator and executive producer Bryan Fuller. The series returns for a third season on NBC on June 4.

Fox’s comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” will be featured with creator and executive producer Dan Goor, along with cast members Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero. Additional cast may be announced at a later time.

Amy Sherman Palladino, who is part of the previously announced “Gilmore Girls” reunion, will also be hosting a “cancelled too soon” screening for her ABC Family series “Bunheads,” with cast members Kelly Bishop, Stacey Oristano and Sutton Foster (TV Land’s “Younger”). Marta Kauffman, who was previously announced as an attendee, will present a 25-year anniversary screening of the HBO series “Dream On,” which she co-created with David Crane in 1990. Kauffman will be joined by series star Brian Benben, casting director Tracy Lilienfield, and director Betty Thomas.

“Dawson’s Creek” creator Kevin Williamson, who is part of the previously announced “Dawson’s Creek” writers room reunion, will present a special “Dawson’s Creek” pilot script reading, the first of its kind for ATX, with special surprise guests reading the roles.

This programming joins previously announced panels “Boomtown,” “Boy Meets Girl Meets World,” the “Dawson’s Creek” writers room reunion, “Drunk History’s History,” “The Fosters,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Journeyman,” “Justified,” “Playing House,” “Power,” “Queer as Folk,” and “Wayward Pines” at this year’s festival, along with panelists Beau Willimon (“House of Cards”), Phil Rosenthal (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), Noah Hawley (“Fargo”) and Marta Kauffman (“Friends”).

Additional programming, panels and panelists will be announced at a later date. For the latest developments, tickets and badges visit the ATX Television Festival official site www.atxfestival.com and follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

For co-promotion, please link to @ATXFestival #ATXTV4 on Twitter.

About the ATX Television Festival
Our focus is on the celebration of the television medium: looking back at its history, where it is now, and where it is headed. Our weekend consists of events where attendees can interact with actors, writers, directors, creators, showrunners, music supervisors, casting directors and studio executives involved in all stages of bringing their favorite series to the small screen. We have all the functionality of a traditional film festival – spotlighting classic shows, never aired pilots, cancelled too soon series, cult favorites, current hits, and premieres of new series. In addition, we focus on episode screenings with Q&A’s from the cast and creators; panels focused on industry related topics like streaming and innovative outlets to continue production outside of the network/studio system; and will include parties, live music, meet-ups, social media events, and “super secret happy hours.” Ultimately, ATX has the goal of serving both the community and industry professionals equally by giving them the opportunity to discuss and celebrate all aspects of TV.

PRESS CONTACTS:
Alison Rou, Communications and Branding
(213) 393-3038
AlisonRou@AnchorMediaStrategy.com

Brandy Fons and Chet Whitmore, Festival Publicists
(310) 809-8882 (512) 993-0106
brandy@fonspr.com chet@fonspr.com