Chicago teen gets big break on Fox's 'Sons of Tucson'

Matthew Levy's first days on the set of the new Fox comedy "Sons of Tucson" were a bit of a shock.

A TV novice, the Chicago teen was taken aback by the sheer number of people involved. And the closed set lacked the audience interaction he'd always enjoyed when he worked on Chicago-area stages in productions like "The Full Monty" at Lincolnshire's Marriott Theatre.

"You don't have the energy that comes from the audience," Levy says. "It takes time to adjust to that."

That's far from the only thing Levy, 16, is adjusting to these days. He was cast in "Sons of Tucson" just a few months ago, whisked off to California for his first semester, and now he's back in class at Chicago's Francis W. Parker School.

"Sons of Tucson" premieres Sunday, March 14. Levy stars as Brandon Gunderson, the oldest of three brothers whose wealthy father has gone to prison. To stay out of foster care, the boys set up house in Tucson and hire a schemer (played by "Reaper" star Tyler Labine) to pose as their dad.

If the sitcom at times feels a little like "Malcolm in the Middle" - another Fox comedy about less-than-angelic boys - there is good reason. The two shows have writers and director Todd Holland in common. In addition, "Sons of Tucson" executive producer Justin Berfield played Malcolm's brother Reese.

Levy sees similarities between the two comedies, but also notes differences.

"There's a lot of the same vibes running through it," he says of his show. "But as the viewers will see it's very, very original."

Levy started acting when he was in the fifth grade. His first role was with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and other parts followed.

He and his family heard about an open casting call for "Sons of Tucson" over the summer. He taped his audition in Chicago and was later invited out to L.A.

One day, his mom called him on his cell phone and urged him to hurry home to get the good news.

"My mom was just so anxious to hear me talk on the phone," he says. "There were tears welling up in her eyes."

Still in high school, Levy spent a semester living in California. He had a guardian with him when his parents couldn't be there and a teacher who helped him keep on top of his work so he could make a smooth transition back to Francis Parker.

"I totally got a wake-up call and a realization of what life would be like after college," he says. "There's a lot of responsibility."

He also had a lot of fun, he says. His character, Brandon, is a laid-back kind of guy.

"I'm like my character in a lot of ways," Levy says. "We both have the easygoing thread. We both are optimists. We both have a unique outlook on the world."

And both get to hang with Tyler Labine.

"He's a really good guy," Levy says of his 31-year-old co-star. "The comedy with him never stops off-camera."

Levy hopes the show's a hit and gets picked up for another season. Yet, he understands that success could change his life drastically - a prospect he finds daunting.

"I've been thinking about it a little," he admits, "but I don't want to get ahead of myself."