alem ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁He ▁trained ▁in ▁acting ▁at ▁Inter lo chen ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁Arts , ▁obtained ▁his ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan ▁and ▁had ▁further ▁training ▁at ▁the ▁William ▁Es per ▁Studios . ▁ ▁Act ing ▁career ▁B urt ka ▁made ▁his ▁television ▁debut ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁with ▁a ▁guest ▁role ▁on ▁The ▁West ▁Wing ; ▁this ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁guest ▁appearances ▁on ▁ ▁Cross ing ▁Jordan . ▁ ▁B urt ka ▁made ▁his ▁Broadway ▁debut ▁as ▁Tul sa ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁rev ival ▁of ▁Gy ps y , ▁which ▁star red ▁Bern ad ette ▁Peters . ▁He ▁played ▁The ▁Boy ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁premi ere ▁of ▁Edward ▁Al be e ' s ▁The ▁Play ▁About ▁the ▁Baby , ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁Clar ence ▁Der w ent ▁Award ▁for ▁most ▁prom ising ▁male ▁perform er . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁B urt ka ▁origin ated ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Matt ▁in ▁the ▁musical ▁The ▁O pp os ite ▁of ▁Sex ▁and ▁repr ised ▁the ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁work ' s ▁East ▁Coast ▁premi ere ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁B urt ka ▁appeared ▁in ▁seven ▁episodes ▁of ▁How ▁I ▁Met ▁Your ▁Mother ; ▁in ▁all ▁seven ▁such ▁install ments , ▁he ▁played ▁" S co oter ," ▁the ▁former ▁high ▁school ▁boy friend ▁of ▁L ily ▁(