He is known for his role playing PAA John Irvin, a principal administrative assistant, on the ABC television drama NYPD Blue.
[1] Theatre credits for Brochtrup include David Marshall Grant's Snakebit (off-Broadway at the Century Center and in Los Angeles at the Coast Playhouse), South Coast Repertory (Noises Off, Taking Steps, The Real Thing), The Antaeus Company[4] (Peace In Our Time, The Malcontent, Cousin Bette, Tonight at 8.30, Sinan Unel's Pera Palas), Black Dahlia Theatre (Jonathan Tolins' Secrets of the Trade, Richard Kramer's Theater District, both directed by Matt Shakman), The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble (Bach at Leipzig, Small Tragedy), L.A. Theatre Works (The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial), and Pasadena Playhouse (If Memory Serves).
He has appeared on television shows as varied as Dexter, Without a Trace, the animated children's series The Wild Thornberrys (as the voice of a dolphin), Major Crimes (as Dr. Joe Bowman), and Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown.
He has hosted AIDS Walks across the country, supports animal rescue organizations like the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and has travelled the Persian Gulf, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Germany, Japan, Bosnia and Kosovo meeting servicemen and women during Handshake Tours for the United Service Organizations (USO) and Armed Forces Entertainment.
He said, "[C]asting directors have known [that] for years," and assured that being gay would have no "adverse effect" on his career, even with potential typecasting.