What show recently impressed you?
I just saw Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? last week, and I was mesmerized. I started my career in Chicago and enjoyed many tremendous productions at Steppenwolf. In 2000 I portrayed Gibbs in The Ballad of Little Jo there, and it was an honor to grace that stage. Steppenwolf reaffirms its place as one of the world's great theatre companies with this transfer. Tracy Letts and Amy Morton give inspired performances that everyone should see.
What production are you most excited to see?
Glengarry Glen Ross. I've never seen it on stage, but I know it well from doing scenes in many acting classes. Also, the movie is one of my favorites, so I can't wait!
What play/musical would you most like to revive on Broadway, and which role would you want to play?
I would love to do Shenandoah. I grew up in the mountains of Virginia, and I was a history major in college, so it has a special place in my heart. Playing Papa Charlie would be a dream come true. I was lucky to have the opportunity to play the hero Bobby Strong, opposite John Cullum's evil Mr. Cladwell, many times during the Broadway production of Urinetown. John originated Papa Charlie, of course. He is one of my heroes in theatre, onstage and off. Following in his footsteps would be a true honor.
What are your current/upcoming projects?
I am playing Dr. Chilton in Silence! The Musical. The script is very funny, and having the freedom to improv and just have fun with this hilarious cast makes every show exciting and different. Coming up, I'll be playing Tom Watson, the CEO of IBM, in the out-of-town tryout of the new musical Nerds. It's a comedic take on the battle between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs during the rise of the electronic age. I'm also flying across TV and computer screens as the cereal superhero THE CRUNCHY NUT for Kellogg's Crunchy Nut cereal. I never expected to be on a cereal box — that’s usually reserved for world-class athletes or cartoon characters. It's amusing to see myself between Tony the Tiger and Snap, Crackle, and Pop on grocery store shelves. But I love playing unique characters.
