NR: Do you have a dream role you haven't played yet?

TZ: I've got to tell you. Chauvelin is pretty much my shtick. That's sort of my thing. The crazy bad boy, power hungry bad boy. I just did Elmer Gantry and I really enjoyed that. That was a great role. I would love to do Sweeney Todd. I would love to do a musical version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

NR: All the nuts. You like playing nuts?

TZ: LOVE the nuts.

NR: Do you like having a singing role, or would you prefer to do one that's just dramatic?

TZ: I would love just to do a dramatic role because the singing is a lot of responsibility. You can do all your homework and everything else, but you can't smoke any cigars and you can't stay up late and you must take immaculate care of yourself or else those high notes aren't going to be there - for me anyway. Other people can do whatever the hell they want and the voice is there. I have to be disciplined which is too bad because I like not being disciplined. It's a tradeoff.

I've been taking good care of myself lately. I had an audition today and it went well and I walked out of the audition and I thought, "Yeah, I guess it went well because I've been taking good care of myself and not having much fun. I sang good. I guess that's my reward for not having any fun."

NR: A lot of people say the same thing. Stephanie (Bast) told me that she's "such a nerd." That's why she has high notes because she just goes home.

TZ: Yeah, well, I've got a pretty checkered past so I have some experience to draw on. In between musical roles I go out and raise some hell.

NR: Have you had any interaction with the League since you've been here, and what has that been like?

TZ: You know, not really. I had bad experiences at Les Miz with getting involved with anything. I had people following me home. I had people calling me. So, I've really got sort of a paranoid attitude about it. Even with this show I've had people call me at home. I don't know what it is. I think what it is - I look a little crazy. I've got a little crazy thing going on and I think people that are crazy decide that I'm their kindred spirit and that I'm going to understand them. But, there was this girl at Les Miz and she would come to the theater every day, whether she saw the show or not, and she would follow me.

NR: Oh, that's scary.

TZ: I've sort of kept arm's distance.

NR: Well, the League members that I know would never do anything like that. In fact, they would jump on anyone who did it.

TZ: You know, it seems to me that they don't. It seems like a nice group and I've made eye contact and said, "Hello" but I'm just terrified of the whole thing. When they would call me, I would tell them that if they want to contact me, they should write to the theater. It's not appropriate to call people at home. I had to tell this one girl not to come to Chicago when I went to do Elmer Gantry.

So, there's a lady named Sue, and she comes to the show a lot. She seems very nice and I just saw her on the way in tonight. She seems very nice and I have no problem with that. It's just that I have, not a ton of them, but a few bad experiences and also because I think I play the characters like Grantaire - he's sort of the outcast, he sees things differently. These are the characters that I tend to do well so I think the people that feel that way sort of relate to me somehow.

NR: What's the best advice that you were given about your career?

TZ: The advice that I was given was by my dad, my foster dad actually. I said this is what I want to do and he said, "If you don't try it, you'll regret it the rest of your life." I would say I think that's true about everything.

NR: So he didn't discourage you? He didn't say, "It's a horrible field. Don't do that?"

TZ: It IS a horrible field. (laughs) It's a horrible field and you end up doing things you don't want to do. You end up taking jobs you don't want to take. You're very lucky if you eke your way through and you're gloriously lucky if you have a little artistic satisfaction, but what's the point if you're not going to try to achieve what you want?

NR: So, other than raising hell, what else do you wish you had more time for?

TZ: I love building stuff. You saw the picture of the bed I made. They're going to sell it for fifteen hundred bucks. I love building furniture. I've actually supported myself with that little bit in between jobs. That's sort of my hobby.

NR: What's ahead for the future?

TZ: Well, I guess we'll know in a couple of weeks what's going on with this place.

NR: What about long term? Where do you see yourself five years from now?

TZ: I think that I'm starting to move...my type has always been leading man. I'm finally at a point with my age that I can start playing these roles, which is why I think I'm starting to get the roles like Elmer Gantry. Prior to then, I was a leading man who was 25 years old. There's a difference between a young leading man - the kind of guy that's going to get cast as Marius. I'm not a Marius. I'm a man who is just getting old enough to play men. Hopefully, my career will continue. I feel like I'm in a great place and everything's good.

NR: Great. Thanks.

TZ: You're welcome.

Tom plays a rather fierce, smouldering Chauvelin which is fascinating to watch. Considering the fact that he claims Chauvelin's keys are now a bit high for him, he does such a beautiful job that I would love to hear him sing the songs in keys that are more comfortable for him. He was very interesting to speak with and I wish him the best of luck in the future.

Questions suggested by:

Stephanie Henkin, Naomi Solomon, Josie, Emily, Renee Girard, Pat Wafer, Susan Luchey, Meg Deans, Bettina Pagalilauan, Lois and Elizabeth Colpo, Nesha Sellers, Mandy Shekleton, Anne Teitelbaum, Chauvelinrex

Interview conducted and photographs by Nancy Rosati.