For actors dreaming of working with this renowned company, do you have any advice on how to get “in the door”?

The School at Steppenwolf, general auditions, classes in LA with Steppenwolf teachers, being noticed in plays at other Chicago companies, a job on the staff—I know that people have found work at Steppenwolf through all of these routes.   

Being surrounded by Steppenwolf actors such as John Malkovich, John Mahoney, Joan Allen, Gary Sinise, and Laurie Metcalf was an amazing opportunity for a young actor. Were you at all intimidated? What are the most important lessons you learned working with such talented actors? 

I tried to act like I belonged there from the beginning, but inside I was very nervous.  But all the company members I worked with early on, including Laurie and Gary, as well as all the ones I’ve worked with in succeeding years, have been extremely easy to work with.  It can be a bit of a crazy family at times, but nobody is a bully or a diva;  everyone really cares about making the work as great as it possibly can be, and that has a very reassuring effect—we’re all in it together and we’re all in it for the same reason. 
 

A lot of young actors have trouble handling success. How did you manage to keep such a level head?  

I am not sure it’s accurate that I found “success” or that I kept a level head, but if I’ve shown any amount of humility or grace through the years it’s probably my great luck that I had such wonderful teachers (early on, in high school,) and was privileged to work with such dedicated professionals in Chicago theatres.  They taught me not to consider success (or any result) as being nearly as important as craft, spirit and process.  And a sense of humor, of course. 
 

Last year, you returned to Steppenwolf after a four-year absence to do “The Pillowman.” Why did you wait so long to come back, and what about this particular project attracted you?

The play’s dark comedy, theatrical inventiveness, strangeness, effort to find compassion and humanity even amid the stupidity and cruelty of the world—these things all appealed to me.   The role of Katurian was a challenge I really enjoyed, but I told the theatre I’d be happy to play any of the roles.  It’s a great ensemble play.  No particular reason for the long hiatus from Steppenwolf—I am always hoping for the right play at the right time, and this one worked out perfectly. 
 

Chicago has such an amazing theater community. What do you think sets it apart from New York? 

It’s a lot cheaper to rent a space and put on a play in Chicago than it is in New York.  And if you get a job that pays a few hundred dollars a week in Chicago, that covers a lot more of your expenses than it would in New York. Apart from the economics, when I moved to New York (around 1994) I found the two communities have a lot more in common than some people make out.   
 

What has been most challenging role for you to play so far? 

Katurian in “The Pillowman.”   I didn’t always know how hard I was working, but after the play closed, I was in a fog for about 6 weeks. 
 
 

You played Buzz, the elevator operator, in “The Hudsucker Proxy.” What was it like working with The Coen Brothers? 

It was a very fun, broadly theatrical role. I had a blast and they were extremely nice, helpful and smart.   
 

You seem to choose your roles very carefully. How important is that for an actor? Do you feel it’s more important for an actor to be constantly working, or to be very selective when accepting roles?

I suppose it’s always a very personal balance.  I’ve taken jobs I wasn’t crazy about sometimes, because I need the money, and because being stimulated and making connections can often lead to more work. I’ve only rarely said no.  
 

You are currently appearing on the critically acclaimed show “The Wire” on HBO.  What are the challenges of acting for television versus acting for the stage ?  

The deep process and craft that you employ in the rehearsals and in the nightly repetition of a theatre job provide a way into acting that camera work never can have.   I still feel very naked every time I act on camera.  There’s usually no time for rehearsal or even discussion, so it is like action painting—you don’t know what it will look like.  That’s also its great challenge.  They are both ephemeral in different ways. 
 

How did you land your first theatrical agent? What advice would you give to actors seeking representation? 

I got my first agent when I first started out in the early eighties, still in high school.  Try to find someone who loves what they do—you’ll be talking to them on the phone a lot. 
 

You never relocated to the west coast like a lot of successful actors eventually do. Why not? 

It might still happen someday—I like California.  So far I’ve just followed my intuition, and occasionally followed my wife—I currently live in Cambridge, MA because her work is here. 
 

What is the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you about acting? 

Remember, it’s a job.  Keep life in balance.   
 

You have worked with the some of the best actors in world. You’ve done theater, movies, TV. What other mountains are you looking to conquer? 

I have lots—singing (movie musicals, anyone?), directing, more parts, bigger parts. Like a lot of actors, though, I’ll settle for steady work.  The great thing about acting is that the immense challenge—to be authentic, or really present, or really opened to emotion and transformation—is always there, even in the most mundane assignments.  Seeking spiritual enlightenment is a pretty huge mountain, but sometimes the path is just chopping wood and carrying water.