Zachary James fills a tall order at the Oriental this winter as Lurch the butler in a pre-Broadway engagement of the Addams Family Musical. Not hard to spot in the crowd, James sat down for a face-to-face interview Nunn on One.
Windy City Times: How tall are you?
Zachary James: Six [ feet ] six...
WCT: I just heard that you did a show in town besides the Addams Family.
ZACHARY JAMES: Yes. It's an opera with musical theater and artsong as well. I just did one performance.
WCT: What's your favorite opera?
ZACHARY JAMES: Der Rosenkavalier. I run an opera company in New Yorkan independent funky opera troupe called Metropolis. The goal is make opera financially accessible.
WCT: What's your theater background?
ZACHARY JAMES: I went to Florida State and Ithaca College. I went to University of Tennessee for opera.
WCT: I grew up in Tennessee. You were in [ the musical ] South Pacific?
ZACHARY JAMES: Yes. It was a beautiful show and amazing tour. They needed a bass for the show and that is how I ended up there.
WCT: How was your experience being on [ the TV show ] 30 Rock?
ZACHARY JAMES: It was my first on camera job. To work with Tina Fey on such a successful show was amazing.
WCT: How did you get involved with The Addams Family?
ZACHARY JAMES: It was the same casting director as South Pacific. Bernie Telsey who casts a lot of shows in New York called me and asked me to do the first table read for the show. There were three or four subsequent readings. They kept calling and asked me to do it.
WCT: So you didn't even have to audition?
ZACHARY JAMES: I did have one formal audition where I had to go sing, because at the table read, we didn't sing at all.
WCT: Does Lurch have a solo?
ZACHARY JAMES: I cannot say.
WCT: Well, I will have to see the show then. So you are going to be in Chicago for a while?
ZACHARY JAMES: Until Jan. 10. It's a beautiful city. I have never been here. I have not left the four-block radius yet.
The Addams Family: A New Musical spooks and kooks into the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph. Tickets for the show run through Jan. 10; visit theaddamsfamilymusical.com .