never appeared in a drama, let alone a musical. The hesitant thespian was being far too modest—as his family’s theatrical tradition and his enjoyment of the limelight on the various stages of his previous schools demonstrated.
It is testimony to the actor’s ability to disguise his real self, to play a role, that even now, the same school friends who encouraged him to audition for
Guys and Dolls
at Glen Ridge High are stunned by the knowledge that he had been performing for much of his life. “I didn’t have a clue that he had acted before,” says former school friend Pamela Senif, her shock matched by other thespian school friends. “Wow, I didn’t know that. As far as we were concerned, it was the first time he was in a play,” his friends chorused.
Eventually he was persuaded to go for an audition. Under the critical gaze of the show’s musical director, Nancy Tiritilli, and director, Bill D’Andrea, he sang a couple of songs and read from the script. His friend Cathy Carella was watching the audition and knew immediately that he was going to get the lead of Nathan Detroit. “People were blown away by how good he was. He was a natural. I knew he was going to be famous.” As far as she is concerned, he read from the script without any trouble, echoing the view of his contemporaries that if he had any reading difficulties, he disguised them extremely well.
Before he formally accepted the part of Nathan, he asked permission from his wrestling coach to make sure that he was not needed for the team. Then he began a transformation that would change his school status—and his life—forever. In the beginning, seasoned performers Steve Pansulla, whohad the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson, and Kathy Gauli, who played Agatha, gave him tips on how to handle himself onstage. “Just be yourself, act natural,” Steve told him. “Forget about the audience and don’t be nervous.” Steve, his self-appointed mentor, encouraged him even as Tom was saying that he just couldn’t handle the part.
His diffidence soon evaporated. The cast had not been rehearsing long before they began to realize that they were watching a star being born. “As everyone says, he was a natural from the beginning,” recalls Kathy Gauli. “He could sing and act, it was almost effortless for him. It was amazing. It was really something to watch this creative seed being planted and a natural talent emerging.”
It was not long either before those qualities that have become his trademark—an ability to focus, a fiery intensity, and a relentless professionalism—began to surface. Just as he demonstrated an easy command of the stage, he visibly grew in self-assurance among his peers. The cocky leader of the pack from Ottawa and Louisville now came swaggering back. Even his erstwhile guide Steve Pansulla felt the lash of his tongue. During one rehearsal Tom and his fellow actors were told to use the school cafeteria. At the moment when Steve, as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, was due on the improvised stage, he missed his cue. Without missing a beat, Tom, as Nathan Detroit, said, “Nicely, get your fat ass out here.” Fellow actors didn’t know if it was a performance or if Tom was genuinely annoyed at his buddy. They found Steve in the kitchen raiding the ice cream freezer. “He just didn’t goof around like the others,” recalls Phil Travisano. “He was deadly serious.”
When
Guys and Dolls
was performed in April 1980, the school’s theater was packed with family, friends, and well-wishers. Phil Travisano’s father, Ronald, a commercial film director, came along to support his son. The movie professional was so “blown away” by Tom Mapother’s performance that he went backstage and told him that he should take up acting seriously. “He was awesome. Most high-school students are self-conscious and just plain bad. He was fluid, outside of himself, and not hung up on who he was.”
Opinions vary about how Tom Mapother got his first foot
It is testimony to the actor’s ability to disguise his real self, to play a role, that even now, the same school friends who encouraged him to audition for
Guys and Dolls
at Glen Ridge High are stunned by the knowledge that he had been performing for much of his life. “I didn’t have a clue that he had acted before,” says former school friend Pamela Senif, her shock matched by other thespian school friends. “Wow, I didn’t know that. As far as we were concerned, it was the first time he was in a play,” his friends chorused.
Eventually he was persuaded to go for an audition. Under the critical gaze of the show’s musical director, Nancy Tiritilli, and director, Bill D’Andrea, he sang a couple of songs and read from the script. His friend Cathy Carella was watching the audition and knew immediately that he was going to get the lead of Nathan Detroit. “People were blown away by how good he was. He was a natural. I knew he was going to be famous.” As far as she is concerned, he read from the script without any trouble, echoing the view of his contemporaries that if he had any reading difficulties, he disguised them extremely well.
Before he formally accepted the part of Nathan, he asked permission from his wrestling coach to make sure that he was not needed for the team. Then he began a transformation that would change his school status—and his life—forever. In the beginning, seasoned performers Steve Pansulla, whohad the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson, and Kathy Gauli, who played Agatha, gave him tips on how to handle himself onstage. “Just be yourself, act natural,” Steve told him. “Forget about the audience and don’t be nervous.” Steve, his self-appointed mentor, encouraged him even as Tom was saying that he just couldn’t handle the part.
His diffidence soon evaporated. The cast had not been rehearsing long before they began to realize that they were watching a star being born. “As everyone says, he was a natural from the beginning,” recalls Kathy Gauli. “He could sing and act, it was almost effortless for him. It was amazing. It was really something to watch this creative seed being planted and a natural talent emerging.”
It was not long either before those qualities that have become his trademark—an ability to focus, a fiery intensity, and a relentless professionalism—began to surface. Just as he demonstrated an easy command of the stage, he visibly grew in self-assurance among his peers. The cocky leader of the pack from Ottawa and Louisville now came swaggering back. Even his erstwhile guide Steve Pansulla felt the lash of his tongue. During one rehearsal Tom and his fellow actors were told to use the school cafeteria. At the moment when Steve, as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, was due on the improvised stage, he missed his cue. Without missing a beat, Tom, as Nathan Detroit, said, “Nicely, get your fat ass out here.” Fellow actors didn’t know if it was a performance or if Tom was genuinely annoyed at his buddy. They found Steve in the kitchen raiding the ice cream freezer. “He just didn’t goof around like the others,” recalls Phil Travisano. “He was deadly serious.”
When
Guys and Dolls
was performed in April 1980, the school’s theater was packed with family, friends, and well-wishers. Phil Travisano’s father, Ronald, a commercial film director, came along to support his son. The movie professional was so “blown away” by Tom Mapother’s performance that he went backstage and told him that he should take up acting seriously. “He was awesome. Most high-school students are self-conscious and just plain bad. He was fluid, outside of himself, and not hung up on who he was.”
Opinions vary about how Tom Mapother got his first foot
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