After graduating from Carnegie Mellon, obtained Equity card working at Pittsburgh's Civic Light Opera

Moved to NYC; landed role in a touring company of "Miss Saigon"

Toured as Billy Bigelow in "Carousel"; staged by Nicholas Hytner

Portrayed a young reporter in love in the play "Lucky in the Rain"

Had leading role as Erwin 'Chopin' Bootz, in the musical by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, "Harmony"

Played a dramatic role in the six-hour stage adaptation of "The Cider House Rules" at Los Angeles' Mark Taper Center

Played the lead role of Jamie, the fact-checker and would-be writer in the Off-Broadway stage musical "Bright Lights, Big City"

Cast as part of an ensemble in the short-lived Broadway musical "The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm"

Played the lead in the stage musical "The Full Monty"; originated part at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre before reprising it on Broadway; earned Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical

Made film debut in "My Sister's Wedding"

Returned to Broadway as Curly in the revival of "Oklahoma!"; earned Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical

Portrayed Joe Pitt in the HBO miniseries adaptation of Tony Kushner's award-winning "Angels in America"; directed by Mike Nichols; received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations in 2004 for Supporting Actor in a Miniseries

Portrayed Raoul in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," the screen adaptation of the long-running stage musical

Played a a sexual predator, opposite Ellen Page in the psychological thriller "Hard Candy"

Starred in the Broadway revival of Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park"

Co-starred in Todd Field's "Little Children," opposite Kate Winslet and Jennifer Connelly

Appeared in the Broadway revival of "All My Sons"

Co-starred with Kerry Washington as an interracial couple being harassed by a racist cop in Neil LaBute's "Lakeview Terrace"

Cast as Nite Owl II in the film adaptation of the graphic novel, "Watchmen"