Fast Chat: Dule Hill stars in 'Stick Fly'

He's not tap dancing. But it's good to be back on Broadway.

So says Dulé Hill, a New Jersey native who got his start understudying Savion Glover in the title role of "The Tap Dance Kid," and later starred in "Shenandoah" and "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk."

Which may come as a surprise to TV viewers who know him as Charlie, assistant to the president in NBC's "The West Wing," or Gus, trusty sidekick to fast-talking, slacker pseudo-psychic James Roday in USA's quirky mystery series "Psych."

In "Stick Fly," a new play by Lydia R. Diamond and produced by Alicia Keys, which opened last month at the Cort Theatre, Hill stars alongside "ER's" Mekhi Phifer, "Cold Case's" Tracie Thoms and star-in-the-making Condola Rashad. The contemporary "dramedy" explores the secrets of a well-off African-American family gathering at their Martha's Vineyard vacation home. Take "The Cosby Show," add "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" And shake.

Hill plays Kent, an adrift son hoping to make it as a novelist . . . no matter what Dad says. He took time out to chat with Newsday contributor Joseph V. Amodio.

Must be nice to be back in New York. You live in L.A. now, right?

Kind of. I always say kind of because my home is there, but I work in Vancouver (shooting "Psych"). So I was in Vancouver for six months, now here six months, then I go back to Vancouver for six months. It'll be a year and a half before I'm back home.

So you first performed the role of Kent in a radio play?

It was in L.A. You stand with mics and script in your hand. And they have a Foley artist, the person making all the sounds of the doors, glasses, a car pulling up -- it was fun. It aired on public radio.

What appealed to you about the role?

Kent's trying to find his space in the world, which I relate to -- I think most people can. He wants to stop worrying about pleasing others -- break out of the mold of who they think he should be. That's tough. Very few people just own who they are.

The show certainly seems to connect with audiences. Do you hear people talking back to the stage?

We feed off that energy. But sometimes it can throw you. If someone has a funny response, y'know, we talk about it offstage. [He chuckles.] "Did you hear what that lady said?!" But that's the joy of theater, in a piece like this where people are engaged. Vocal. Keeps you on your toes.

Was your family like the family in this play?

Well, it's not hard to relate to these characters. . . . They're a dysfunctional family that doesn't deal with things. Most families are like that. But I never went to Martha's Vineyard. My family's from Jamaica. We'd visit there.

It was pure, middle-class, suburban living for you.

Yeah. We didn't have a vacation home with a guesthouse or things like that.

Has Alicia Keys been around? What a drag that must be, huh?

Yeah, it's sooo challenging. [He chuckles.] She's great. She's kind, giving . . . and grounded. Like Martin Sheen -- he's that type of person. And Alicia, beyond the fact that she's obviously talented . . . beautiful . . . all that stuff, she's a good person. I admire that.

What about "Psych"? What's in store next season?

I don't know yet. But I hope Gus can have a relationship that lasts . . . longer than an episode. Two or three episodes would be great. Just a little bit. I'd love that.

I heard you and James Roday ride to work together. And . . . yell at each other?

Ohhh, yeah. I don't know how we started it, but we shoot in Vancouver -- where the show doesn't air -- and nobody knows us. So . . . we like to get Starbucks or these blended smoothies on the way to work, and if one of us goes into the store and comes out with the drinks, then whoever's in the car will wait till a group of people walk by, stick his head out the window and yell -- "GET IN THE CAR!! GET IN THE CAR!! YOU THINK I GOT ALL DAY? I'VE BEEN SITTING OUT HERE WAITING!!" People are shocked. Like, what's happening? One dude's yelling at another dude . . . and the dude actually gets in the car.

So you guys really are buds. Nice.

It's just something that . . . makes us laugh. People probably think we're crazy but . . . we enjoy it.