Acting was not Harris Doran's first career choice. He wanted to be a magician, then an astronaut, but the Challenger space shuttle exploded, which nixed that idea. At age 7 he wanted to be Baryshnikov. His parents didn't quite know how to handle that one. So, at the weighty age of 13 or thereabouts, Doran decided to be an actor.

And his parents, even given his "want to be" track record, actually didn't pass it off as just a phase. Or at least his stepmother didn't, so he was sent to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts on Saturdays.

"She was like, 'Well, if you're going to do this, then you're going to need to know what you're doing,' " Doran says.

The Saturday classes paid off. Doran will perform in Pittsburgh Public Theater's "Amadeus" as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart himself. His list of theater credentials includes performances in "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Hair," "Oliver!" and others. Doran can be spotted on the small screen as well, as he occasionally acts in front of a camera instead of on a stage. "Malcolm in the Middle" fans may have spotted Doran as a guest star. He's also performed in "Exposing the Order of the Serpentine" and "2+1."

This will be the 29-year-old New York City native's second time performing at the Public under the direction of Ted Pappas. Doran played the Emcee in "Cabaret" last year.

"I love that I get to do something so wildly different [from playing the Emcee]. Playing Mozart has been a dream for me. I have a list, and it was the No. 1 thing. Then Ted asked me to do it, and I was, like, 'YES!' It's a challenge in the greatest way. It's such a huge journey. It's exciting to play, and I feel really honored," Doran says.

The actor described Pappas' production as "alive and exciting."

"The physical production is ridiculous [meaning awesome]. The costumes and set are gorgeous. My costumes, they're meticulous and beautiful. I wish people still dressed like that," he says.

Doran has seen the 1984 movie "Amadeus" as well as the "Amadeus Revival" in 1999, but he counts himself lucky to remember neither. His spotty memory means he isn't hindered by any preconceived ideas of the part. Apparently a poor memory can, on occasion, be a benefit. Doran is careful not to portray Mozart as other people might expect.

"I feel like if I had this opportunity to play [Mozart], I want to know that I have respected him and not played some sort of idea, that I played a person."

To prepare for his role and gain a better understanding of the man, Doran read Mozart's published letters to his father and wife.

"They're so human. He's always very excited about everything all the time and was dirty and fun," Doran says, adding, "People know about Mozart and his music and saw the movie, but no one's met him, no one saw the documentary. It's kind of a blank slate for me.

"I would say that he's this wildly free spirit because of how he grew up. He got away with everything. He was sorta this rock star."

Doran thinks Mozart's limelight upbringing didn't leave much time for etiquette lessons. This lack of propriety didn't go over well as an adult.

"There are all these wild faux pas that he makes, but he just doesn't really know. He's this innocent person who comes off as really offensive. And he's shocked every time. He has a good heart."