Honoluluan Jason Tam has taken every little step to leap from 9-year-old kid actor in "Les Misérables" to featured actor in the 2006 Broadway revival of the landmark musical "A Chorus Line."

Now the Hawai'i actor and Punahou School graduate has a pivotal role in "Every Little Step," a remarkable and touching documentary about the origins of the 1975 "A Chorus Line" stage musical, which tracks an insightful talk-story session by creator Michael Bennett with Broadway chorus wannabes, with a parallel tale of the audition process to sign on a cast for the 2006 revival.

The film, opening today at Consolidated's Kahala theaters, is the ultimate reality show that probes the arduous roller-coaster ride with exhilarating highs and devastating lows.

Tam, who played Paul San Marco to rave reviews in the revival, is one of thousands who auditioned in a massive cattle call to find eager dancers, each with the "Gee, I hope I get it" desire.

The captivating doc tracks his quest, and that of other eager beavers, who "really need this job," with the never-before-shown archival footage revealing how Bennett — an unknown director at the time, armed only with a reel-to-reel tape recorder — had a mission and a dream: to somehow stage a musical about the plights and challenges of Broadway dancers at tryouts.

He spent midnight to dawn one night, having dancers unwind and bare their guts, with from-the-heart honesty, about the process and the ordeal of an audition.

"The film brought a barrage of emotions back," said Tam, 27, in a phone interview from New York, where he has been living since making the plunge to find his niche on Broadway. "The first time I saw it, we got together as a cast, and after the film, for five minutes, we sat there, nobody saying anything. They all did a really great job; memories, joy and fear — a lot of fear."

Tam said when he originally showed up for the audition, he just wanted to be in the show. After his first call, the director, Bob Avian, who was the musical's original choreographer, thought he should focus on Paul, the part of a gay Puerto Rican dancer with issues with his family about his sexual identity.

"Because I wanted in, I did a lot (to prepare for his audition)," Tam said. "I have trouble, finding the emotional life of a character when I'm stuck holding the page (script). So I approached this like any other text given me — I memorized. But I do think that this story stems from real people and almost 100 percent verbatim from the taping. My effort was to access that story, and credit must be given to Nicholas Dante (who wrote the book with James Kirkwood Jr.), capturing the show's odyssey 30 years ago."

Tam's on-camera audition is the actual one director Avian saw, wrought with passion, desire and pride, underscored by hidden personal feelings. The actor was moved to tears; Avian's response also is also captured, "You got me ... sign him up," as he sheds tears, too.

"I had to find the emotional truth, eight times a week, and every night, it was a different journey," Tam said. "I didn't want his monologue to be a sob story; I think that Paul had been through a lot, but he didn't feel sorry for himself. He has this genuine fascination with and for real love. He was gay, in the drug culture, so the shame bubble inside him spills over. Unintentionally. I had to look inside myself; and could see parts of myself, but felt inadequate.

"You know in the movie, 'Transamerica,' Felicity Huffman felt the same thing, accessing truths of the transgender male. What I did know was how to feel uncomfortable in my own skin. That's something that exists within Paul; I always felt Paul, though I don't have the same life experience."

Like others with the courage to compete in the New York auditioning process, Tam said tryouts are rigorous with high hopes and often deep disappointments.

"Hands down, this was the most grueling process I went through," he said. "Absolutely, it was tough, but I sort of enjoyed it. I think for anyone thinking about making the plunge, you need to get a solid foundation in dance training. My experience with Marcelo Pacleb's 24-VII Danceforce really helped me out. And Baayork Lee (the original Connie in "A Chorus Line" with a passion to keep the Bennett tradition alive) was the key; this was her baby, and she drilled us. 'Eat nails,' she always said."

There's no easy template to get a spot in a Broadway show, Tam said. "But there's no one road you can follow; what I can say is that you have to make sure you really love what you do, and as long as you do, you will find a way to make it happen," he added. "To make it happen, you have to make the finances happen, so wait tables, get a job. Then wait in line for eight hours to audition.

"It can be work, but if you enjoy this process, then I can say, you can be happy."

When Tam was a child, he auditioned for the Gavroche role in "Les Miz," after the late Tommy Aguilar, then a Hawai'i resident who had originated the Paul role in "Chorus" in the London mounting, convinced Tam's parents to let him audition. "I was too young, so I don't remember words," said Tam of his early booster. "But I do remember his smile and his energy and support — that I do remember and will never forget."

Reach Wayne Harada at 266-0926. Read his Show Biz column in Sunday's Island Life section. Read his blog at http://showandtellhawaii.honadvblogs.com.