Tom was born and raised in Columbus, OH.  When not playing little league baseball, he appeared in plays throughout grade and high school, in addition to being involved with service organizations like Mock Trial, In-The Know, and playing guitar at Mass.  As a student at Otterbein College, he hosted a morning radio show and acted as sports producer for the college TV station, all while earning BA degrees in both Theatre and Speech Communication.

Cardinal joined Shadowbox fresh out of college, and has participated in hundreds of shows as a metaperformer.  He has created some of the most iconic roles for both the Shadowbox Live stage and 2Cos Cabaret – the company’s intimate art-house theater – where he acted as General Manager.  While growing his understanding of staging and set design, Cardinal has served the company as an Assistant Producer, Backstage Manager, and Props Master.