Broadway Actor: Rodd Cyrus

What if dreaming big brought you to the big stage? For Rodd Cyrus - now starring on Broadway as Harry Houdini in Ragtime – that means making his debut at the very theater he once made his lunch spot when studying across the street at Juilliard.

In this episode, Monica sits down with her longtime family friend for an honest, joyful and inspiring conversation about what it really takes to live the life of a working actor. While they discuss high times like cast albums, promos for the Tonys and parades – Rodd also opens up about the realities of winning and losing auditions, the importance of finding community with casts and colleagues and finding the quiet, fierce belief in himself that carries him through all the ups and downs along the way. 

This one will motivate you. As Rodd inspires: dream big, protect your imagination, and always find the determination to get back on the saddle.

Listen below, or via your favorite podcast player.

In This Episode, You'll Hear:

  • Why Rodd describes acting as a soul-healing, noble profession, and what a trip to Athens had to do with it

  • What a day in the life of a Broadway actor actually looks like, including two-show days that run from noon to 11 PM

  • Insider insights about how he makes magic in his day-job as Houdini and also experiences magical moments like performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, meeting Michelle Obama or prepping for the Tony’s. 

  • The moment Juilliard changed everything, and why going back to school was the best decision he ever made

  • Why auditioning requires what he calls a healthy dose of "delulu" (delusional belief in yourself)

  • His personal experience of bombing during his first trip to Broadway as part of a high school competition and what he did next

  • How community, not just talent, is what keeps actors afloat during the hard stretches

  • Pitching a film project close to his heart: a true story about his mother's high school class rebelling by putting on an underground prom during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Imagine Footloose meets Argo

  • What he wishes more people understood about the messy, invisible parts of other people's success

  • His closing message: dream big, and protect your imagination

Key Takeaways

→ Art exists to heal. The ancient Greeks built the theater next to the hospital for a reason. Rodd carries this belief: the actor's job is to soften and heal people's hearts.

→ Turn rejection into fuel. From being shut out of 12 acappella groups at UCLA to landing a Broadway debut, Rodd's story is one of finding a way to convert challenge into forward motion.

→ Your Wikipedia page only shows the highlights. The painful, messy, humbling parts of the journey are almost never visible from the outside. Knowing that makes other people's success stories easier to learn from, and your own struggles easier to bear.

→ Belief in yourself is not arrogance. There is a difference between humility and selfdoubt. Rodd describes cultivating a quiet, fierce conviction that has nothing to do with ego.

→ Community is a lifeline. The people who truly understand what you are going through, because they are going through the same thing, are the ones who can keep you afloat when you need a life vest.

→ Dream big and protect your imagination. In a world that pressures us toward rigidity and certainty, our imaginations are where nuance, possibility, and joy live.

About Rodd Cyrus

Rodd Cyrus is a New York City-based actor currently starring as Harry Houdini in Ragtime on Broadway, where he made his Broadway debut. A Bay Area native, Rodd earned his MFA from Juilliard after completing his undergraduate studies in musical theater at UCLA. He is also currently developing a film based on his mother's experience of organizing an underground prom during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which he describes as "Argo meets Footloose."

About Mode To Joy

Mode to Joy is hosted by Monica Lyle, and explores the intersection of passion and profession. After 30 years as an executive coach, Monica is on a mission to help more people do what they love and love what they do. Each episode features a guest who has found a way to make their life's work feel like their life's calling. May their stories inspire you to find your own way to bring more life to your work and joy to your life.

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