Podcast Summary: MickeyJoTheatre – Interview with Matt Rodin (Beau, Company, All The World's A Stage)

Date: November 22, 2025
Host: MickeyJoTheatre
Guest: Matt Rodin, actor (Beau, Company, All The World’s A Stage)

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between host Mickey-Jo and Matt Rodin, acclaimed musical theatre performer known for his roles in Beau, the Company tour, and All The World’s A Stage. The discussion covers Matt's whirlwind rise in the Off-Broadway scene, his journey from theatrical journalism to starring roles, the evolution of his original projects, the emotional and professional rewards of inhabiting queer characters, and the personal growth he’s experienced through this exceptional year.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Matt's "Breakout" Year and Career Trajectory

• Busy Year and Career Growth:
  Matt reflects on a year of "Off Broadway ascendancy," detailing the succession of All The World’s A Stage and Beau with only a day of rest in between.
  “This year has been a little bit crazy. I had one day off between the end of All The World’s A Stage… and then we started rehearsal for [Beau] like a day after we closed that. So it's just been crazy. But what a blessing of a year.” (02:28–03:39)
• Uncertainty and Surprise:
  After finishing the Company tour, Matt found himself working retail with no clear prospects, only for opportunities to suddenly emerge.

  “I got back from tour, from the Company tour in October of last year with nothing on the horizon...I was working at Warby Parker, like, I did not know what was gonna happen. And then All The World’s A Stage kind of fell into my lap.” (03:11–03:39)

2. From Theatre Journalism to Performing

• Transition from Reporting to Performing:
  Matt’s stint as a red-carpet reporter (Broadway.com, Playbill) provided industry knowledge and helped lower career stakes, making his subsequent theater opportunities less intimidating.

  “I was not only hosting and writing, but I was also editing...I really got, like, immersed in the industry and in the community and in the business in a way that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise.” (04:42–06:03) “The pomp and circumstance and the glamour of it all is, like, not that glamorous. And it, like, lowered the stakes of what this could have been for me.” (06:03–06:30)

• Red Carpet Innovations:
  Matt popularized playing games and adding levity to red carpet events.

  “Everybody’s playing games on carpets now. Like, that is the thing. And at the time, that was so taboo...So I’m honored to have, like, opened that door.” (07:04–07:36)

• Full Circle Moments:
  Having performed alongside and been recognized by stars he once interviewed:

  “To have Kate Baldwin come see All The World’s A Stage and be like, ‘I didn’t know, like, okay.’ Like, the hope that I had back then [is] come to fruition.” (07:36–08:17)

3. "The Fourth Wall" Newsletter: Writing for Nuance & Process

• Creation & Purpose:
  Matt started his newsletter during a lull, aiming to share nuanced, personal insights into theatre—from industry controversies to personal motivation.

  "The newsletter has become this sort of outlet for me to...process and think deeply about some specific piece of the industry or the business or something that I'm experiencing and then share it." (08:30–09:40)

• Community and Archive:
  Now, it serves as an archive of his thoughts and a resource he wishes he'd had as a young artist:

  “I’m hoping I can turn it into something that I can give to people, the kind of thing I would have wanted as a young artist or a young theater fan.” (10:50–11:39)

4. The Impact and Lessons of the "Company" Tour

• Breakthrough Audition & Booking:
  Matt shares the improbable story of booking Company—including a callback on his wedding day!

  “My final callback, infamously, was the day of my wedding. So I get married at 11am, and then 2pm I’m singing ‘Getting Married Today’ in a rehearsal studio...” (15:22–15:45)

• Experiencing a Long Run & Role:
  Portraying Jamie gave Matt an education in stamina, skill, and emotional performance:

  “The scenes that George Firth wrote are some of the greatest book scenes in a musical ever...Jamie gets to like, really experience the full spectrum of emotion. I just couldn’t believe that it felt like I was in acting class, like, every night.” (16:28–16:55)

• Perception and Community:
  The tour shifted how Matt was viewed in the industry, opening new audition rooms and connecting him to a web of fellow actors.

  “It definitely shifted, I think, the perception of what I was able to do...” “Now it feels like there's this community of people...you end up going in for the same things with the same core group.” (17:44–19:49)

5. New Works and the Power of Queer Narratives

• All The World’s A Stage:
  Matt is excited about the upcoming cast album and the project’s focus on queer characters told with depth.

  “Adam Gwon wrote this little love letter to theater people, and I got to play another nuanced queer character...It's helped me love more of me.” (20:12–20:55)

• Working Environments:
  Matt values being "a valued collaborator," not just "another part in the machine,” especially in inclusive, generative spaces.

  “He [Adam Gwon] is—everything is a conversation...We’re all working towards the same goal...That’s the kind of spaces that I want to work in.” (21:10–21:33)

6. The Journey with Beau: Origin to Off-Broadway

• Early Involvement and Development:
  Matt has been with Beau since initial workshops, experiencing the rare journey from development to full production.

  “Douglas Lyons saw me hosting and was like, ‘There's something about the vocal quality.’...a month later, it was me and him and Jeb...reading this unfinished script.” (24:50–25:43) “To get to see something all the way through is so rare...I just love this piece so much. I care so much about it.” (26:43–27:29)

• Describing Beau's Aesthetic:
  “‘Queer country, folk, pop’—and a couple of musical theater songs...the framing of the show is this concert that we're at, which feels rare.” (27:41–29:06)
• Immersive Staging:
  The current run is uniquely immersive and intimate, with the cast performing feet away from (or on top of) the audience.

  “I am on top of people. We're stepping on toes. It feels like you're in a movie because people are sitting...I'm sobbing on that stage, and people are literally right there.” (29:23–30:18)

• Emotional Impact:
  The proximity to the audience forces an authenticity and presence.

  “There's nowhere to hide, so it's really nice. And sometimes I have to remind myself, like, oh yeah, I don't have to project so much.” (31:00–31:40) "I think the hardest part is, like, staying connected to whoever you're in the scene with while someone is sitting, like, two feet from you..." (31:40–32:13) “I get to play host...the red carpet challenges, like, have now come back into this part of my life.” (32:13–32:29)

7. Growth, Self-Love, and Lasting Impact

• Personal Evolution:
  Over his eight-year journey with Beau, Matt has learned self-acceptance and the importance of presence.

  “The piece is about family…but it is also about self love, self acceptance. The more time I spend as Ace, the deeper I'm forced to find acceptance for myself.” (32:57–34:10)

  • Learning to let go of perfectionism and appreciate process:

    “To be able to leave the space every night and just have acceptance and be like, great. That's what that was tonight. And it moved people or it moved one person. Like, that is enough.” (34:13–35:37)

• The Right Timing:

  “I don't think I would have been able to do that at 27...being 33 and now getting to do it, the timing is so, so divine.” (34:13–35:10)

• Honoring the Journey:

  “It's crazy to be 33. And I feel like it's the beginning of my career. I'm like, okay, here we go.” (37:29–37:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Imposter Syndrome & Community:

  “I guess this is the level I’m now competing at. Even though I don’t feel like I should be...Some imposter syndrome. But it’s where I ended up." (18:17)

• On Playing Queer Roles:

  “...Not to say that I don’t want to play straight roles. Like, I’m open to it. But the fact that this is sort of where things have fallen...has helped me love more of me.” (20:26)

• On the Full Circle from Red Carpet to Stage:

  “To have Kate Baldwin come see All The World’s A Stage...the hope that I had back then [is] come to fruition in a way that I couldn’t have possibly imagined.” (07:36–08:17)

• On the Power of Theatre:

  “Why We Theater?” — a reference to his newsletter essay on refinding purpose and connection through performing and writing. (09:50)

• On Audience Connection in Beau:

  “I am literally on top of people. It feels like you’re in a movie because people are sitting...I’m sobbing on that stage, and people are sitting literally right there. And I’m also screaming in some people’s faces.” (30:18)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Matt’s whirlwind year, career (02:28–04:03)
• Transition from journalism to stage (04:21–08:17)
• On creating The Fourth Wall newsletter (08:17–11:39)
• Company tour audition, callback on wedding day, and insights (13:48–19:49)
• All The World’s A Stage, queer characters & community (19:57–22:20)
• The origins, music, and immersive experience of Beau (24:48–32:13)
• Personal growth, self-love, and acceptance through Beau and acting (32:57–36:33)
• Final thoughts on career and next steps (37:29–38:09)

Further Info

• Beau is running at The Distillery at St. Luke’s Theatre in Midtown through at least January 4th.
• All The World’s A Stage cast recording forthcoming.
• Subscribe to Matt’s newsletter "The Fourth Wall"—search "Matt Rodin newsletter" to find it.

This episode is a testament to the unpredictable, rewarding, and profoundly human journey of a multi-talented artist who embodies theater’s evolving possibilities, resilience, and heart.