The Theatre Podcast With Alan Seales

Among all the things Jai Rodriguez knows how to do well, not punching down is at the top of the list . Sharing his journey from going to Broadway to landing a role in the groundbreaking TV series, “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy”, his grit and talent took the stage by storm, playing in shows like “Rent” and “The Producers”. He shares how he got started by going to his first audition at the age of 12 – a funny but inspiring anecdote on why you shouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer easily. Jai also recounts his “Queer Eye” audition, the success of the show, and the overwhelming response they received early on. Despite the external glamor, Jai reveals his financial struggles during the press tours. He also gets real as he talks about a pivotal moment in his career during a meeting with agents, and how he was told that he may not be castable due to his identity – an untrue trope that stayed with him throughout a lot of his career. While it may have affected him deeply, Jai did not let it stop him from taking up space