Ryan began working in the theater in 1973 with Jerzy Grotowski's Instytut Aktora in Wroclaw, Poland. Milan and Rome, Italy, and Pittsburgh, PA. He was a member of several influential experimental theater companies including The Factory Theater, directed by Zbigniew Cynkutis, The Iowa Theater Lab, Shaliko Company, and Ellen Stewart's LA Mama etc. He has performed at many noted theater festivals including The Theatre of Nations.
In New York he appeared at the New York Theater Workshop, The American Place Theater, The Vinyard Theater, with The Alliance Francais at the John Houseman Theater, The Dia Foundation, NYSF, and P.S. 122. He has teamed with Yvonne Rainer in film, Sally Silvers in dance and Anne Bogart in theater.
Through his correspondence with Mr. Samuel Beckett he received Mr. Beckett's permission to perform a number of solo world premieres of his prose texts. "All Strange Away" at LA MAMA "...within that handful of actors (Mr. Warrilow, Billie Whitelaw, the late Jack MacGowran) who share an empathy with the world of Beckett." (Mel Gussow; The New York Times) "Fizzles" at P.S. 122 ("No matter how little life gives there is always room for loss, Beckett obsessively reminds us, a sentiment Cutrona conveys with great delicacy." (Laurie Stone; The Village Voice) "The Dramatization...represents the author without embellishment of distortion - a direct emantion of his vision." (Mel Gussow; The New York Times)
In Los Angles he performed his chrestomathy of 10 Beckett works, "Nohow On". "Cutrona is an actor gifted with an insight that shines a bright light into the dark corners of Beckett's catalogue of the confusing world we live in... One wished he would go on-anyhow on-exploring the astonishing Beckett." (T.H. McCulloh; The Los Angeles Times). "You can almost hear James Joyce giggling off stage." (Steven Leigh Morris; LA WEEKLY).
Noted for his renderings of his own and other poetry he often seen and heard at the now defunct but bracing Cafe Beckett in East Hollywood, Beyond Baroque in Venice, the old Nuyorican Cafe on E. 6th and St. Marks On The Bowery.
He is know for his many appearances on television programs such as "The Practice", "The West Wing", "24", and "Mad Men"
In John Landis' well considered opinion he was mentioned in his book "10 Best Worst Movies Ever Made" with "Shark Attack 3: Megalodon" as the improbably named Chuck 'bull-fuckin'-shit' Rampart. He has also seen better days on the big screen with "Hot Shots", "The Last Boy Scout", "In the line of Fire" and "Changeling".
Recently heard on NPR's KCRW program "Unscripted" in Joe Frank's new show "A Life Well Lived", as well as many other Frank radio shows reaching back over 25 years, he was seen in Joe Frank's short movies for Propaganda Films; "The Perfect Woman" and "Memories".
He is a lifetime member of the Actors Studio in New York and Los Angeles.
He is currently starring in the HBO pilot, soon to be a series 'The Brink' featuring Jack Black and Tim Robbins. Directed by J Roach.
