Talk to Tyron McFarlan by telephone these days and you'll know he isn't calling from his Columbia home. In the background are the throaty roar of a lion and the click-clicking of a 57-car train on the move.

McFarlan is on the road, as he has been since January, with the Greatest Show on Earth. He is ringmaster for the Rin-gling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and he couldn't be happier.

“The history of the circus dates back 135 years,” he said. “There's such a historical wealth to it. Many of the performers come from a long line of circus performers. When you consider that I'm only the 34th ringmaster for this circus, you can see that people in this business love it. Think about it: we've had more U.S. presidents than we've had ringmasters.”

Growing up in Columbia, McFarlan loved to perform. He played trumpet at Keenan High School, put together a soul band, and appeared in Workshop Theatre productions. At home, he was encouraged to follow in his father's footsteps—Carolina graduate Tyron McFarlan Sr.—and choose a military career. He joined ROTC and majored in criminal justice at USC.

But McFarlan could not deny his passion. He auditioned and was chosen as a professional troupe member with Circa 21, a prestigious group in Illinois. He also appeared in national commercials for Ford Motor Company. Then he learned the circus was looking for a ringmaster.

“The circus is a year-round job, and we do as many as three shows in one day,” he said. “We recently played Madison Square Garden and did 13 shows in four days. It can be exhausting. But you can be so excited about something that you forget you're tired. My love of performing gets me past the exhaustion.”