Survive to Thrive: The Jobs in Between The Dream

In this episode, Darion and Alana sit down for a no-holds-barred conversation about the not-so-glamorous side of living the artist life in NYC: survival jobs. Whether it was working in food service, folding clothes in retail, or juggling three side gigs just to make rent, they've been there. They share funny, frustrating, and all-too-relatable stories from their early years in the city — jobs that helped keep the lights on while auditions, rehearsals, and big dreams stayed center stage.

“We weren’t living the dream — we were working the brunch shifts because of the dream,” Alana says, summing up the grind so many theater artists know all too well.

If you've ever served coffee in your show shoes or clocked in after an audition meltdown, this one’s for you.