Mia Vallet is an actress based in New York City.

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(00:00) Moving to New York

(02:30) First Acting Job

(05:10) Starting Out in NYC

(07:10) Parental Support and Early Struggles

(09:15) Questioning the Dream

(11:20) Discovering Acting Is Viable

(13:25) First Role and Childhood Inspiration

(16:00) High School and Theater Identity

(18:10) Conservatory Challenges and Growth

(21:40) Post-Graduation Confusion

(24:50) Dealing With Doubt and Persistence

(28:10) What Makes a Great Actor

(32:45) The Emotional Toll of Performing

(37:00) The Shy Kid on Stage

(44:10) Advice to Younger Self

Humzah Choudry is a stand-up comedian based in Brooklyn, NY.

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(00:00) Moving to New York

(02:05) Early Tech Struggles

(04:00) Bootcamp Breakthrough

(06:00) Oil Rig Realizations

(08:10) Discovering Comedy as a Kid

(10:00) Finally Trying Stand-Up

(12:05) Learning from Bombing

(13:45) Starting to Build Community

(15:30) Balancing Stability and Hustle

(18:10) The Importance of Indie Shows

(20:00) What Makes Great Comedy

(22:40) Handling Rejection and Feedback

(25:10) NYC’s Best Comedy Venues

(27:00) Financial Reality of Stand-Up

(30:20) Advice to My Younger Self

Music: Lo-Fi Beat by YellowTree -- https://freesound.org/s/483907/

Darrell Thorne is a custom designer and creative director, based in Brooklyn, NY.

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(00:00) Disillusioned in LA

(02:40) First Encounter with NYC

(05:25) Culture Shock and Connection

(08:35) Starting Over in New York

(11:25) Discovering Nightlife and Drag

(14:05) Becoming a Performer

(17:15) The Headpiece Obsession Begins

(20:10) Collaborating with Dancers

(22:55) Creative Roots and Early Art

(25:40) Heartbreak of Leaving Dance

(29:30) Growing Up in a Religious Cult

(32:50) Breaking Free and Finding Freedom

(36:00) Highlights of Working Life

(39:30) The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media

(42:00) Success, New York, and Self-Expression

Music: Lo-Fi Beat by YellowTree -- https://freesound.org/s/483907/

Johnny Gaffney is an actor and a stand-up comedian based in Manhattan.

Instagram and all episodes

(00:00) Arriving in New York and Selling Comedy Tickets

(03:00) First Creative Spark: Pig Roast and Roasting Pigs

(05:00) Acting Debut in a Swine Flu Movie

(08:30) Birth of John Bigman and the Rock Bottom Boy Band

(11:30) Living a Double Life: Creative Hustle and Day Job at Tito’s

(15:00) Quitting the Job Without a Plan

(18:00) Piecing Together Gig Work and Unusual Jobs

(22:00) Starting Stand-Up and Karaoke at Senior Centers

(25:30) Collaborating with Friends to Perform for Seniors

(29:30) The Deep Reward of Entertaining Seniors

(33:00) Creating a Roster of Talent and Tailoring Shows

(36:00) How It All Began: The Story of Dory and Lovejoy

(40:00) What Makes Seniors the Best Audience

(45:00) Freedom, Fear, and the Digital Performance Age

(50:30) Honoring Elders: Visibility, Wisdom, and Untapped Value

Ryan Czerwonko is an actor, filmmaker, and the artistic director of "Adult Film," based in Brooklyn, NY.

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(00:00) Fear-Based Decisions and the Journey to New York

(04:10) Early Struggles in Chicago and Atlanta

(07:40) Taking the Leap: Moving to New York

(10:05) First Months in NYC and the Cost of Survival

(13:00) Building a Life Between Cities

(15:30) The Birth of "Adult Film" and Independent Theater

(18:40) Creating a Collaborative Artistic Home

(21:10) Vision and Mission of the Adult Film Collective

(24:20) Making Theater Affordable and Accessible

(27:00) What Makes the Work at Adult Film Unique

(30:15) Personal Acting Roots and Summer Stock Memories

(34:00) Tennessee Williams: Influence and Obsession

(37:30) The Legacy of Williams, Masculinity, and Artistic Wholeness

(40:50) Chekhov, Stanislavski, and the Evolution of Acting

(43:10) Advice on Fear, Integrity, and Coming to New York

Sean Glass is a filmmaker, a DJ, and a writer based in Manhattan.

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(00:00) Family history, Holocaust roots, and New York identity

(04:56) Stickball, danger, and growing up in condition yellow

(09:52) Parents’ cultural legacy and the Manhattan music scene

(14:48) Grandfather’s record label, the evolution of distribution

(19:44) Growing up around art vs. creating it yourself

(24:40) The accidental path into film and Emerson College

(29:36) Becoming a two-sport athlete at an art school

(34:31) The unexpected DJ career and discovering disco

(39:28) Choosing DJing over indie film and redefining priorities

(44:24) Why film is the “seventh art” and Barbie's cultural weight

(49:20) Twin Peaks and world-shaping media events

(54:15) Making movies vs. making feelings—authentic creativity

(59:12) Theater, community, and a life of creative collisions

(64:08) Producing vs. directing and creating art on your own terms

(69:03) Life advice, artistic responsibility, and following Ashley’s voice

Tayler Yarish is a stand-up comedian based in Brooklyn, NY.

Instagram and all episodes

(00:00) East Coast roots, theater school, and early frustrations with acting

(03:35) The disillusionment with the acting industry and writing quality

(06:40) Discovering comedy through a terrible open mic

(09:20) First time doing stand-up at a bringer show

(12:10) Bombing onstage with confidence and learning from failure

(15:45) The rush of getting laughs with your own material

(18:00) Gradual shift from acting to comedy lifestyle

(21:10) The false start: doing one mic a week and calling it hustle

(23:30) Learning to hustle: stacking open mics and chasing stage time

(27:00) Mimicking favorite comics before finding your own voice

(30:40) Encouragement, signs from the universe, and early milestones

(34:20) Getting passed at New York Comedy Club and what that means

(38:15) Survival jobs, restaurant life, and eating off celebrity plates

(43:00) Financial realities of NYC comedy and the road to headlining

(49:30) Advice to his younger self: organization, serious writing, and accountability

Eamon Harkin is a DJ and the co-owner of the club Nowadays, in Brooklyn, NY.

Instagram and all episodes

(00:00) Moving from London to NYC and chasing a musical dream

(04:30) Discovering New York's post-9/11 club culture void

(09:00) Giuliani's crackdown and the revival of underground spaces

(13:30) Early illegal parties and the roots of DIY nightlife

(18:00) Why dance music is primal and communal

(22:30) The birth of Mr. Saturday Night and building a scene

(27:00) Introducing Mr. Sunday and Brooklyn’s outdoor dance movement

(31:30) Finding a permanent space: the origin of Nowadays

(36:00) Club philosophy: inclusivity, connection, and legacy

(40:30) The cabaret law's history and its repeal under de Blasio

(45:00) Transformation of NYC’s government relationship with nightlife

(49:30) How Brooklyn became NYC’s new cultural epicenter

(54:00) The new wave of clubs run by passionate DJs

(58:30) What makes a great dance floor experience at Nowadays

(63:00) Designing the club for sonic immersion and cultural heritage

(67:30) Generational diversity and upholding NYC's musical legacy

(72:00) The spiritual and communal function of dance culture

(76:30) Top NYC DJs and what makes their styles unique

(81:00) Business realities of running a sustainable nightclub

(85:30) Holding on to NYC’s diversity and balancing with Irish roots