This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:04] Jason A. Coombs: Hello, survivors.

[0:06] Samantha Tuozzolo: Welcome to Survival Jobs, a podcast in collaboration.

[0:09] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, confetti.

[0:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: As soon as we open the episode.

[0:14] Jason A. Coombs: I'm sorry for our few listeners who can't see, but Samantha just got exploded with confetti.

[0:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you.

[0:22] Jason A. Coombs: I love that. This is Survival Jobs, a podcast for those who are just tuning in for the first time in collaboration with Broadway World and the Broadway Podcast Network.

[0:29] I'm Jason A. Coombs, and this is the wonderful, beautiful Samantha Tuozzolo.

[0:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: We are your hostesses with the mostesses.

[0:38] Jason A. Coombs: Samantha, what's poppin' and lockin' on your end of the world?

[0:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, well, Jason, what's popping and locking is the sunshine is always doing wonders over here, and we're just chugging along. You know, I did start a journey I do want to just quickly touch on because I do think it's important. I started an antidepressant last week called Wellbutrin. Because you know, life's hard, and some days I just don't want to motivate, and I just need—I was just like something I just need, something's gotta change. I've done a lot of work on myself. I've taken a lot of paths, and sometimes it's just hard. And let me tell you, I'm thriving, and I want to say that if anyone's listening and has hesitation about it, and it's something they've been thinking about, it took me like three years to actually take the step to do it, and I'm so happy I did. So here's a PSA just saying that like more people I know than not are on some sort of medicine to help them do life, and it's okay, and you're not messed up if that's something you want to do.

[1:44] Jason A. Coombs: I'm sorry, I swore, but it's okay. Life be lifin', y'all. We need as much support as we can get because it's a mess out there.

[1:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's like every day. It's just a mess. Just doing the best of things. It's a very unfortunate time, but we have to stay hopeful and we have to take care of ourselves. So I commend you for doing what's necessary for you to get through these days.

[2:10] Jason A. Coombs: Thanks.

[2:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Love you.

[2:13] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I love you too. And also for our listeners who are just listening, aka just not watching the video, Jason and I are coordinating today in our tan shirts.

[2:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: And so it's kind of a vibe.

[2:27] Jason A. Coombs: It's kind of a vibe.

[2:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Jason, I just want to talk quick really quickly about this new TV show. And I guess it's not so new. It's been out for I think since February.

[2:35] Jason A. Coombs: Talking about it?

[2:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[2:38] Jason A. Coombs: Paradise on Hulu starring Sterling K. Brown is so good.

[2:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's like, you know, if you have been a listener of this show for quite a while, you'll know that I love the drama. And I'm like, I live in Shondaland. Like I love SVU, I love Scandal, I love all of that kind of stuff. This show was created by Dan Fogelman, who also created This Is Us, but it's a completely different vibe from This Is Us.

[3:04] Jason A. Coombs: Wow.

[3:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: But same like very brilliant twists and turns and this and that. It is so good. I watched the entire first season in a day and a half, which is crazy.

[3:18] Jason A. Coombs: But I had to because it was like, what the heck is going on?

[3:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: And Sterling K. Brown is such an amazing actor. Give him every award. Hello? He already has some, but give them all of them. Bring him to Broadway.

[3:30] Jason A. Coombs: Bring him all of them.

[3:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: And also James Marsden.

[3:33] Jason A. Coombs: Is that his name?

[3:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: Love James Marsden, yeah.

[3:36] Jason A. Coombs: Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[3:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's just such a—I mean, the whole cast and the whole story, it's just incredible. It's also like kind of spooky, like thinking about our world. Like it's like giving Handmaid's Tale where it's like things seem so far away that it might not be.

[3:54] Jason A. Coombs: Like I don't want to give any spoilers.

[3:56] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um please, if you have like—if you're feeling sick and bad and you need something to binge, it's an excellent binge.

[4:03] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I love that.

[4:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: I gotta say the same for White Lotus.

[4:06] Jason A. Coombs: I know you said you're behind on it.

[4:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm behind. I'm only on episode two, but I am—

[4:08] Jason A. Coombs: Of the season?

[4:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: Of season three, yes.

[4:13] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, and what I love about the show is I feel like people either like really love it or they're like, oh, it's like slow, it's like too slow.

[4:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I'm like, y'all, this is a character study. Like I feel like maybe people are used to like—because there's always like some kind of murder at the beginning that's like in the first episode where it's like sets up the season, you think it's like a murder mystery.

[4:32] Jason A. Coombs: It's just like not really, it's a character study of like people, which is so fascinating when you have such great actors, you know, like you know, Leslie Bibb and Parker Posey, and I mean the cast is just incredible and the storytelling is great, and it's a slow burn, but it always ends with a bang.

[4:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: So I'm excited to see where it goes.

[4:50] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, and also Mike White, if you're listening, we wrote to your people to come on our show.

[4:55] Samantha Tuozzolo: So if you're interested, we'd love to have you.

[4:58] Jason A. Coombs: And you know, if you want to cast us in season four, we're totally available.

[5:03] Samantha Tuozzolo: Pretty available and willing to spend a couple months in an exotic location and film with legends.

[5:13] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[5:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um Jason, I also want to quickly talk about Purpose. I attended the opening night this week, and this play is so freaking good.

[5:26] Jason A. Coombs: I love—I'm sorry, I'm swearing a lot today.

[5:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love it means you're passionate.

[5:31] Jason A. Coombs: Um I love an amazing play. And this play is incredible, and the actors are acting to the gods.

[5:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: The lead character, um, his name is John Michael Hill.

[5:47] Jason A. Coombs: This guy had to memorize so much.

[5:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: I mean, he does not leave the stage. It's sort of like a memory—it is a memory play.

[5:56] Jason A. Coombs: It's not sort of.

[5:57] Samantha Tuozzolo: He's, you know, narrating as the story is happening. And so he's doing these like very long monologues, then he's jumping into the scene, then he's stepping out and doing the monologue, and then he's jumping back into the scene.

[6:09] Jason A. Coombs: And the show is just so good, and it's so important talking about, you know, important issues surrounding race and judgments and you know, issues with families and mental health and life, you guys.

[6:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: And my God, it is so good.

[6:29] Jason A. Coombs: So you're saying it's very timely.

[6:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's very timely. You know, it's taking place in the present day. It's talking about, you know, trauma and aftermath of like dealing with the pandemic and what that did to us as humans, especially for Black people as well with the pandemic and everything that happened in the pandemic surrounding race, did as well, on top of going through a worldwide pandemic, also.

[6:53] Jason A. Coombs: It's just so good, and I highly recommend that's all. Go see Purpose.

[7:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Go see our girls in it, right?

[7:04] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, Carrie Young.

[7:06] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[7:06] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my God, Kara Young. Shout out because, like, I'm you know, we're heading into Tony season. This girl's about to get four consecutive Tony nominations in a row.

[7:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: Which I don't want to jinx it for her, but like I don't see a world that it doesn't happen.

[7:22] Jason A. Coombs: But the three—there's three female characters in this that will all be probably considered in that category, and I think all three of them need to be up.

[7:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: I mean, it's just so good. I mean, it is a good year for plays, but anyway, everyone, I love Purpose.

[7:38] Jason A. Coombs: D and should we get into our girl?

[7:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, let's do it.

[7:45] Jason A. Coombs: Today's guest is Olivia Puckett.

[7:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: You guys currently understudying all five roles in All Nighter at MCC, which is like blows the mind.

[7:57] Jason A. Coombs: It blows the mind.

[7:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um also remember seeing her in Hamilton. She was in American Idiot, Motown the Musical, and Dear Evan Hanson.

[8:08] Jason A. Coombs: Correct.

[8:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: Correct. So she's just iconic. And you know, Jay, this interview is so great. Her hustle is just amazing. You know, I really love when we have guests who are actively working actors and also have a survival job because I think it's an important lesson to everybody that like you can be at a level that somebody else is looking at being like, oh my God, they are probably like rolling in the cash and don't have to do anything else. But like, that's not the reality, and it's always good to come back to reality and remember like we are just artists, and we're just survival jobs, on survival jobs.

[8:49] Jason A. Coombs: And she was just so thoughtful in her words.

[8:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: I felt like, you know, I felt like she just really spoke to me and my soul. Like, I was like, I needed to hear it, I needed this episode, I need to hear this. I need to be reminded of this. And I love that we got to manifest something all together that we all hear, so she's really special.

[9:10] Jason A. Coombs: I can't wait to see the show.

[9:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: I am a fan, I'm a stan of Olivia Puckett.

[9:15] Jason A. Coombs: Fan club, fan club right here.

[9:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: Let's see if we can get confetti again.

[9:21] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, you did it.

[9:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: Well, you manifested that confetti twice, twice in eight minutes.

[9:26] Jason A. Coombs: Enjoy the episode, you guys. Thank you for tuning in.

[9:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: And enjoy happy cusp of spring.

[9:34] Jason A. Coombs: Olivia, welcome to Survival Jobs: The Podcast.

[9:38] Olivia Puckett: Oh my God, we're so happy to have you here.

[9:41] Jason A. Coombs: I'm so honored.

[9:42] Olivia Puckett: This is so fun.

[9:43] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my God, you know what? It is fun. We definitely have a fun time.

[9:47] Olivia Puckett: I'm so happy that I was at that All Nighter press day, and we got to meet, and I'm like, girl, you need to come on, and we just need to make the connection. Your best friend for life is Melanie Brooke, who is like OG survival job.

[10:01] Olivia Puckett: Yes, OG. I just I texted her before this, and it was like, going on the pod.

[10:02] Jason A. Coombs: Going on the pod.

[10:08] Olivia Puckett: And she was like, I've been on that pod. I said, No, I know, but yeah, it's I'm honored.

[10:14] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, she's all in her footsteps, is my dream. I think she was like episode five or six, something very, very early on where Jason and I had no idea what we were doing and just gabbing away.

[10:25] Olivia Puckett: And it was like the pandemic, like middle of the—

[10:25] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, that's—but I remember listening to it, it was great.

[10:31] Olivia Puckett: Oh my God, iconic.

[10:32] Jason A. Coombs: When we—that was when we had like four listeners, and now we have—we have a few more.

[10:38] Olivia Puckett: I love it, I love it.

[10:40] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, so we like to chat about survival jobs, you know. You know, we love to talk to people that inspire us about the artistic journey. So we are so honored to have you.

[10:46] Olivia Puckett: And would you mind sharing maybe a favorite survival job you've had in your past before you know you became a Broadway star?

[10:56] Olivia Puckett: L O L still working survival jobs.

[11:00] Jason A. Coombs: It never ends.

[11:00] Olivia Puckett: Um never ends. Yeah, you know, I've done sort of everything. Restaurant, nanny, gym, receptionist.

[11:09] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, done.

[11:10] Olivia Puckett: I've like crossed the board. Um gosh, what's been my favorite? Honestly, nannying was so—it was fun. And I nannied mainly for one family that I'm still in contact with who actually Melanie's older sister passed along to me.

[11:24] Jason A. Coombs: So it stayed in the fam.

[11:26] Olivia Puckett: Um that was really fun.

[11:28] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[11:29] Olivia Puckett: Nannying was just like running around the city pretending, you know, having to tell people I'm—they're not my kid, you know.

[11:36] Jason A. Coombs: Um, yeah, but that's fun.

[11:39] Olivia Puckett: And right now I actually I have a survival job still.

[11:42] Jason A. Coombs: So and I like that one, which is it's like a—I work for a functional medicine practice, which is—

[11:42] Olivia Puckett: Wait a minute. You fully like at the press day were like on your laptop, like working. Am I making that up?

[11:54] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it's not good.

[11:54] Olivia Puckett: I'm not like proud, it's not good.

[11:57] Jason A. Coombs: That is like the hustle that is amazing, you know, to keep it going.

[12:00] Olivia Puckett: And we actually do have a lot of guests on this show who are, you know, working on Broadway, working on off-Broadway in a play, on a TV show that also have a job at the same time because you have to.

[12:11] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah, that's the business.

[12:13] Olivia Puckett: Yeah, and I'm a bit of a workaholic. I don't—I can't have like a moment of just doing nothing.

[12:23] Jason A. Coombs: I'm trying to get better at it, but I'm like, why have one job when you can have two?

[12:27] Olivia Puckett: Like it's like not good.

[12:29] Jason A. Coombs: It's—I realize it's not healthy but honestly it's, you know, theater isn't always the most lucrative of careers so you gotta supplement, you gotta supplement, you gotta squirrel away, you gotta listen, gotta do what you gotta do.

[12:29] Olivia Puckett: And by the way, like when you work at the gym do you get like perks of like free membership or things like that?

[12:29] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, so I worked at Equinox, shout out.

[12:29] Olivia Puckett: Um am I allowed to do that?

[12:29] Jason A. Coombs: Shout out.

[12:29] Olivia Puckett: Um shout out to—

[12:29] Jason A. Coombs: Go, yeah, period, why not?

[12:29] Olivia Puckett: Um I worked at the Equinox on Park Ave so it was like very corporate back in like what was that, 2014, 15?

[12:29] Jason A. Coombs: And yeah, the perk was free membership which was really nice.

[12:29] Olivia Puckett: That's iconic, honestly.

[12:29] Jason A. Coombs: Actually a lot of stuff from the bathrooms.

[12:29] Olivia Puckett: I mean get those products, girl, get those products.

[12:29] Jason A. Coombs: Um so we love the hustle but you know in addition to your survival jobs you have such an impressive resume you've really been around the block in different sort of shows and we have to talk about All Nighter and how you're iconic and covering all five roles but before we do that please tell us what it was like to be in the Hamilton tour being a Schuyler sister and Maria Reynolds like that is iconic give us the tea.

[12:29] Olivia Puckett: It was—I mean a dream contract, it really was a dream contract. Like it's so funny that we've already talked about Melanie Brook. I mean she—let's just pretend she's here. So I for years, you know, 2015, even before that, when they were taking Hamilton to the public, I was sort of in the mix during those times and just couldn't book, couldn't book, couldn't book.

[14:12] And I—it became a little bit of like a—not an obsession, but just like I held a lot of my own worth with that show.

[14:25] And it's so funny. The second I went, I'm gonna release this, and then I booked the tour.

[14:30] Olivia Puckett: It was, I'm not kidding, it was like clockwork. I was like, you gotta you gotta relax this, it's not going anywhere. You'll do it one day, hopefully. You keep getting called in. Um, yeah, and it was, you know, I had toured twice before that, so I was a little hesitant because touring is so exhausting, and sure, it's just hard. But I was like, you know, I really want to do this show, and it was so fun. It was really fun. I made like lifelong friends. I remember like being zipped up into the dress for the first time and like I had to take a second. Um yeah, it was really it was hard. It was like a hard show. We did it during the pandemic, which was hard, and touring is not easy, but the show itself is just so much fun to do, and it was just a blast.

[15:19] Jason A. Coombs: Who did you like playing better?

[15:23] Olivia Puckett: Between Peggy and Mariah, correct. Honestly, I it's uh that's hard to choose. That's it is right. I mean, like, yeah, honestly, it's I'm I'm sort of those characters. Like I'm Peggy in the streets, poor be kidding. I'm Peggy in the sheets as well. Um just sort of a crazy girl. But I wish I was Mariah. I wish I was like the vixen, but it was it's so fun because you get to do complete flip of the coin. Yeah, that is like such an amazing track because you are like getting to spread your acting through so many different kinds of people. Like it. So anyway. It's in the songs. I mean, you know, say no to this is just Yeah. You feel you feel hot. You feel like that. It's fun. Do you still bop along to the soundtrack every now and then?

[16:18] Olivia Puckett: I'm still I just like your gym playlist. Right. That would be crazy. No, honestly, doing it for I think I did it for like two years total. Yeah. That I could do, I could do the show still. Like, I I don't think I could need to listen to it. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's so in my brain that I'm like, uh, I haven't listened in a while. Maybe I should. Maybe I should revisit after this. Yeah. Yeah, like I said, add it to the gym playlist. Yeah, why not? It's so funny. So you are we said you were understudying all five roles in All Nighter. This is not your first time being an understudy. You were also doing two roles for Dear Evan Hanson on Broadway.

[16:56] Olivia Puckett: Yes. Yeah. Now you're doing five. So I guess because I don't think I could ever do that. So I give you so much credit and so many props for that. But um, what is the biggest challenge about being an understudy to multiple roles? And then the what's the biggest reward?

[17:11] Olivia Puckett: Hmm. Honestly, anyone can do it. I promise you it's I don't think anyone could do it easily, but it's like such a good test of memorization and uh just like character analysis. You gotta really stay sharp. But you know, Dear Evan Hanson was different because I mean, obviously it was only two roles, and those roles weren't usually in the same scene. I think they shared one scene together where each of them said one word. This show is like cool cool. Tessa um Albertson and I, who are the two covers, yeah? We sort of like in the green room, it's really it's actually kind of it's actually kind of frightening. We should start rolling a camera of us saying like saying every line to each other, and it's like people walk in and they like close the door slowly.

It's kind of scary. Um but it's so rewarding because at the end of the day, it's it's not about you. It's just to serve the piece and to keep the train going. And I think that's why everyone should cover once. It's obviously you try to not make the part all about you or the show about you, but covering you really have to get let go of your ego. It's just not about your how you see the character, blah blah blah. You gotta really get out there and you gotta tell the truth and listen and respond. And it's um it's a whirlwind. It's it's a crazy job.

[18:40] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. That is amazing. I I know you're like everyone has to cover one. I can never. I mean, I could cover five roles, like I can't even like remember my schedule in one day, let alone like honestly. What is going on? I was like, wait, what time are we recording today?

[18:57] Olivia Puckett: Yeah, yeah. But I am like so stuck on this play. I still haven't seen it, can't wait to see it. But I'm so obsessed with the like women power of it all, and like women together and like a woman playwright, woman director, and the play is not about feminism or like women's rights. It's just women existing, and we don't see that a lot. So, so how has it been working with you know, primarily all females uh in this process? And why do you think it's so important to have a play that's just like women existing day to day versus being like something like subs, which is amazing, also like empowerment for women.

[19:37] Olivia Puckett: Yeah, you know, it's a room full of women is just like the dream. It's just so nice, and I love men, I love everyone in between. It but and there's just something about this feminine energy, um, where it's so ugly and beautiful and truthful, and we don't have to teach you a lesson. That's like kind of the best part of it. And I'm I've been a fan and friend of Natalie Margolin for a really long time, and I think something that she does so well is like she's she says a lot without having to say too much, if that makes sense. These characters are saying a lot's going on, but you don't feel like hit over the head with lessons. It's sort of just a mirror. It's like very, it's very like you've been Jacqueline, you've been the character of Lizzie, you've been the care, we've been them all.

Um very Sex and the City, you know, wear your Miranda hat, and sometimes I'm the Samantha, like um, yeah. It's it's been really nice and really chill. Um, and just the camaraderie has been really, really it's been truly chill is the word. Just even backstage, I'm like, the show is happening, and it's just everything is fine. It's not, you know, a musical is usually there's a lot of chaos, there's a lot of stuff. There's one table, there's five chairs, there's lights, and they're going. And there's something really beautiful about the simplicity of that. Um yeah. That's like my favorite kind of theater, just like words and life, and we're here and we're not doing much, but we're doing so much.

[21:12] Jason A. Coombs: For sure. Yeah. I can't wait to come. Jason and I will be rolling in soon.

[21:18] Olivia Puckett: Hell yeah. So All Nighter is a world premiere, which is an all-star cast. How has this experience kind of been different being in the world premiere versus joining a show that's already had so much light to it? Like Hamilton.

[21:31] Olivia Puckett: Yeah, it's um rehearsals were very explorative. I mean, they're the girls all were creating these characters from just the text, and it's been really cool seeing how the characters have changed and they're gonna continue to change for the run. Hamilton was interesting because I, yeah, you kind of come in. I've I had heard Jasmine's voice for years. I had seen my friend Alicia, I saw her play it on Broadway. Like I had these ideas, but I still was able to sort of make it my own. But there was it's sort of you're jumping onto a moving train, whereas this one, it's like, let's all build the train and let's get it chugging slowly. Do you love my metaphors?

[22:17] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I do, I do.

[22:19] Olivia Puckett: I really do metaphor queen over there. Okay. Cars stay connected.

[22:25] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, truly, truly.

[22:27] Olivia Puckett: Um, and it just takes a lot of trust because I think with a big show like Hamilton, you the trust is kind of there, it's working. Get on the, you know, you're doing the show. But this, there's still an element of like, okay, okay, do we have each other? Let's go. Um, that's been really fun to watch. And it's been fun to understudy for this show too, because um, like I'll watch Havana, who plays Lizzie so beautifully create this character, and then I can go, I feel so seen in how she's doing it, and I can also sprinkle in some of my own stuff. Um, so it's been really it's been really nice.

[23:05] Jason A. Coombs: Have you gotten to go on yet?

[23:08] Olivia Puckett: I haven't. No, I Tessa, the other cover went on sort of last minute last or two weeks ago during our previews. That was a whirlwind. We had not started rehearsals yet, so it was like she was just, I don't know how she did it. I was I was backstage like yeah. I was like, I don't know how she did that. Um that was beautiful and so much fun to watch. I I had like a scheduled show maybe coming up, but we're still I'm still just waiting to solidify. But yeah, it's just sort of a waiting game.

[23:38] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my god. Well, when you get that date, let us know and we'll blast it on the podcast for sure.

[23:43] Olivia Puckett: Yeah. Okay, so tell us why and tell our listeners why everybody should go see this play.

[23:49] Olivia Puckett: I mean, we've already touched on you know it a little bit, but give us the pitch. Listen here, folks. You should come see All Nighter because you'll just laugh. Honestly, it's you're laughing uncomfortably, you're laughing with humor, or laughing because you see yourself, you're laughing because you know someone who's like that, you're laughing because you're crying and you're uncomfortable. I mean, it is just like every across the board, um, a good time. Yeah, it's just great. And you get to watch these five very different, very organic women, you know, bring these characters to life, and it's just really fun.

[24:28] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. I love that.

[24:30] Olivia Puckett: I love that. Jinx. Do you have like a dream role or collaboration that Samantha and I are really big manifestors on this podcast? And some stuff has happened for us and for some of our guests. So something you want to manifest with us today.

[24:49] Olivia Puckett: We're witches. Also, okay. I need witchy energy. I don't manifest enough. I what's the opposite of manifest? That's what I do. Um what a what's a dream role? Gosh. Honestly, I'd love to play Mrs. Lovett when I'm older. That I and I've always kind of sit on that. Maybe as a woman of color, I'm like, couldn't be me. But actually, that's that. Could be me. Um that would be a dream. Yeah, I would love to do that. Um, obviously, the t like, you know, the old they haven't written it yet, originate our all sort of thing. Um also I just I really want to work more on TV and and create my own character on like a long-running dark comedy. That's like when I when I journal and I really get into the manifesty place, I'm like dark comedy boots girl making you laugh and cry, you know.

[25:46] Jason A. Coombs: I love that.

[25:47] Olivia Puckett: Yeah, we love a dark comedy. Like uh, I don't know, like who's like someone in the TV space? I mean, my dream of life is to play Maya Rudolph's daughter. Oh my god. I can't believe I'm saying it. That's my dream.

[26:02] Jason A. Coombs: That is perfect casting.

[26:05] Olivia Puckett: I know. Let's make that happen. She's mother. And we need to write somebody right now. Hello. Is anybody listening? Like, I think I think my mom has been like, well, call her. She's like, well, your agent must know her agent. I'm like, not Patricia. That's not how it goes. My mom and Tyler Perry. Every couple weeks. She's like, call Tyler Perry. And I'm like, if only.

[26:32] Jason A. Coombs: Right.

[26:32] Olivia Puckett: You're like, yeah, let me dial him up. Um and say, hey, like, let's make something that I can play your daughter on, Maya. Yeah. Yeah. In that way. Patricia. I'm like, maybe you're not wrong. Maybe I need to be a little more go-getter about it. But yeah, that's like Olivia Coleman's another huge is so dear to me. And I'm like, I would love to work with her. I don't know. Just a lot of like funny women who are just smart and interesting. And yeah.

[27:03] Jason A. Coombs: Well, we watched Maya Rudolph's Hot Ones clips like every other day.

[27:08] Olivia Puckett: She's so funny.

[27:09] Jason A. Coombs: She's just perfect.

[27:10] Olivia Puckett: She really is. Just the best. That's like perfect casting. That needs to happen.

[27:15] Olivia Puckett: I know I I did uh I did a gasp when you said that because I was like, whoa. That is wait, what are you guys manifesting? I'm flipping the cams.

[27:23] Jason A. Coombs: Oh gosh. I'm not sure.

[27:26] Olivia Puckett: Too many things.

[27:28] Jason A. Coombs: Oh gosh, Jason's like the Oscars and on the hundredth. Sorry, I spoke for you.

[27:31] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, no, it's okay. That's what I manifested on in February 2020. So I have three more years to get there.

[27:40] Olivia Puckett: You're doing it.

[27:41] Jason A. Coombs: No, you're doing it.

[27:42] Olivia Puckett: Yes.

[27:44] Jason A. Coombs: And also, I would love to be um on an ensemble TV show as well. Like a White Lotus, could you imagine?

[27:51] Olivia Puckett: The dream.

[27:52] Jason A. Coombs: And we could all do it.

[27:54] Olivia Puckett: Why? It's definitely possible.

[27:55] Jason A. Coombs: Why not?

[27:56] Olivia Puckett: Let's all just jump in the pot and do it.

[27:58] Jason A. Coombs: Jump in the pot.

[28:01] Olivia Puckett: So we always love to bring it back to survival jobs, obviously. You know, that is the root of this show. So we have a lot of listeners who maybe are feeling stuck in a survival job, not really getting the artistic opportunities that they want, who are craving a life as an artist, making money from it. What is your advice to someone who is stuck in a survival job, or you know, doing double duty like yourself?

[28:29] Olivia Puckett: Oh boy. Surviving and thriving. This is such such the question these days, isn't it? What I would say first is I want to remind everyone the industry is vastly different right now than it's ever been. It is shows are not lasting as long as they used to. It's very strange. Um I think to remind yourself that everything is temporary.

[28:58] Olivia Puckett: You'll be in this survival job. Also, just like having a job and surviving in New York is like I'd say 80% of it. It's like you're already you're an actor in New York with a survival job. You're doing it. Just like keep your creative mind firing in whatever way that means. And I think a lot of people get stuck in like, okay, I'm gonna go to work and then I'm gonna book a job, book a job, book a job, see shows, make things with your friends. And that doesn't mean it has to cost money. You could write something, gather your friends, and read it at a table in your apartment. Um, go to concerts, like literally people watch. Like, like that's my favorite thing to do in the park. I'm like, how can I get a character from that guy over there?

Like it's sort of all around us, and I think we really get stuck in this western idea of like do do do make money, make money. And you get the farther you go down there, the further away you get from creating stuff. Of course, yeah. And I this is how I have to tell myself this too, because I get really stuck in the in the uh success mindset. But yeah, just know that this is not forever. I remember working at Equinox being like, Do I need to do something else? Um, and I just held on to hope, I guess. And I think that's all we can do. I don't know. No, that was I hope that's helpful.

[30:24] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, no, that it is okay, good. And you know, I love when we have guests that are still are like, you know, somebody could look at you and your career and where you are now and be like, Wow, that is, you know, amazing where I want to be. Obviously, it is, but you're still doing the hustle, and that is so admirable, and that is such a I think huge part of it. And you know, I always I always say, I talk to you about Robin De Jesus, right? He's a good friend of ours. After two Tony nominations, he was working coat check with me just because he was like, sure, why not? Like he wasn't working, and like that, and like you have to lose your ego at some point in order to continue to like be the artist. And I love what you said about like it's not about booking the job and about making the money. I mean, obviously, that's we have to, yeah, to survive, yeah. But yeah, but like it's about the art of it all, Caleb.

[31:15] Olivia Puckett: Yeah, it's it's also like no, stay on the soapbox. It's also like it, I think part of the reason I wanted to be an actor is because it feels like something that you can't uh master. And I'm such a Capricorn that I'm like, I must be good at everything and do at all. But something that's so fun about acting is I'm always failing in some way. Like I'm always like, Well, I gotta c I gotta figure it out again, and that's that's also with booking jobs, you can get your huge Broadway debut, and then it just is like it's so while you're going like this, if you can find like a steady beat somewhere else, seeing shows, creating relationships with your friends, you know, like creating other types of art, paint, do anything that's not um the thing that's gonna make you money. I don't know. That's always helped me.

[32:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, love.

[32:06] Olivia Puckett: Oh, sorry, go ahead, Sam.

[32:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: No, no, go, go. I was just gonna say, I also love my takeaway from that, because I always need some inspiration. That's why I love this show, and I will always keep doing this show no matter what, because I need it for my soul, was that you said the community aspect, right? It's like getting your friends together, and it doesn't have to be like renting a theater, just getting together and reading your work together. I think it's so important. And I think I've seen that happen where like people just work together, and then you never know where that's gonna lead you five months from now, five weeks from now, five years from now, right? It's just like making that community happen for yourself because it's lonely as fuck sometimes, also.

[32:42] Olivia Puckett: Oh my god. Also, I any listener right now, I struggle. I've been on Broadway twice now, and I it's hard still, like it doesn't, it will never end. I think people with Tony Awards, Oscar, like it doesn't, it just doesn't end. It's about finding what really matters in life and and just you know, knowing that you're enough. And this is stuff I have to remind myself every single day. I don't have anything figured out, like even close.

[33:11] Jason A. Coombs: So I hear that.

[33:12] Olivia Puckett: I hear that. Um I do want to say my queen Marishka Hargate said once the education of an artist never ends. And you like hinted to that too. And and it's so true. You have to keep yourself learning and growing, not having that ego. So preach, mic drop. Did you just see my like crazy little like claw of a mic drop?

[33:31] Jason A. Coombs: That was what shape, what shape is this mic?

[33:34] Olivia Puckett: It's sort of a sort of triangle.

[33:37] Jason A. Coombs: I love it.

[33:38] Olivia Puckett: I love it too. So it's a time that we're living in that is insane. I won't get into too politically uh English politics.

[33:50] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, right.

[33:52] Olivia Puckett: It's fantastic and great. No, we're so we're living through this time where like every day is just like an onslaught of attacks on the arts and on women and trans folks and everybody. What are you doing to keep yourself sane? Like, is there something that's feeding your soul artistically? Besides just show, which I know is probably keeping you sane, but like anything else, like a TV show, a book, a podcast, I mean music.

[34:17] Olivia Puckett: Bravo, Bravo keeps me sane in a way that no medication ever will. I'll tell you that. My dog who's napping as though she pays rent behind me. Um has never worked a day. Survival job. Hello. You gotta just listen to this episode. Yeah, rough life. Um no, you know what? My friends and uh keep me sane. I think just it's really that simple. I uh what's something else that I do pottery that's good and meditative? I love that. Um, I work out a lot, yeah. Gotta get it. So care y'all, self-care, self-care and music. Obviously, I've been really this year. One of my uh uh resolutions was to see more live music, and I've already done like a lot more, and not just like big like not you know, cowboy harder, like not the big things, like right, really just going to little places around Brooklyn, and so I've been doing that, um, and just getting outside.

This is like this time is I mean, we have to laugh. This is insane, like this is insane. It's not fair, it's not okay, and yet I still see so much like goodness happening all the time, and so I just try to remember that.

[35:33] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, and I just hope that and TV is really good right now, um, and there's more representation.

[35:41] Olivia Puckett: Yeah, and the I just seeing people of all realms of life in art is really keeping me. I'm sort of like you're trying to shut us up, you're trying to shut them up, you're trying to like you're not going to. It's not happening. And I don't know if that's like naive of me. I'm just trying to not lose it. I don't know.

[36:05] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it's hard.

[36:07] Olivia Puckett: No, and just to vote, vote, vote and stay active and and donate whatever money you have to any organization that's helping uh a group of people that are going to be affected by this president, yeah.

[36:27] Jason A. Coombs: So yeah, truly, truly, Miss Calloon. Well, thank you for sharing everything with us today. This was such a great interview. I do just want to insert something. You said TV's really good right now. Paradise on Hulu starring Sterling K. Brown is fucking incredible. And I just wanted to say that. So definitely check it out. Um, you're amazing, you're a superstar. I'm so happy that we connected and that we're all here together.

[36:56] Samantha Tuozzolo: Uh, we always love to end the show with a fun game, just to bring it back to light and and fun and playing. Um, so we have a fun game for you called Okayric.

[37:17] Olivia Puckett: Oh, I think they're pretty.

[37:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: I think you'll crush it. And I'm famously known for cheating on the show.

[37:28] Jason A. Coombs: She is. Okay. So just watch my mouth. You can hear stones.

[37:34] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[37:35] Jason A. Coombs: Sure. Oh, we got so hard not to sing this one. We'll bleed and fight for you. We'll make it right for you if we lay a strong enough blank.

[37:48] Olivia Puckett: Foundation.

[37:51] Jason A. Coombs: Number one, crush. Yes. That was dear Theodogia from Hamilton. Okay, number two. She's an blank girl in an ordinary world.

[38:06] Olivia Puckett: She's an she's an extraordinary girl.

[38:13] Jason A. Coombs: Well, that's scary. I almost I was like, superboy in the invisible girl. That scared me. Correct.

[38:21] Jason A. Coombs: That was great. That's extraordinary girl from American Idiot, which you toured for with. Correct. Boom. Make sure. Make sure. Number three. I need a clue because the scary truth is I'm flying blank.

[38:37] Olivia Puckett: And I'm making this up as I go.

[38:41] Jason A. Coombs: Because I'm flying blind and I'm making this up like this.

[38:47] Olivia Puckett: Ding ding ding. Crushing it. Does anybody have a map from Zionancy?

[38:54] Jason A. Coombs: Number four. This time before you leave my arms and rush off to her blank.

[39:01] Olivia Puckett: It's time before you leave my arms and rush off to her.

[39:10] Jason A. Coombs: In the name of this.

[39:14] Olivia Puckett: Oh.

[39:18] Jason A. Coombs: Stop.

[39:19] Olivia Puckett: What?

[39:20] Jason A. Coombs: So close.

[39:22] Olivia Puckett: Charm.

[39:23] Jason A. Coombs: Charmin.

[39:28] Olivia Puckett: Lucky.

[39:29] Jason A. Coombs: Charms.

[39:30] Olivia Puckett: Yes.

[39:31] Jason A. Coombs: What is that?

[39:33] Olivia Puckett: Stop. I'm having a stroke.

[39:36] Jason A. Coombs: From Motown the Musical.

[39:38] Olivia Puckett: I know, I know. I just why am I blanking on the lyrics of that very popular song?

[39:43] Jason A. Coombs: You got the answer all by yourself.

[39:46] Olivia Puckett: We'll cut in post.

[39:46] Jason A. Coombs: We'll cut in post. Is that right though? And rush off to her charms? Isn't it? The arms? That might be another lyric.

[39:53] Olivia Puckett: I mean, it was copy and pasted from Google.com.

[39:57] Jason A. Coombs: AI served me the lyrics and it was copy and pasted into this document.

[40:01] Olivia Puckett: We'll trust Google.

[40:02] Jason A. Coombs: We're gonna just Google because that would scare me if Google was wrong. Thank you.

[40:06] Jason A. Coombs: We're gonna have to we're gonna have to fact check that though.

[40:09] Olivia Puckett: But you gotta correct.

[40:13] Jason A. Coombs: Hell yeah.

[40:14] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, I think we have two more. Um another one where it's like so hard to not sing it. Whatever you want, if you blank, you can stay.

[40:19] Olivia Puckett: Whatever you want, if you pay, you can stay.

[40:26] Jason A. Coombs: That is hard not to say.

[40:28] Olivia Puckett: Yeah.

[40:29] Jason A. Coombs: Say no to this from Amazon.

[40:31] Olivia Puckett: Correct. Ding ding ding.

[40:33] Jason A. Coombs: And last but not least, clear the slate and start over.

[40:38] Olivia Puckett: Try to quiet the blank in your head.

[40:40] Jason A. Coombs: We can't compete with all that.

[40:47] Olivia Puckett: We can't compete with all that.

[40:50] Jason A. Coombs: I love that song.

[40:51] Olivia Puckett: I love Rachel Bay Jones, so I'm like, I'll I know any of her lyrics.

[40:55] Jason A. Coombs: Oh god, a dream. Congratulations.

[40:57] Olivia Puckett: You got 100% on the game.

[41:01] Jason A. Coombs: I'm sweating.

[41:03] Olivia Puckett: Down the armpit, and I'm not kidding.

[41:05] Jason A. Coombs: VIP invite to the season four premiere of Survival Jobs a podcast launch party.

[41:09] Olivia Puckett: Well, who knows when that will be?

[41:11] Jason A. Coombs: We're like in a very long season three.

[41:13] Olivia Puckett: I'm in.

[41:14] Jason A. Coombs: And extended. Congratulations, you crushed it. This was an amazing episode. Before we let you go, can you please drop uh any social media or any ways our followers can keep up with you?

[41:25] Olivia Puckett: Sure. On Instagram, I'm Olivia Puckett. On TikTok, have no idea.

[41:26] Olivia Puckett: Olivia Puckett.

[41:33] Olivia Puckett: 17. I don't know. I just I just watch videos like a freak. And I think that's all I have.

[41:40] Jason A. Coombs: Love that.

[41:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: Cash app.

[41:42] Olivia Puckett: I'm sorry.

[41:42] Olivia Puckett: Um Venmo Cash App.

[41:44] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[41:44] Olivia Puckett: No.

[41:45] Olivia Puckett: Yeah, just Instagram.

[41:46] Jason A. Coombs: Just Instagram.

[41:47] Olivia Puckett: I love the Venmo Cash app. Just send me some cash.

[41:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you. And if you guys are tuning in to us for the first time, because you're an Olivia fan, as you should be, please follow us at Survival Jobs Pod on Instagram and TikTok. On Facebook at Survival jobs a podcast. Shoot us an email at survivaljobspod at gmail.com. Let us know what you think. And follow my boy Jason at Jason A. Coombs. I still can't do it.

[42:12] Jason A. Coombs: Jason A. Coombs.

[42:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: And follow me at Sammy Toots.

[42:18] Olivia Puckett: And everybody go see All Nighter. Running through when? Limited run until when?

[42:22] Jason A. Coombs: May 18th.

[42:24] Olivia Puckett: So we have time at MCC.

[42:24] Jason A. Coombs: At MCC.

[42:28] Olivia Puckett: You guys need to.

[42:29] Olivia Puckett: Ketosick today.

[42:31] Jason A. Coombs: You will not be disappointed.

[42:32] Olivia Puckett: And my mic drop with claws.

[42:34] Jason A. Coombs: Oh.

[42:34] Olivia Puckett: And different color nails.

[42:35] Jason A. Coombs: For gaga.

[42:37] Olivia Puckett: Forgot that. Thank you so much, Olivia.

[42:38] Olivia Puckett: You are aware.

[42:40] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you.

[42:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you so much for listening to another episode of Survival Jobs a podcast. If you like what you heard, please like, subscribe, and follow. Give us a shout out on Instagram. Spread the word. Tell the good news that we're out here chatting away and we're not stopping anytime soon. Thank you to Sir Our Survivors for your endless support. We love y'all. Thank you. Thank you for tuning in and being part of the crew. You know, being part of the click. Being part of the gang. Survival jobs gang. Gang gang.