This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Jason A. Coombs: Hello, Survivors. Welcome to Survival Jobs, a podcast, a collaboration with Broadway World and the Broadway Podcast Network. My name is Jason A. Coombs, and I'm here with the lovely, beautiful, mega-talented Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo.

[0:17] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, don't even.

[0:18] Jason A. Coombs: Look at that. Look at that right over there. I love your shirt. I just realized it matches your background.

[0:24] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, my God. I actually didn't. I didn't realize it matched the background until you mentioned it.

[0:30] Jason A. Coombs: So, yes. Thank you so much.

[0:31] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: It's so cute.

[0:32] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you. Just a quick note to the people listening. I have really cool wallpaper in my apartment that I just want to say I'm so proud of myself. I did it myself.

[0:41] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes.

[0:42] Jason A. Coombs: I fucking measured it, and I figured it out. Now, I have one panel that's feeling a little that I need to replace. But other than that, it's pretty close, and I'm not a person who's super handy or good at that kind of stuff.

[0:58] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Well, clearly you are, because you did it. You did it well.

[1:02] Jason A. Coombs: But I did it. And so, I just want to give a shout-out to, you know, wallpaper.

[1:06] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: To wallpaper.

[1:07] Jason A. Coombs: I want to give a shout-out to wallpaper. Samantha, we might be a little bit late on this, but I don't think we're 100% late. Heated Rivalry. You watched it? Yes?

[1:20] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes. Have you?

[1:21] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, my God. Yeah. I've watched it like twice.

[1:24] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I think we're late, but also it happened so quick. And so, I think people are just catching up. So, we might be late from the first round, but we're not late. It's still like a very new phenomenon, and everybody's gagged. Everybody, gay, straight, woman, man, like any person, because the deep story is so beautiful.

[1:48] Jason A. Coombs: It is. I was talking to my boss's boss's boss about it. She's like, she's so gagged. She's like, I'm going to the cottage. And I was like, bitch, I'll see you there.

[2:03] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I want to go to the cottage as well.

[2:05] Jason A. Coombs: Everybody wants to go.

[2:07] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I mean, I was weeping. I was like, so I had COVID a couple weeks ago. Shout-out for the recirculation of COVID. Not shout-out, but you know, whatever. And so, I was in the house for a few days, and I was working, but I was fatigued as heck. So, I binged a bunch of things and Heated Rivalry. I have a hard time saying rivalry.

[2:29] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it's a hard word to learn.

[2:31] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Heated rivalry was one of them. Man, I was weeping. Episode five. Oh, my God. I watched it on New Year's Eve. I was going to go to a little house thing. And I was like, let me just watch one episode before I go. I was bawling on the couch like a baby. Ziggy, our dog, had to come comfort me. So, I was really weeping. And I had to watch six. I was like, I can't. So, I was late to the party.

[2:54] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, yeah. I watched the whole thing in one day. Couldn't not.

[2:58] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, my God.

[2:59] Jason A. Coombs: Couldn't not.

[3:00] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: That's incredible. And shout-out to those guys. I can't remember their names off the top of my head because my brain is literally dead.

[3:08] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, no. Let's look it up. Go ahead. Shout-out to them and I'll find their names.

[3:13] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, you'll get their names. I hate mixing up the real names with the fake names like Ilya.

[3:19] Jason A. Coombs: Ilya is played by Connor Story and Shane Hollander is played by Hudson Williams.

[3:24] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes, Hudson Williams. Shout-out to them. Connor Story literally was working a survival job. Did you hear this story? I think I sent it to you.

[3:33] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, yes.

[3:34] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And it was like got written up. And then like literally 45 minutes later, he like got to call her.

[3:39] Jason A. Coombs: Booked it.

[3:40] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Booked it. And their lives completely have changed.

[3:43] Jason A. Coombs: No, no.

[3:44] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Like completely changed.

[3:45] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, they'll never be the same.

[3:46] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Right. This show is too important. And it's such a cultural milestone, I think.

[3:52] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[3:53] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Moment. It's such a cultural moment across the board. So, they're never going to be the same. So, guys, if you haven't watched it, get an HBO subscription and binge it. It is so good.

[4:04] Jason A. Coombs: I keep telling people, I'm like, this is like they hook you in with like the sexiness, right? It's like they're hot. They're hot, beautiful boys. That's like the hook, right? But there's a really beautiful story in there. And I was a little hesitant, to be honest, to watch it because I was like, I don't want to watch another white, gay, hot guy story. Like I've seen that a bazillion times, you know, like there's nothing new in gay culture, you know, seeing hot white guys. But I was like, oh, like my friend really recommended it. It was like, you got to watch, got to watch. I gave it a shot. And I'm so happy I did because truly incredible storytelling. It's timely. It's wonderfully told, wonderfully acted. I thought Connor's story was Russian. When I first saw that first clip, he was speaking English. I was like, shook it.

[4:49] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yup.

[4:50] Jason A. Coombs: I was like, he's not Russian? I was so shocked.

[4:53] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: He said he kept the accent through the whole time of filming, the whole production, just so he could really stay in it that when they wrapped that people on the crew were like, what? You're American, dude.

[5:05] Jason A. Coombs: Right from Texas.

[5:06] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, they were stellar.

[5:07] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, stellar.

[5:08] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Shout out to the women too on that show. I'm not going to say much because I don't want to get anything ruined, but the women on that show, oh, I love them down.

[5:18] Jason A. Coombs: And you know, it's just so great when there's like a low budget show, right? That show was low budget. They didn't know what was going to happen with it. And it just goes to show you that still at the top is good writing, good acting, good storytelling.

[5:32] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes.

[5:33] Jason A. Coombs: Is ahead of all of it, right?

[5:35] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Right.

[5:36] Jason A. Coombs: So shout out and definitely check it out.

[5:38] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Shout out to Scott too.

[5:40] Jason A. Coombs: Who's Scott? Oh, gosh.

[5:42] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Scott.

[5:43] Jason A. Coombs: Sorry. He's my favorite. No, no, no. I loved Scott. I loved Scott, but my absolute favorite was Kip.

[5:51] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh yeah, Kip.

[5:53] Jason A. Coombs: I love Kip.

[5:55] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And Kip's that, oh my God. Y'all, y'all gotta watch. If y'all have not watched, y'all got to watch.

[6:01] Jason A. Coombs: For real. I also want to say, I want to talk about another show real quick that I've been during my COVID stint with Kristen Bell and Adam Brody called Nobody Wants This. I'm definitely late to the party on that. Yeah. Have you watched it?

[6:17] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: No, I love both of them too. Like I can't believe I haven't watched it yet. I literally love Kristen Bell.

[6:22] Jason A. Coombs: I can just tell you, you know, right now, more than ever, we need things that are going to make our minds just be in a good, happy place and just light and fun. And man, this show is it to a T. Like it is so, so good. I binged the first two seasons in two days because, well, again, I had COVID. Please don't think I just was like locked in. I couldn't go out. But that show, it was like the writing, the acting, like every actor in that, the comedic timing of all these people, Jackie Tone, T-O-H-N, I don't want to butcher her name. She also was on Glow. She's been around for a while. She's been a ton of shit. Her comedic timing is so good. And that's like my favorite sort of genre is like, this is so fucking funny, but it's not like in your face comedy, right? It's a very subtle comedy.

[7:21] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. It's so subtle and it's so good. And it's really beautiful. It's really beautiful. I don't want to give too much away, Jason. You would love it. You would love it. I don't want to give too much away about like-

[7:34] Jason A. Coombs: I love Adam Brody and I love Kristen Bell. I can't believe I haven't watched it yet.

[7:38] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Like different people coming together and working through what's important to them and still making it work because the connection, the soul maintenance of it all, or like maybe it doesn't work out. I don't want to like give any spoilers, but it's so good. It's like giving my big fat Greek wedding, not really, but like in that same like kind of comedy.

[7:57] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[7:58] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: But still it's like, it's still, it's like heartfelt at the end. Like, so yeah, I definitely recommend that too. And since we're, sorry, I'm on a roll. I also am a newcomer to Traders. Hi, are you on the Traders game?

[8:11] Jason A. Coombs: No. I remember we had, who was our guest that was on the Traders game that played, there was a guest that we had that played behind the scenes of their show. You don't remember this?

[8:22] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh yes. They played Traders like backstage. I think it wasn't the notebook. It wasn't, it wasn't our friend-

[8:29] Jason A. Coombs: It was Ryan. Wait, right?

[8:30] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: It was Ryan. Yep. You're right. It was the-

[8:32] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[8:33] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: It was our friend, the notebook.

[8:34] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you for the assist, Jason.

[8:35] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. I highly, highly recommend another thing that, you know, really just takes us out and like lets us go somewhere else for a minute. That's so fucking fun. And just like exciting and like nothing like, you know, groundbreaking. It's not groundbreaking TV. I mean, but it is.

[8:53] Jason A. Coombs: Right. Groundbreaking TV.

[8:54] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And yeah, I love the Traders and I caught up with the new season. Sorry, I'm just like gagged about the Traders. I caught up with the new season. I went back to season one.

[9:06] Jason A. Coombs: How many are there?

[9:08] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Four.

[9:09] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[9:10] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So if this mic check is primarily about like gag TV, these are my top three for 2026 so far. And some of them are, you know, delayed.

[9:21] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Yeah.

[9:22] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So Jason, we both have seen Moulin Rouge in the new year. Can I just do one quick thing?

[9:27] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[9:28] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Before we talk about Moulin Rouge, which is-

[9:30] Jason A. Coombs: We got a lot to talk about Moulin Rouge.

[9:33] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes. I just feel like, as you know, as we all know, hopefully we all know that there's so much shit happening in our world right now. And, you know, I was really thinking about this all day. I know we were doing our mic check and I was like, what do I want to say? What do I want to like, what do I want to put out in the universe? You know, like I want to make sure we have a plan. Even if our podcast is not a political podcast, I have a platform and I have a way to get out to people that I am able to do that.

[10:05] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[10:06] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And I was like, you know, I want to make sure I'm doing it in a way that's like going to be the most receptive, right? If someone is not on the same kind of wavelength as me and you are, and maybe a lot of people in New York City are, you know what I mean?

[10:19] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, okay.

[10:20] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So there's a poem, I mean-

[10:22] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, this poem that's going around?

[10:24] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes. I just want to read it.

[10:26] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, read it.

[10:27] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: It's called First They Came. It's called First They Came and I'm going to butcher the poet's last name. I should have looked this up, but I'm a bad journalist right now.

[10:36] Jason A. Coombs: It's okay. I mean, I think the context of the poem is the most important.

[10:40] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. It's Martin Niemoller and it's really short. It goes, first they came for the communist and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the socialist and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the unionist and I did not speak up because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me. That's from-

[11:11] Jason A. Coombs: The Holocaust.

[11:12] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, from 1938 to 1945. This was written about the Holocaust.

[11:18] Jason A. Coombs: Here we are, almost a hundred years-ish later, almost maybe something years later. Shit is bad out there. People are being murdered, literally murdered by our government.

[11:32] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: With no repercussions.

[11:34] Jason A. Coombs: Then the worst part, I mean, it's not the worst part. Everything's the worst, but then they're lying to us about what we're seeing with our own eyes.

[11:42] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: You guys, folks, friends, we have to stay diligent in what we're seeing. We have to make sure we're aware of what's happening because it's not the end. It's going to get worse and we have to be aware of what's happening.

[11:59] Jason A. Coombs: I never really speak about it on here because I do think this show is for people to escape. Just like I was saying, those shows are for me to escape.

[12:09] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I actually don't even know what to say. That's why I never say anything because I'm sort of numb and sad.

[12:18] Jason A. Coombs: Pay attention and we got to do what we can, even though it feels like it doesn't make a difference.

[12:27] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Everything will make a difference.

[12:29] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you for sharing that poem.

[12:32] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I think we, you know, to protect ourselves and our mental health, we have to dive into art.

[12:39] Jason A. Coombs: Right? Always.

[12:42] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And then figure out how we can make a difference and just hope that there's more of us that won't be murdered in the street.

[12:52] Jason A. Coombs: Who can have a voice. I don't know. It's just, it's fucked.

[12:58] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: It's fucked, guys.

[13:01] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you for the poem, but let's lighten the mood a bit.

[13:05] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: With Moulin Rouge!

[13:06] Jason A. Coombs: With Moulin Rouge! I mean, like, what a show to lighten the mood, you know?

[13:11] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Seriously, yeah. That's what I always say.

[13:15] Jason A. Coombs: You know, I love that we have rag times and we have, you know, parades. Those shows are so important and so necessary, but there also needs to be the Moulin Rouges and the Mamma Mia's too, right?

[13:29] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: We need both. We need balance, especially when things are so heavy like this.

[13:32] Jason A. Coombs: So, I feel like I'm talking a lot. Go ahead.

[13:34] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, I feel like I blocked out. I don't even know what I said. I talked about every single show I binge. I talk about being sad and now I'm talking about Moulin Rouge!

[13:41] Jason A. Coombs: So, my cousins are in town. One of them had never seen a Broadway show. They live in the South, so they were visiting for a little winter New York City weekend. And we went to Moulin Rouge!

[13:54] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: They were so... I mean, I was so happy too. I'd seen it before. But they were just so happy and just kept saying, this is the most fun. And, like, when we recapped the weekend, like, Moulin Rouge! was number one. I think it's great for, you know, people who appreciate theater but aren't, like, religious theater goers. Because you go, you can, you know the song, so you, like, feel like...

[15:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: Welcome to Survival Jobs, a podcast. We're so happy to have you on the show. Happy December. Happy all the things. We have so much to talk about. You are the longest running cast member in Moulin Rouge since 2019, which we could talk just about that for this whole episode. But like I said, we have so much to talk about, from your amazing career to survival jobs to all of the things. Yeah. We started this podcast as a way to provide inspiration for each other during some dark times, but as well as for other people, because, you know, during the pandemic, it was bleak. I'm not sure if you remember.

[16:17] Bahiyah Hibah: Oh, yeah. I remember.

[16:20] Samantha Tuozzolo: Right, right. But we always like to kick off this question, because we are Survival Jobs. Before you were on Broadway, and Alvin Ailey, Moulin Rouge, and countless TV spots, do you have a memorable survival job on your up and up that you want to share with us today?

[16:36] Bahiyah Hibah: You know, I've been so blessed. Yeah, truly. I mean, I could think there was one job that I did in between our break from Moulin Rouge and when we came back for a month or two, and I got that contact from Jodi McFadden, who's an original Moulin Rouge member, and it was catering. And I was like, you know, and that was before I got my culinary license. So I was like, let me do something that I enjoy doing. And it was with a catering company. And that was literally for a month or two. But I've been so blessed. I never had to wait tables, or, you know, like I may have always had dancing teaching jobs, but I consider that part of, you know, who I was. But I never worked in an office. I never worked the nine to five, you know, so really, really blessed. Not to say that there weren't times when I wasn't employed, because as an artist, those times are quite a reality. But never long enough for me to have to, like, get that other job that was more sufficient.

[17:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: Good for you. Isn't that the dream? To be able to say, hey, I never had to wait a table?

[17:26] Bahiyah Hibah: Yeah.

[17:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: Well, you know what? That happens a lot in the show, too, where people don't have their, like, traditional survival jobs that have taught and, you know, have been unemployed from their art. So it all is connected. It all is connected. So can you tell us about the first time that you remember that you wanted to perform? And what was your inspiration, you know, to want to become a performer?

[17:43] Bahiyah Hibah: Yeah. Well, I started dancing at four. And my mother always reminds me that she asked me what I wanted to do. And I said, I wanted to be a ballerina. I'm not sure at that age, I really knew, other than maybe I saw something that just inspired me. And clearly, at four, there was something that I just expressed and wasn't really connected with the way I am now. But mom was like, from the time you started dancing at four, it was clear that this was your passion. This was the direction you were going to go in. And then from there on out, my mom was very supportive in, you know, getting me the dance lessons I wanted, finding the right teachers, finding the right environments. And from there, I just continued to build my resources and my mentors and having good teachers. And it was sort of like, everything fell into place, you know.

[18:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's so cool that, like, since you were four years old, you know, your mother could see that spark in you. And so it's just like, when it's meant to be, it's meant to be. Fate is fate. And the blessings of the talent will just land, no matter what the age.

[18:27] Bahiyah Hibah: Yeah, exactly.

[18:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's so special. And you've been working as a professional dancer and actor for over 20 years, right? It was on your website. You're part of the original cast of Color Purple, you played Velma Kelly in Chicago, you're an actor in Midnight on 20th Century, and of course, Moulin Rouge. Looking back, what do you think helped you sustain such longevity in this industry that's challenging, to say the least, sometimes, right?

[18:45] Bahiyah Hibah: Yes, very challenging. Well, I think physically, I had a very strong discipline from the age of four, you know. I started as a ballerina. I always consider myself a Trina. And I think that really set me up for success because I was not afraid to work hard. I knew what it was to work hard and to just hone your craft. And I was being taught and raised in a time when there wasn't social media, so there wasn't this kind of like microwave approach to, I want to get it done in three minutes. I worked hard, I rehearsed, I rehearsed more, I performed, I went back to the rehearsal. And so that was, I think, a constitution I had that allowed me to kind of stick with it. And before the whole Broadway thing, the concert dance is what is really my foundation.

And in concert dance, we take class every day. There's constant revamping of movement and pieces. And then the touring schedule is something that is not for the faint of heart. So those kinds of things really build in you the type of constitution, I'd say, or the kind of structure you need exactly to withstand the hard times of being an artist. And I think in addition to finding what keeps my physical body healthy with what I eat and how I sleep and how I rest and how I choose not to party all night, those types of things make a big difference. And when you're young, you think, oh, I can get away with it. But at my age, it starts to catch up. And a glass of wine is enough and not like three glasses and then three shots. Because we've all been there.

[19:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: Three glasses of wine and three shots just made my stomach hurt.

[19:47] Bahiyah Hibah: Exactly. So it's just been that building of finding a really strong foundation, finding some tools that really, I never not take baths. I'm always stretching, warming up, keeping the body warm, and being someone who moves even if I'm not on the stage, if I'm doing yoga or some Pilates or a floor bar, those kinds of things for nine to five people and athletes and dancers. You just have to always, I think, stay moving because what you don't use, you do lose. So yeah.

[20:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: Wow, thank you for sharing that. That's an education. Hope you'll have your notebooks. Take some notes. Yeah. That's so important. I feel like at any age to make sure you're treating your body right and moving it and being kind to yourself and giving yourself grace. Because I always say the only thing that we have is ourselves, really. The only thing we have control over is our own selves. So you've got to just do the right things to keep it moving, literally keep it moving. So we mentioned at the beginning, you are the longest running original cast member in Moulin Rouge! on Broadway. So can you, first of all, congratulations. That's a huge accomplishment. Since 2019, you went through the pandemic, you came back.

I actually have some cousins coming into town and I told them to look at what show they wanted to see and they said Moulin Rouge! I said, okay, done. So can you tell us how you keep the show fresh for yourself and what you've been learning from doing this show for so many years?

[21:06] Bahiyah Hibah: Well, I think most recently what has been the best thing for me to maintain a fresh show are the castmates. You do the same movement, but I think the thing that's even more important, and this is after me being in the show for years, is the connection you have with the people on stage, the dynamic, your relationships. We have fun. The average person would think it crazy the way that we're cutting up on stage just because we're having fun. And because it is a show that you can have dynamics with certain partners and your girlfriends, it's lovely to be on stage and have those types of relationships that come out in the midst of the show. But as far as me personally doing the same show, I try and find ways.

Maybe a year ago, I was doing these posts where I was asking questions like, what do you do to finesse your show? And one thing that I don't think is being taught, at least from when I was in school learning, is that you're taught the technique. You may be taught how to maintain, but when it comes to the performance, what do you do to really make it fresh? And a lot of the times, it could be something as simple as picking an animal and saying, this whole show is going to be, I'm going to be a cat. Or I'm going to do the movement as full out as I can, but do it with a quality of stillness. Or, which is really great for me, I'm going to look at all the people on stage with me. Because a lot of times you get into a real focus of this is the same show, it's the same track, I look this way on this count, same night.

And a lot of times, because I know the show so well, I can look at the people I'm on stage with, find things that I've never seen before, which is often because our show is like a revolving door. We have new people on stage all the time. So, how do I observe someone in the cast and react from that, from their performance? So, it's a lot of outside stimulation. I think that if you are willing to not sort of get stagnant and stale, it is the same show, but it can be a new show every night. And Andre, who plays Le Trek, always says to me when people get too serious, he was like, this is a play, we're playing. So, play. And kids, when they wake up on Saturday morning, they don't go, oh, I'm so bored, I only have to play today. They're like, great, what am I going to do today? So, more and more, I'm trying to think of how do I play on stage? How do I interact with the people that I'm really having fun with?

[22:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's such a beautiful way to look at it, because it also brings us back to the younger versions of ourselves, while we are, hello, I can't speak, why we all became artists in the first place is because it's playing and it's fun. And once you lose that fun, then what's the point? I do want to ask really quickly, there's just a whole social media thing going around that Alex Timbers is, I think, only the second director ever to have four Broadway shows running at once, which is crazy. So, what was it like working with him since you're from the beginning through?

[29:05] Bahiyah Hibah: Last night, I love being an artist because we have the capacity to see with more than just our eyes. We see, we feel, we hear. Our senses are really, I think, just much more stimulated than maybe the average person. And so I really think that what I learned from Alex is that it's like a candy store. From the moment you walk into the theater, it's like you're in the world, the colors, the textures of the velvet on the wall. So that for me was really nice because I felt like he was given the license to play with the book, with Baz Luhrmann's movie, and that was already a great platform to work with. I feel the same about the movie where it was just like eye candy. And you can watch that movie a million times and see something different.

And the same with the show. A lot of people are like, I come back because I can only keep my eye focused on this one person. I'm like, I got to come back so I can look at this person my whole show. Yeah. I love that you were able to challenge yourself. That's what you do. Like, okay, I'm going to find something different in every performance because this is theater, baby. This is live theater. It's supposed to be that way. You can't do the same performance twice. How incredible. Thank you for sharing that. So if people are living under a rock and haven't seen Moulin Rouge, you guys had 2000 performances? Just last night. Our matinee was our 2000th. 2000 performances. That's incredible. Oh my gosh.

So if you're living under a rock, like I said, you haven't seen Moulin Rouge yet. You haven't gotten your tickets. Why should they pause this episode, get their tickets and come back and finish listening? And do you have a favorite moment in the show? No spoilers, but do you have a favorite moment in the show? Favorite moments are, I don't have one specific favorite moment, but again, the times that I get to observe the same scenes done differently by different castmates, how the words land differently, how you get a different reaction from the audience or the cast. I love when new people come in and they keep us on our toes. Even the pace of the show can make the show feel totally different. Yeah. So I can't say, sorry, I can't say anything favorite.

[32:06] Bahiyah Hibah: No, that's okay. I love that answer. I did that once with Boyz n the Band. Every time I went and saw that play, I watched a different person in the whole show, only them. And you were saying that people are doing that. And that's so interesting too, to think about that within the show, because it's from everybody's perspective, which is really, really amazing. So in addition to your performing life, you also have a career as a chef. Congratulations, multi-hyphenate, many hats over here. So how did food and starting Bahia's Bites become such an important part of your creative identity? Well, I grew up in a family of chefs, home cooked meals, nothing boxed, baked, fried, cooked, whatever. So I grew up in a family of frozen, canned or anything like that.

And so my palate was something that I feel was very developed and I didn't like the usual fast food things, that kind of thing. So I was used to eating good food, healthy food. And during the pandemic was when I decided to get my culinary license because we're all sitting around. And I thought, well, when we do come out of this, I want to come away with a new skill. I want to come away being stimulated and not necessarily thinking like, oh no, I have to start over or I have to go back to... And the sensibility was people were becoming more awakened and in tune. They didn't want to go back to the hardships and so on and so forth. So after I got my license, I came back to the show and throughout the return, I was thinking, how do I incorporate this?

Sam Khan, who's an OG of the show, was the first person I cooked for and he was so supportive. And the whole show, all cast members who have participated and eaten my food have been so generous with their feedback and their support. And just recently I decided that I feel like I've figured out a formula, not that the formula works for everyone, but because I enjoy eating well and I fix my food and consume my food intentionally, I thought, well, this is something that surely a Broadway performer could benefit from, knowing their schedule, because it's my schedule. Knowing a two-show day is crazy. Knowing the crazy Christmas and Thanksgiving and New Year's holiday is brutal. Why not create something that could benefit this community that I've given so much to, that has given so much back to me?

And actually, which is, I guess this is simply divine, just last night in between our two shows for the 2000th show, I catered the meal for Moulin Rouge. Mind-blowing. And it was my first catering event for 75 people plus. I was like, girl, you know what you're doing? In between your job.

[35:12] Bahiyah Hibah: Yeah. In between my job, I did my other job. Great. So that has really been me just wanting to continue to serve and continue to share what I think works and then growing along the way. And it really has just been another extension of the artist that I am. Because we don't just do one thing. And most of us don't do just one thing well. So I'm trying to figure out how to use all of the skills I have to continue to build this Bahia person, this Bahia artist.

[35:51] Jason A. Coombs: That's incredible. Okay. So you've worked with so many incredible creatives on stage and on screen, including Hinton Battle, R.I.P. I saw you were in Gwen Fossey and Verdon, Sam Rockwell, Stephanie Powell. What is the best advice you've received from someone you truly admired?

[36:11] Bahiyah Hibah: Say that again? I'm sorry. What's the best advice you received from someone you admire?

[36:16] Bahiyah Hibah: The best advice. Honestly, it is secondhand information. When I was in Ailey doing a piece called Episodes, which is one of my favorite pieces, choreographed by Ulysses Dove, R.I.P., he had this slogan that was passed down from previous dancers. And the phrase is, there's nothing to prove, only to share. And I think that that is priceless.

[36:55] Jason A. Coombs: I love that.

[36:56] Bahiyah Hibah: Right? Because in this world, especially with social media, you're always trying to prove that I'm this, that I'm that, that I'm worthy. And I try and approach what I share as a share. I'm not going to force it down your throat. If you want to participate, great. If not, and you just want to let it land and see how it marinates, great. But I feel like we all have so many things to share. And that, for me, I think is something that has stuck with me. And it's interesting because in the dance world, we just lost an amazing dancer who was an Alvin Ailey dancer, Toni Pierce, Toni Pierce Sands. And when they spoke about her, when they wrote an article, she would always tell her students that same phrase.

And I remember thinking, yeah, that's what it is as an artist. Because when we're artists, right, the business part of it, I think, is no longer about the artistry. And I think there's a really harsh line from being an artist to making that part of your business, and it getting very black and white. You lose all the color when it comes to the business, but you still want to remain the artist. And so I think it's very important that all artists realize that they're sharing their art. They're not proving that they're better than, that they're more valuable in some way, shape, or form, prettier, this or that. And it really is just about like, I have a gift, and I'm supposed to be sharing this gift, because it's not just a gift for me, it's a gift for whomever it blesses. So, yeah.

[38:45] Jason A. Coombs: That's so beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. I think that's such an important reminder to all of our listeners, and to us, and to really any artist to remember the core, like I said earlier, the core of why we do this. Not for the glitz and glam, I mean, whatever, or the competition, but because we're sharing stories and sharing art, and that is really beautiful. Mic drop.

[39:08] Bahiyah Hibah: So, think back to your younger self, before you were at a comfortable place as an artist, when you were juggling auditions and survival jobs, maybe you were teaching, what is something that you wish you knew at the beginning of your career that you know now?

[39:30] Bahiyah Hibah: I wish I knew and had learned earlier that, and this might sound a little harsh, that the management that we hire work for us, we don't work for them. I know that it's really hard to just wrap your head around that, because, you know, and to this day, I don't have a manager at this moment, but I wish that, and maybe it's being taught in schools now on how to find the right manager or agent, and know that when you go and interview them, you are looking to hire them to represent you. And it's often the other way around. And I think for years, I've had conversations, other people have asked me, Bahia, how do you find an agent? How do you interview? And without being disrespectful or too brash, it's like, you go in there with your questions.

You make sure that they're the right fit. Because at the end of the day, they're representing you. They're hopefully getting to know you as an artist so that they can submit you for roles that you want to go in for, that represent you and your artistry. And I think a lot of the times that is totally overlooked, you know, and we look at the roster of the agents that have thousands of clients, you know, and it makes it seem like they're the ones who are hiring you. But it's really the opposite. You got to find the right fit. You have to interview them the same way you would be interviewed if you go in for a job in which you're looking to be hired.

[41:31] Jason A. Coombs: I think that is so such an important piece of advice. Because we all we do get lost. And we're so we're such dreamers. And we want it so bad that we forget that piece. And we lose maybe our self our self value, if you will. So that's so important. Thank you so much.

[41:48] Bahiyah Hibah: Yeah, I was just saying I would like to end with a really fun game, you know, bring it back to lightness, because we do get a little deep on the show. But we do have one last question. So Samantha and I are really big manifestors. We like to just really put out in the universe what we want. And you know, it's worked. It's worked for the show for a couple times. And, you know, Samantha has another podcast that has been killing it called Ottawa Minnow. So is there a dream role project or collaborator you'd like to manifest with us today?

[42:15] Bahiyah Hibah: Oh, beautiful question. And I did my manifestation meditation this morning. Love that. Yeah. Let's see big role or person. I don't have a specific name, but I want this person to be the person that I can partner with. That wants to be a collaborator.

[42:53] Bahiyah Hibah: I want to be someone who in turn shares their gifts, sees my gifts, someone who wants to build a business with me. And it's kind of loose, and I know in manifesting we have to be very specific, but I haven't quite solidified... That's not true. What I have solidified is wanting a partner who I can build a business with. And when we say business, like create revenue, but continue to share as well as a life space. Because I think it's important. I just told my friend Brooke again that you have to maintain yourself and continue to build yourself. But there's something beautiful about creating a fulfilling, healthy relationship with someone whom you can really partner with. Like maybe what you guys are doing today.

You can see eye to eye, you know, okay, that's my skill set. That's yours. Great. Together we make 100%. Right. So I think that's really important to keep company with and build a partnership with someone whom I can build and grow with. And we support each other. We see each other for who we are individually. And never forget to dream. Never forget to dream and recognize and acknowledge each other's skill sets and let each other run with the skills that we have. And we just do that undergirding to, you know, fulfill what the next dream is, what the next project is.

[44:52] Jason A. Coombs: That's incredible. Thank you for sharing that. And shout out to Brooke. If you're listening, Brooke. That's amazing. Congratulations and everything. And thank you so much for all the wisdom you shared and for joining us today.

[45:01] Bahiyah Hibah: Thank you for having me.

[45:06] Jason A. Coombs: Of course. So Jason mentioned we love to end with a fun game. He came up with something really great. Jason, if you want to share it because it came from your brain.

[45:19] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, this is called Broadway Bites. So we're going to name like a Broadway show or a theater related thing. And would you name like a dish that you would create for this event or maybe if you can't think of a dish to create something you like to eat at this type of event? Does that make sense?

[45:36] Bahiyah Hibah: Yeah. I was trying to think creatively just how to combine your two worlds.

[45:43] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. You did that at the party yesterday. So I'll go first. Moulin Rouge. Is there like a dish that kind of has that sense of Moulin Rouge or maybe something you served yesterday at the party?

[45:54] Bahiyah Hibah: Mm hmm. Well, it's funny. The thing that I really love that I think was a hit and is infused with all the things that we need for recovery is something with beets in it. So I made a roasted root vegetable medley, which was sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, and they're baked and they're caramelized. And then a light maple vinaigrette is sort of tossed in there. And I love it because it's vibrant, rich reds and orange colors, sort of like the Moulin Rouge logo, you know, that bright red that is part of that. So I think, you know, the maybe. Well, we have this saying at the Moulin Rouge called the Rousual instead of the usual. I mean, I don't know. I don't know the name yet, but something Rouge-esque for the red and the pinks of the beets and what happens when the beet color bleeds into the sweet potato or the carrots, that kind of thing. And the beets are so good for us. They are. I do love it. I do love me a beet.

[47:12] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, for an opening night.

[47:26] Bahiyah Hibah: Opening night. You know, I saw something just last night. They started serving more food at the theater and in the can-can seats, I saw a big container of popcorn. And I was like, they're at the movies here, popcorn. And then there was a bottle of Moet. I was like, okay, that's how we do it now. But I was thinking I would love to, I used to, I haven't done in a while, I used to create this sweet and savory popcorn that actually Erica, who's OG from Moulin Rouge, just loved. And it was, you know, the basic salt and pepper, but then I would add cumin and coriander and sprinkle it with agave. So it's kind of sticky and sweet, but savory at the same time. And I would like to, I think as an opening night gift to kind of package that in a way that's very like Moulin Rouge-y, but have something light and, you know, rich in fiber and, you know, loves, is great on your taste buds with the savory and the sweet, that type of thing.

[48:27] Bahiyah Hibah: Mm-hmm. That sounds yummy. I love popcorn.

[48:34] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. How about for tech week? Something that gets you through tech week or?

[48:39] Bahiyah Hibah: Yes, tech week. Tech week, I would just make some really good homemade electrolyte drinks, which would be, the base would be a coconut water, a pinch of Himalayan sea salt, lemon juice. And if tech week was during the summer, I would do something very similar with watermelon juice. A lime, maybe a hint of jalapeno, you know? Yeah. Because you're in the theater, it's dark, right? It's usually cold and you're working a lot. If it's the winter months, the heat is on, so it's dry. So I would make batches of like homemade, you know, healthy electrolyte drinks that can just be, you know, drinking at will.

[49:48] Jason A. Coombs: I love this. We're getting like some good recipes here as well. Bet you guys didn't expect that.

[49:56] Bahiyah Hibah: Okay. So now for audition season.

[49:57] Jason A. Coombs: Ooh, audition season.

[49:58] Bahiyah Hibah: You know, I think I would create something that is nourishing, but also a treat because auditioning is hard. And I always tell someone after you audition, it doesn't matter how it went, go treat yourself. Because, you know, you're putting yourself out there for somebody to tell you, you're good enough, you're not good enough, more of this, less of that. So I would send someone off who's on their way to audition with a piece of what I love, which is seasonal now, gingerbread. So my gingerbread is made with all of those warming spices, the ginger, the clove, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, molasses, which is going to give you the energy you need. It's warm, it's moist, it's just so good. It's just so good.

It's warm, it's moist. It's just a lovely, like, thank you for putting yourself through the ringer for me type of snack. And that would really, and it's great, great with a cup of coffee, or a cup of tea, or, you know, at that audition, and you said, I did it. I've been there all eight hours. I danced five times, I sang, I danced again, I remember the scene. I owe myself a piece of this moist, warmed, not necessarily warmed in heat, but warming spice snack. Gingerbread.

[51:28] Jason A. Coombs: I love it. We have two more. Okay. Broadway matinee.

[51:39] Bahiyah Hibah: Broadway matinee. Yes. So I make a great chia pudding breakfast. Yeah. With the corsets that we wear in Moulin Rouge, sometimes it's hard for us to eat meals. Right. You know, it's crazy. Right. So I love the chia seed and what it does to satiate you, but it's also great in fiber. And so I make my own plant milks, whether it's cashew or hemp or what have you. And I soak the chia seeds in that overnight with maybe a little cinnamon, maple syrup. The other day, I actually made one that is a pistachio. And I love the Indian way that the culinary, they use rosewater and pistachios. So I created a pistachio chia pudding with rosewater in that chia that's going to sit overnight. And then I add crumbled pistachios.

But I add a base of banana. So it has a little heartiness. I use a little coconut yogurt to make something a little thicker. So it's like layered. So it's like the chia and then it's homemade granola. And then it's the pistachio crumble and then another layer of chia, a little bit of yogurt. So that type of, that's a great matinee. Like you can eat it, not feel stuffed, get your nourishment and you can make it any other way. You know, if you want to just add blueberries and bananas, or if you want to add cacao powder and peanut butter, some people like that, the chocolate and the peanut butter with banana type of combination. So that would be the matinee treat.

[53:30] Jason A. Coombs: Matinee treat. I love that. I'm so hungry now.

[53:33] Bahiyah Hibah: I know. I was just going to say I want that right now. Okay. And last but not least, what is the post-show meal?

[53:39] Bahiyah Hibah: Post-show. And this is, this is a hard one because as much as I would love to eat a steak and potatoes after the show, I will not sleep. Um, so, and I have so many friends who, Benji in the show as well, I get so upset at him because he's like, I'm going to have a pizza, the whole pizza after the show. And I'm like, I wouldn't sleep for three days if I had a whole pizza. But what I would offer as a post-show would be, you know, those leafy greens, whether they're cooked or raw are very good for recovery. So it would be a light, um, a light salad with a high protein, small portions, you know, whether it's, um, I make a really great lentil loaf, um, that mimics the meat loaf. Um, but that's going to have your protein from your lentils and your mushrooms and all of your celery and carrots and onions.

Um, and you can eat, yeah, you can eat that with the salad or someone who's like, no, I need meat. Um, a real simple, you know, um, turkey, uh, crumble, you know, kind of made the same way you would make a bolognese sauce without the tomato and just toss that in your salad. I usually like to warm that up before I put it on a cold salad. Um, yeah, something that's light, but it's going to fill you not to the point where you're stuffed, but you're satisfied and you can sleep well and not go to bed hungry.

[55:29] Jason A. Coombs: I love that. Thank you for all that. I'm sure our listeners did not think they were going to get all of this amazing storytelling and advice as well as many amazing recipes. So that was amazing. Thank you.

[55:39] Bahiyah Hibah: Thank you. Thank you.

[55:43] Jason A. Coombs: Before we let you go, can you please just let everybody know where they can keep up with you on social media, how they can follow what projects you're doing or anything cooking related?

[55:48] Bahiyah Hibah: Yes. So right now Bahia Bites is serving the community. And, um, the idea is for me to cook for you and deliver to you in between shows. And you can look at the prefix menu, which is always current at bahiabites.com. Um, Bahia Hiba is my IG handle. And I usually post on both of those platforms to just, you know, keep the world out, keep things moving. Um, and anything, a lot of times my stories and posts just go, Oh, this is what I'm making today. And this is what I'll be serving next week. So if you want to try it, if it looks good, you know, go on over to the site and put your order in.

[56:31] Jason A. Coombs: That is so amazing. And if you do not follow us yet, follow us at Survival Jobs Pod on Instagram and TikTok. Shoot us an email at survivaljobspod at gmail.com. Follow my boy Jason at Jason A. Coombs and at me at Sammy Toots and go see Moulin Rouge.

[56:48] Bahiyah Hibah: Yes. Thank you so much for spending this time with us.

[56:53] Bahiyah Hibah: Thanks for having me guys. This is great. Congratulations to you. Thank you.