We recently connected with Dahlya Glick and have shared our conversation below.

Dahlya, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

For me, being a working artist means complete dedication to the unexpected. The costs are many, but the rewards are more. Throughout my years in the workforce, I have explored many other avenues of 9-5’s: all of which somehow lead me back to entertainment. I can confidently say, I don’t wonder what it would be like to have a regular job, because I’ve had them. And I was bored and sad! I think for many artists, creating is the pinnacle of our life-force, but surviving off of it in a capitalistic world requires social and personal sacrifices, thick skin, and constant emotional maintenance. It’s not for everyone, but those of us who chose to marry our dreams, find a way to make them into a reality. I’ve been extremely lucky to learn early on that I’m completely terrible at everything that doesn’t involve some kind of singing, dancing, acting, or making stuff up on stage. Being a performer and creator is not only what makes me happiest, but is what makes me most useful. It is the easiest way for me to be present and connect with those around me. It is the easiest path to fulfilling my potential in this lifetime.

Dahlya, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a queer, gender-nonconforming, Jewish multi-hyphenate creator of many trades. I started acting in community shows as a 5 year old, dancing competitively in Junior High, and continuing my studies of voice, movement, and acting in college. I attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA on a theater and dance scholarship and utilized my summers in between to intern in NY and LA at comedy theaters such as UCB, Groundlings, and The PIT, because I had always wanted comedic acting and improv to be my baseline. I was always the funny kid, the character actor, the goof, so I knew from an early age that that’s where my strength in performing lied. Although I am a much more dynamic performer today than I was back then, my expertise is still in musical comedy, improv, and musical improv. That’s the extreme cliff-notes version of my training. I am fortunate to have grown up in a household and surrounding educational institutions that supported and promoted self expression and creativity, hence why I’m still doing this stuff today!

Going on 10 years in Los Angeles, I have been lucky enough to fulfill many dreams in the TV, Film, and Commercial realm, and more recently in the musical theater world (which was indeed my first love to begin with). I’ve been fortunate enough to work with and for many of my idols, namely Kathryn Hahn, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nicole Byer, Bowen Yang, Jeff Goldblum, Awkwafina, Matthew Rhys, Peppermint, Sarah Styles, Liz Larsen, Joey and Faith Soloway, Tina Landau, and countless others. I can’t tell you how I landed in those spaces, other than I worked hard and got lucky! A few nice folks in the industry have believed in me and recognized my work ethic, talent, and authenticity, and for that I am extremely grateful. My successes have been plentiful, but not easy. My creative work comes first (often times before eating or sleeping), and my wins have been rooted in countless hours of training, self tapes, and working sometimes up to 9 survival jobs a day to pay rent so I can continue to do what I love.

Recently, I closed the world premiere of “A Transparent Musical” at The Mark Taper Forum (Center Theatre Group), and since have been back on the grind auditioning and teaching voice lessons to adults, creative writing to kids, and the occasional improv workshop to other educators. My passions lie primarily in contributing to safe creative spaces for LQBTQIA+ and gender non-conforming folk.

I am also a writer and songwriter with Quick and Funny Musicals (UCB, founded by Rachel Bloom), and in post-production for a film with my comedic music trio, Femmedy Trio (@femmedytrio). My personal music was recently featured in Paramount Plus’ #1 streaming film, Honor Society (music can be found on all streaming platforms under Dahlya Mani).

In all honesty, I am an open home to whomever wants to work with me. I am a bit of a chameleon in that I can find value and purpose in working with various different groups in various capacities. Perhaps I need to be more focused or streamlined, but I thrive off of variety! The best part of being a full-time creative is the constant connection I find with people of all ages and backgrounds I wouldn’t have otherwise encountered. When I’m teaching voice lessons or dance, etc, my primary goal is for students and clients to walk away feeling more in their body, more in their voice, more in their power, more connected to themselves and the world around them.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Supporting live theater is huge. Theater has been there from the beginning and has withstood countless societal and environmental changes. We live in the digital age of stolen and replicated art, and the artists who give meaning and value to what consumers experience are being completely forgotten and undercut. Obviously, we’re in the midst of SAG and WGA strikes currently, and the majority of the creators being impacted started in the theater! SEE LIVE THEATER. SEE LIVE MUSIC. There is an overwhelming amount of talent in this world, and it’s often in your neighborhood. Supporting local arts is vital. If you can’t contribute monetarily, there are many ways to volunteer in theater and music spaces in order to contribute to keeping these spaces alive.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I am still in the midst of learning so many lessons, but a huge theme in my personal journey with the arts in the last 2-3 years (and thruly my entire life) has been gender related. As a queer, gender non-conforming person, I’ve had to learn and then unlearn that you can’t control how casting or other creators perceive you based off of how you dress or sound. It is impossible to fit into whatever definition is on a casting breakdown or in their heads. Authenticity is key. Talent is almost quite often secondary in this process. I am grateful to be alive during and shift in awareness where industry is expanding their ideas on representation, but we have a long way to go. This is a massive undertaking and it requires us all to unlearn lifetimes of conditioning, of which I’m working on every day!

Contact Info:

• Website: dahlyaglick.com
• Instagram: @oprahwinfreckle
• Other: Tik Tok: @oprahwinfreckle

Image Credits
Peter Carrier Photography Kylie Shaffer Nikhil Johns JL Ducker Emma McIntyre