27. he said no to Moulin Rouge (twice) - broadway, burnout & knowing your superpower with Benji Rivera

What does it actually take to build a career in this industry, the parts that never make it onto a resume? In today's episode, I sit down with Benji Rivera, Broadway performer and NYC-based photographer, to talk about what it actually takes. Benji is an original cast member of Moulin Rouge!, a show that won 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and he's on the Grammy-winning cast recording. He's also danced on Saturday Night Live, Netflix, and Fox. He introduced himself to me on his questionnaire as simply "dancer and photographer."We get into his journey from a small town in Iowa to Broadway, including going in for the same show nine times, getting cut, and booking it three months later when he'd already moved on. Benji opens up about the mindset shift that changed everything for him, learning to stop chasing what he wasn't and leaning into exactly what he is, and the voice teacher who finally said what he needed to hear.We also talk about burnout, what the pandemic cracked open about identity, and what happens when the job disappears and you have to ask who you are without it. Plus how building a photography business on the side gave him something performing never could. If you're a dancer, performer, or anyone chasing something that keeps saying no: this one is for you. And with Moulin Rouge! closing on Broadway on July 26th, 2026, this conversation hits different.Stay in the loop with me 👇🏼🤍Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabbyTikTok: @potentiallygabbyEpisode requests: [email protected] Benji here 👇🏼IG: @benji_rivPhotography: @benjaminriveraphotography