How To Be A Thriving Artist (Joe Abraham & Christine Negherbon)

In this episode of At The Vanguard, I sit down with married artists and educators Christine Negherbon and Joe Abraham — Broadway performers, directors, choreographers, college professors, and co-founders of The Thriving Artists.

From national tours of Hairspray, Shrek, and The Little Mermaid to directing Spring Awakening, choreographing new works, and shaping the next generation of performers through MTCA (Musical Theatre Competitions of America), Christine and Joe embody what it means to be multi-hyphenate artists in today’s landscape.

We talk about:

• The reality of sustaining a long-term performing arts career
• Why “starving artist” is a mindset — not a destiny
• Financial literacy for creatives (yes, compound interest matters)
• The cost and value of higher education in musical theatre
• How social media has changed young performers
• Raising kids while building creative careers
• Why live performance will survive — even in the age of AI
• Keeping your marriage strong while working side-by-side

Christine and Joe share the origin story of their book, The Thriving Artists, which began as a Broadway talkback and evolved into a six-year labor of love. The book has since grown into workshops, masterclasses, and curriculum used in college programs across the country — helping young artists build not just careers, but sustainable lives.

If you’re a performer, educator, parent of an artist, or someone navigating a creative path, this conversation is both practical and deeply encouraging.

Because as they say: The only way to fail is to quit.

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📘 Learn more about The Thriving Artists:
https://thethrivingartists.com

🎭 Explore MTCA – Musical Theatre Competitions of America:
https://mtcofa.com

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