Behind the Curtain: Career Insights from a Theater Director

Theatre Director

What’s it really like to build a career as a theater director? In this episode, Mirav sits down with two-time Obie Award winner Oliver Butler to pull back the curtain on the job of directing for the stage—from Off-Broadway hustle to national acclaim with What the Constitution Means to Me.

Oliver shares the career highs (creative freedom, incredible collaborators) and the lows (spoiler alert: directing theater doesn’t always pay the rent). If you’ve ever dreamed of a career in the arts or are navigating a career change into something more creative, this episode is packed with refreshingly honest career insight.

From his early days as a backstage kid to directing on Broadway, Oliver proves that carving your own path is messy, magical, and totally worth it. Tune in for an inside look at the job of a director and the balancing act between passion and paycheck.

Oliver's instagram page https://www.instagram.com/explore/search/keyword/?q=oliverbutler

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"How Much Can I Make?" Is nominated for 2026 Women in Podcasting Award!

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation

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About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people.

In the 90’s She founded her own video production company, producing, directing, and editing documentaries and videos for political organizations which led to a 17-year career at CBS News, where she served as a producer/editor, helped launch CBS MarketWatch, and later worked as a senior editor and segment producer until the program was acquired by Dow Jones.

During her years at CBS, Mirav developed and produced a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.