I have always relied on a day job to support myself. Most of my acting and directing gigs are with small-ish semi-pro companies, usually stipended, sometimes not, with an occasional small role or understudy gig with a LORT theatre. If it’s not a well-meaning relative asking if I’m “still doing those little plays,” it’s the people who are somehow able to carve a living out of the performing arts being way too proprietary about who gets to call themselves professional. Whatever I am, I’ve been doing it for 30+ years.