by Clayton Craddock
The Broadway Drumming 101 Podcast features conversations with musicians who currently play on Broadway, have worked on shows in the past, and showcases emerging musicians making their mark in the industry. <br/><br/><a href="https://broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/s/podcast?utm_medium=podcast">broadwaydrumming101.substack.com</a>
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7/12/2021
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April 20, 2025
<p>This one originally dropped in September 2021 in two parts—but if you missed it back then, don’t worry. I’m bringing it back as part of the <strong>Broadway Drumming 101 Classic Interview Series</strong>.</p><p>Ray Marchica is one of those drummers whose name has been floating around the NYC scene for decades—and for good reason. He’s done it all: gold records, TV house band gigs, iconic Broadway runs, off-Broadway, jazz big bands, the works. From James Brown's "Living in America" to The Rosie O’Donnell Show to Mamma Mia!—Ray’s been laying it down with feel, power, and style.</p><p>In this episode, Ray shares stories about:</p><p>* Growing up in Brooklyn and learning drums from his uncle in the basement</p><p>* Studying classical percussion at Brooklyn College with the legendary Morris Lang</p><p>* Landing his first major gig on the A Chorus Line tour in the ‘70s</p><p>* Navigating the world of jingle sessions, Radio Registry (yes, that was a thing for you young folk), and Broadway subs</p><p>* Getting the gig with Dan Hartman and playing on hit records</p><p>* What it was like playing for La Cage aux Folles, Starlight Express, Will Rogers Follies, and other major shows</p><p>* His time in the pit for Miss Saigon, the long run with Mamma Mia!, and his approach to training subs</p><p>* Real talk about the rise of drum machines, the shift in Broadway orchestra pits, and how he’s stayed versatile through it all</p><p>Whether you're a drummer, a fan of Broadway, or just someone who loves hearing stories from the road, the pit, and the studio, you’ll dig this.</p><p>Hit play. Subscribe if you haven’t. And check out more at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.broadwaydrumming101.com/">BroadwayDrumming101.com</a>.</p><p>If you loved this episode, check out some of the other powerful resources we’ve created for musicians looking to bridge the gap between the classroom and the Broadway pit:</p><p>* 🎭 <a target="_blank" href="https://broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/publish/post/161511605?back=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fdrafts">Beyond the Gigs: Why Musicians Must Face Real-Life Responsibilities</a>Understanding health plans is just as important as perfecting your art.</p><p>* 🥁 <a target="_blank" href="https://broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/p/why-youre-not-getting-sub-gigs-and"><strong>Why You're Not Getting Sub Gigs (And How to Fix It Now)</strong></a>The top reasons subs lose gigs—and how to avoid them for good.</p><p>These articles are part of our <strong>Beyond Music School</strong> series, which gives you the real-world advice no one else teaches—gear tips, networking strategies, audition etiquette, and more.</p><p>🔗 Subscribe & Support</p><p>📥 <strong>Join the Broadway Drumming 101 Substack for free or become a paid subscriber:</strong></p><p>📺 <strong>Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:</strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@BroadwayDrumming101">https://www.youtube.com/@BroadwayDrumming101</a></p><p>🌐 <strong>Visit the official website for merch, podcast archives, and resources:</strong></p><p>https://www.BroadwayDrumming101.com</p><p>👕 <strong>Grab official Broadway Drumming 101 gear here:</strong></p><p>https://broadwaydrumming101.myshopify.com</p><p>Thanks for watching—and for being part of the Broadway Drumming 101 community.</p><p>Clayton Craddock founded Broadway Drumming 101, an in-depth online platform offering specialized mentorship and a carefully curated collection of resources tailored for aspiring and professional musicians.</p><p>Clayton’s Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, and </p><p>. As a skilled sub, he’s contributed his talents to Motown, Evita, Cats, Avenue Q, The Color Purple, Rent, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, Hadestown (tour), and many more. He has also appeared on major shows, including The View, Good Morning America, Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and the TONY Awards, and performed with legends like The Stylistics, The Delfonics, Mario Cantone, Laura Benanti, Kristin Chenoweth, Kerry Butler, Christian Borle, Norm Lewis, Deniece Williams, Chuck Berry, and Ben E. King.</p><p>Clayton proudly endorses Ahead Drum Cases, Paiste Cymbals, Innovative Percussion drumsticks, Aquarian Drumheads, and Empire Ears in ear monitors.</p><p>Learn more about Clayton Craddock here: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.claytoncraddock.com/">www.claytoncraddock.com</a></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Broadway Drumming 101 at <a href="https://broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe</a>
April 12, 2025
<p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p>🎧 <strong>A quick note to our listeners:</strong>We want to apologize for the slightly odd sound quality in this episode. It was our very first time recording the podcast remotely, so the audio might sound a little different than usual. Thanks for bearing with us through this little glitch!</p><p>And trust us—you need to check out the <strong>video version</strong> of this episode when it drops on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@broadwaydrumming101">YouTube</a>. The way we kicked things off is absolutely <strong>hilarious</strong>. You don’t want to miss it!</p><p>In this episode, we sit down with the talented Andrew Atkinson—Broadway drummer for MJ the Musical, former sub on Hamilton, and an incredibly versatile musician whose journey is anything but typical.</p><p>Andrew shares his unique path from a childhood split between Miami and Jamaica, to discovering his love for drums in a middle school percussion class he tried to transfer out of. We dive deep into his early musical influences (yes, country music and Shabba Ranks), his DIY passion for building computers, and the unexpected road that led him from playing jazz clubs to landing a seat in one of Broadway’s hottest shows.</p><p>He discusses:</p><p>* How he went from Miami art school to NYC drum pits</p><p>* Playing with Gregory Porter and getting the call for Hamilton</p><p>* The challenges and innovations of using fully electronic drums for MJ the Musical</p><p>* Why discipline, preparation, and teamwork are essential for Broadway musicians</p><p>* His experience working on America’s Got Talent and why that production team is the most organized he's ever seen</p><p>* His deep respect for rudiments, practicing to perfection, and emulating legends like Art Blakey and Max Roach</p><p>This episode is packed with inspiration, practical wisdom, and stories from the grind. If you're serious about carving out your path in musical theater—or just want to hear what it takes to go from video games and ska in Jamaica to Broadway's biggest stages—this is the conversation for you.</p><p>👉 Subscribe, rate us 5 stars, and check out exclusive content at <a target="_blank" href="https://broadwaydrumming101.com/">BroadwayDrumming101.com</a></p><p>🎥 Also available on YouTube – don’t forget to hit that bell for updates!</p><p>Clayton Craddock founded Broadway Drumming 101, an in-depth online platform offering specialized mentorship and a carefully curated collection of resources tailored for aspiring and professional musicians.</p><p>Clayton’s Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, and The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical. As a skilled sub, he’s contributed his talents to Motown, Evita, Cats, Avenue Q, The Color Purple, Rent, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, Hadestown (tour), and many more. He has also appeared on major shows, including The View, Good Morning America, Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and the TONY Awards, and performed with legends like The Stylistics, The Delfonics, Mario Cantone, Laura Benanti, Kristin Chenoweth, Kerry Butler, Christian Borle, Norm Lewis, Deniece Williams, Chuck Berry, and Ben E. King.</p><p>Clayton proudly endorses Ahead Drum Cases, Paiste Cymbals, Innovative Percussion drumsticks, and Empire Ears.</p><p>Learn more about Clayton Craddock here: www.claytoncraddock.com</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Broadway Drumming 101 at <a href="https://broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe</a>
April 5, 2025
<p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p>🎙️ <strong>Broadway Drumming 101 – Classic Episode: Sean McDaniel</strong><strong>Originally Released: </strong><a target="_blank" href="https://broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/p/podcast-sean-mcdaniel?utm_source=publication-search"><strong>September 3, 2021</strong></a><strong>Updated Notes: March 30, 2025</strong></p><p>Welcome back to another <a target="_blank" href="https://broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/s/podcast"><strong>Classic</strong></a> episode of the Broadway Drumming 101 Podcast.</p><p>This time, we’re revisiting my in-depth conversation with the incredible <strong>Sean McDaniel</strong>, one of the most versatile, hardest-working, and well-respected drummers in the Broadway community.</p><p>When we first recorded this back in 2021, Sean had just come off of playing <strong>Frozen</strong> on Broadway—a gig that ended due to the shutdowns of 2020. Since then? He’s been on fire.</p><p>Sean went on to hold the drum chair for the hit musical <strong>Some Like It Hot</strong>, then moved over to the current <strong>Cabaret on Broadway</strong>, and is now the drummer for the highly anticipated <strong>new musical Smash</strong>. Yeah—that Smash. He’s still crushing it and evolving with every new project.</p><p>But long before those recent credits, Sean built a serious career playing on shows like <strong>The Book of Mormon</strong>, <strong>Spamalot</strong>, <strong>Violet</strong>, <strong>La Cage aux Folles</strong>, and <strong>9 to 5</strong>. He also originated the Off-Broadway run of <strong>Hamilton</strong>, and has been heard on screen in Tick Tick Boom, Fosse/Verdon, Vivo, Annie Live, South Park, Better Nate Than Ever, and even Broadway at the White House.</p><p>He’s played for artists like <strong>Clay Aiken</strong>, <strong>Barry Manilow</strong>, <strong>Sutton Foster</strong>, <strong>Audra McDonald</strong>, <strong>Jennifer Hudson</strong>, <strong>Dolly Parton</strong>, <strong>Sting</strong>, and more—and has earned both a BM from the <strong>University of North Texas</strong> and an MFA from <strong>NYU</strong>.</p><p>In this episode, Sean and I dig into:</p><p>* His early days growing up in Texas, Oklahoma, and Atlanta</p><p>* Starting drums on a kit he inherited from his uncle</p><p>* Being inspired by rock drummers like Ricky Rocket and Tommy Lee before diving into jazz and musical theater</p><p>* His wild experience subbing on 11 Broadway shows at once (yes, 11)</p><p>* The importance of building relationships with MDs, conductors, and fellow musicians</p><p>* His experience getting his first Broadway chair with Spamalot</p><p>* Working on cast recordings (and what can go right... or wrong!)</p><p>* How he got involved with readings and workshops—including Hamilton, Frozen, and Newsies</p><p>* The mindset and preparation it takes to be a top-level sub and drummer on Broadway</p><p>Sean’s journey is a masterclass in professionalism, versatility, and humility. Whether you're trying to break into theater or just want to hear the story of a drummer who’s done it all, this one’s worth every second.</p><p>🎧 <strong>Stream this Classic episode wherever you get your podcasts.</strong>📺 Video versions available on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.broadwaydrumming101.com/">BroadwayDrumming101.com</a> and YouTube.</p><p>Let me know what you think—and if you’ve ever subbed 11 shows in one season, hit me up. I want to hear your story too.</p><p>Thanks for listening.</p><p>Clayton Craddock founded Broadway Drumming 101, an in-depth online platform offering specialized mentorship and a carefully curated collection of resources tailored for aspiring and professional musicians.</p><p>Clayton’s Broadway and off-Broadway credits include tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, and The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical. As a skilled sub, he’s contributed his talents to Motown, Evita, Cats, Avenue Q, The Color Purple, Rent, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, Hadestown (tour), and many more. He has also appeared on major shows, including The View, Good Morning America, Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and the TONY Awards, and performed with legends like The Stylistics, The Delfonics, Mario Cantone, Laura Benanti, Kristin Chenoweth, Kerry Butler, Christian Borle, Norm Lewis, Deniece Williams, Chuck Berry, and Ben E. King.</p><p>Clayton proudly endorses Ahead Drum Cases, Paiste Cymbals, Innovative Percussion drumsticks, and Empire Ears.</p><p>Learn more about Clayton Craddock here: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.claytoncraddock.com/">www.claytoncraddock.com</a></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Broadway Drumming 101 at <a href="https://broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe</a>
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