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Jared Shaw has held the drum chair on national tours of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and The Book of Mormon. He’s subbed on Broadway including Tommy, one of the most demanding drum books out there. He’s performed at the Kennedy Center and Ghana’s National Theater, and he plays groove percussion, orchestral, African percussion, and programs electronics.
In this episode, Jared breaks down what it actually took to build a career like that.
We cover:
* How he approached learning difficult drum books
* What touring taught him about preparation and professionalism
* How electronic drumming and programming fit into his toolkit
* Subbing on Broadway and staying ready for the call
* Studying with James Saporito, Shawn Pelton, and Valerie Naranjo
* Building a sustainable career as a working musician in New York City
If you’re serious about Broadway, touring, or becoming a more complete drummer, this conversation is for you.
Clayton Craddock is the drummer for Cats: The Jellicle Ball on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre. He is also the founder of Broadway Drumming 101 and the author of Broadway Bound and Beyond: A Musician’s Guide to Building a Theater Career.
His Broadway credits include Memphis, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Ain’t Too Proud, and Cats: The Jellicle Ball, with additional credits spanning tick, tick…BOOM!, The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical, and subbing on Rent, Motown, Evita, Avenue Q, and the Hadestown tour.
Clayton has appeared on The View, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and the Tony Awards. He has performed with artists ranging from Chuck Berry and Ben E. King to Kristin Chenoweth and Norm Lewis.
Get full access to Broadway Drumming 101 at broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe
