We recently connected with Elena Bonomo and have shared our conversation below.
Elena, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
I’m very lucky to be in the position where I’m able to earn a full time living from my creative work. I currently play drums for the Broadway Musical, SIX (written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss). I’m grateful that I get to do what I love every day – this has been my dream job since I was a little girl. In addition to playing for the show 8 times per week, I also keep busy with other creative gigs. Every week is different. Sometimes I travel to different cities across the US to play orchestra dates, sometimes I’ll play for a recording session in town, sometimes I’ll play around the city with different singer-songwriters.. I also teach drum lessons privately online from my home studio. I’m constantly living a freelance lifestyle in addition to having a Broadway show, because that’s what it takes to be a successful working musician in NYC. We constantly have to be our own entrepreneurs – we have to stay connected and present in the ever changing music scene.
Elena, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Elena Bonomo and I am a drummer, percussionist, and music educator. I graduated from Berklee College of Music and hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Performance.
I currently hold the drum chair for Broadway’s Tony award-winning hit musical, SIX. Our cast album, SIX: Live on Opening Night was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best Musical Theater Album.”
Actively involved in both the pop/rock and musical theater scenes, I strive to create fluidity across all musical genres. I have appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers as a featured drummer with the 8G Band. I am a member of the Broadway Sinfonietta – an all-female and majority women of color orchestra – with whom I regularly record and perform. I have shared the stage with notable artists such as Lea Michele, Norm Lewis, Alice Ripley, LaChanze, Abby Mueller, Keri René Fuller, Dylan Mulvaney, and Patina Miller, among others. I’ve also traveled around the world working in the house band for Holland America Cruise Lines, having performed in the Caribbean, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.
In the theater realm, I held the drum chair for the 1st National Tour of the musical, Waitress (music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles). I originated the drum book for two Off-Broadway shows including The Hello Girls and A Strange Loop, which won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. As an active sub in the NYC Theater scene, my credits include: Waitress, Be More Chill, Cagney, For Colored Girls and A Taste of Things to Come.
I am a proud endorser of Yamaha Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth drum sticks, Remo drumheads, and Low Boy Beaters.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The pandemic was a tough time for all of us, but especially those of us who work in entertainment. On March 12, 2020 all of NYC shut down and the governor ordered all live performances to come to a temporary halt. None of us knew when live performances, specifically Broadway, would return. We were out of work for nearly 18 months until Broadway re-opened again in September 2021. Through out the course of the shut-down, we all had to come up with creative ways to earn income even though our industry was shut down. During that time, my wife and I set up our home recording studio. We bought microphones, audio panels, and set up our basement to be a functioning recording studio. We felt so lucky to have the ability to record drums from home in NYC! Throughout the course of the pandemic, we were able to collaborate on some really fun projects with different people by having the ability to record from home. Throughout this time, I also began teaching private drum lessons online which helped foster many meaningful relationships and connections.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is having the chance to meet and collaborate with so many different types of people. I’ve met so many amazing musicians along my journey and I am so grateful to have them all in my life. I love that every gig is different. I thrive in an environment where I can challenge myself and learn something new. I love meeting new people and seeing how our conversations can translate musically on the bandstand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://elenabonomo.com
- Instagram: @Chickscandrum2
Image Credits
Joan Marcus, Grace Stockdale, Andrew Bordeaux