The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Well, we did it. The cast of My Joy Is Heavy performed on the Tonight Show! Bucket list item unlocked.

What a day it was. We arrived at NBC at 10am for a soundcheck and two hour rehearsal. It was so cool to watch the production of a major network taping come together. Everyone involved was a consummate professional and very friendly and welcoming. After a break in the afternoon, we all gathered for a photo with Jimmy and then the show began taping at 5pm.

pre-show

After an hour of nervous energy, it was our time to take the stage. We could tell immediately that the audience was fully locked in and we gave as much energy as we could back to them. In the moment, I thought we absolutely killed it. I was so proud of all the people on that stage with me, most especially Shaun and Abigail, who were the reasons we were all there. Thank you, thank you, hallelujah!

After we played, Jimmy came around and shook all of our hands and then we JAMMED WITH THE ROOTS! What an incredible and inspiring band they are. Afterwards in the hallway, Questlove himself came up and shook my hand. We didn’t exchange any words, just a nod. Drummer code for a job well-done.

Post-show

The hardest part of the entire day was the hour before the show aired on television. What if it sounds bad? What if I look bad? Thankfully, I don’t think either of those things were true. I could finally drift off to sleep after an exhausting and fulfilling day of music-making with my friends.

Our show runs through April 12 at New York Theatre Workshop. If you are in New York, please come out and support this joyous piece of new theater!

actual cue card!

Workshop Season

It’s officially summertime, which means workshop season is upon us! Earlier this month, I worked on a new musical adaptation of the play/film Prelude to a Kiss, which will receive its premiere at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa in spring 2024. I was brought on to the project by Wiley DeWeese who was the music director of The Lightning Thief. Along with guitarist Mike Rosengarten, we worked closely with composer Dan Messé to bring his vision to life. Here are some setup shots of the drums in the beautiful Baryshnikov Arts Center, as well as a view from the rehearsal room during the surreal smoke situation from the Canadian wildfires.:

Next up was a workshop in Washington, DC of My Joy Is Heavy, a new show by Shaun and Abigail Bengson, commissioned by Arena Stage. The Bengsons are some of the most talented people I’ve ever met, so I will gladly do anything they ask of me! It was also a dream come to work with Tony Award-winning director Rachel Chavkin, who I found out is a fellow Marylander! Speaking of Maryland, I was able to meet up with a few percussion friends as well as my two eldest nephews while I was in town. It was a treat! Apparently I did not take any pictures of my setup (drum set + SPD), but here is a photo of the program that was handed out during our two presentations:

Now I’m off for a week of work at Berklee Powerstation with my friend Julianne Merrill, followed by a much needed trip to the Hamptons for July 4. Until next time!