Three Things That Separate a Gig From a Career

Two months ago, Mackenna Tolfa was a guest on Episode 107 of the Broadway Drumming 101 podcast. She told us what it took to become the first featured female drummer for the Blue Man Group World Tour. Broadway national tours. Mean Girls. The Book of Mormon. Twenty plus countries. A career built one relationship, one gig, one yes at a time. Now she’s returning the favor. On August 27, I’m the guest at her final masterclass of the summer. We’re not talking about how to land your first Broadway chair, we’re talking about what happens after. How relationships open doors that auditions never will. Why versatility keeps you working when one show closes. What financial resilience actually looks like when your paycheck depends on a contract that could end tomorrow. This is the part of the business almost nobody talks about. $5 gets you in the door. Sign up here today: https://calendly.com/mackennatolfamusic/clayton-craddock-masterclass/2026-08-27T17:00:00-04:00 Spots are filling up fast. See you there! 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. www.claytoncraddock.com Get full access to Broadway Bound and Beyond at www.broadwayboundandbeyond.com/subscribe