Jon Berger told me about a Dreamgirls audition he thought had ended his chances of working in New York. Years later, he worked with the same percussionist at Cats. The man he thought would remember every mistake didn’t remember the audition at all.
We talked about learning musical styles, preparing for theater work, and the musicians who kept recommending him. Those relationships included conductors, bass players and woodwind players he’d worked with over the years.
Chris Parker’s advice to get his “people chops” together stayed with Jon. He talks about being shy when he was younger, and how touring taught him to work with people he might not otherwise have spent time with.
This is the full conversation, returning as part of the Broadway Bound and Beyond podcast’s Classic Series. It first appeared on April 9, 2022, when the show was the Broadway Drumming 101 Inc. Podcast.
In this episode
• Learning musical styles as languages, including their feel and phrasing.
• Jon’s early training and transition to touring work.
• Preparation, auditions and the pressure to be perfect.
• Meeting and working with musicians beyond your own instrument.
• Chris Parker’s advice about people chops.
Recorded March 10, 2022. Show, tour and endorsement references reflect that time. The original episode is here: April 9, 2022 episode
I wrote Broadway Bound and Beyond: A Musician’s Guide to Building a Theater Career to put the working side of a theater career in one place. You can find the book here.
If a musician came to mind while you listened, share the episode with them.
Clayton
