Mackenna Tolfa is the first featured female drummer in Blue Man Group history. She plays ‘The Rockstar’ on the current North American Tour — the character she originated on the World Tour in 2021 after performing in more than 20 countries. Before returning to Blue Man, she held the drum chair on the national tours of Mean Girls and The Book of Mormon. She’s also the orchestrator and arranger for The Dust Bowl Radio Hour, a new musical with a concept album.
In this conversation we get into how all of it happened. How she chose the University of Minnesota specifically to study with Fernando Meza, the original percussionist for The Lion King. How she wrote a letter to the drummer from The Band’s Visit as a high school student, had it delivered to the stage door, and how that relationship eventually led to her finding out about the Blue Man audition years later.
And the audition itself. She was in a remote desert town in Spain — 400 people, no drum set anywhere nearby — when she got the call. She drove two and a half hours, rented the one kit in a back room, and filmed her audition in 115-degree heat with no air conditioning. She booked the role.
We also get into what it means to originate a role versus step into a chair, how the Book of Mormon book is one of the most technically demanding on tour right now, and why following curiosity sideways — marimba physicality, Ableton, a fun cover video — has shaped her career in ways she never planned.
Catch this episode wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you’re finding value in these conversations, please leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts — it helps other musicians find the show.
Resources
If you’re serious about landing a gig in this business, start with the free How to Land a Broadway Gig Roadmap. It breaks down how the industry actually works — who the key players are, how relationships drive hiring, and how to position yourself to get the call. Free with any subscription to Broadway Drumming 101.
broadwayboundbook.com/roadmap
For the full picture, pick up Broadway Bound and Beyond: A Musician’s Guide to Building a Theater Career. Everything the roadmap introduces, the book goes deeper on — the mindset, the preparation, the relationships, and the financial side of sustaining a career long-term.
broadwayboundbook.com
And coming soon — Broadway Bound and Beyond: The Course. The Career Foundation Every Working Musician Needs (But Nobody Teaches). More details dropping soon. Stay subscribed.
