479 - Jamie Eblen: Playing on Broadway's "The Outsiders," Stylistic Authenticity in Music Theatre, Investing Yourself in a Process

Working Drummer

Jamie Eblen is currently on the new hit Broadway musical The Outsiders, which just won the Tony award for best new musical. He also originated the drum chair for the smash hit Dear Evan Hansen, which also won best new musical Tony as well as the Grammy for best original cast recording. He has collaborated with acclaimed artists such as Jason Robert Brown and Pasek & Paul, as well as The RT’s and Mike Tedesco. Jamie began playing drums at the age of 10 in Los Angeles, where he was born and raised. Since moving to New York, Jamie has recorded four Original Broadway Cast albums in addition to a wide variety of session work and live performances throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.

In this episode, Jamie talks about

• Going from doing anything and everything to committing more heavily to more specific gigs/playing
• Shedding the impulses of gig envy and "grass is greener" syndrome
• The Outsiders, the new Broadway musical he's on which just won the Tony Award for Best Musical
• Playing off-Broadway shows such as The Connector, and being part of the development process on a show moving towards Broadway
• The aspects of The Outsiders that are not the typical Broadway m.o. in terms of playing, mic'ing, and more
• How Broadway and the shows that occupy it are essentially "in the real estate business"