How'd It Come About?
In 2001, I was playing the Broadway Revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies at the Belasco Theater, in New York City.
There was a tricky passage where I needed to play a snare drum roll, then a timpani roll, then hit the triangle.
I was using the felt end of a pair of Firth Swizzles to play the snare roll and timp roll and didn't have time to pick up a triangle beater to get to the cue in time. I wanted a better solution.
Original Version
I used some wood, green felt, rubber bushings, and parts of other drum hardware to put it together.
Current Version
Many changes over the years, but still keeping with the original concept.
About Billy
Rochester, New York
Eastman School
Studied with John Beck
Bachelor in Applied Percussion
Magna-Cum Laude
Hollywood, California
Musicians Institute
Studied with Steve Houghton, Ralph Humphrey, Joe Porcaro, Casey Scheuerell, Efrain Toro
Yamaha Outstanding Drummer of the Year Award Winner
Cruise Ships
Azure Seas
Rotterdam
Fairwind
Crystal Harmony
Star Princess
Pacific Princess
Royal Princess
Crown Princess
Westerdam
Noordam
Massdam
Niuew Amsterdam
Show Bands 1985 thru 1995
Broadway Shows
Follies
Elaine Stritch At Liberty
Nine
Fiddler On The Roof
The Light In The Piazza
The Drowsy Chaperone
LoveMusik
Finian’s Rainbow
The Addams Family
Scandalous
Big Fish
Side Show
Broadway Fun Facts
I played a total of 3,237 Broadway shows while living and working in New York City, 1998 thru 2015. Thirteen were my own book and I subbed on an additional twenty seven shows.
In 2006 I was playing and subbing on ten different shows. Three of those were my own books (Fiddler on the Roof, The Light in the Piazza, The Drowsy Chaperone) and the other seven (Chicago, The Color Purple, Spamalot, Three Penny Opera, Lestat, Pajama Game, Mary Poppins) I subbed on.
2011 was my busiest year with 335 performances of The Addams Family, with a total of 586 shows by the time we closed in 2012.
I also subbed on both books (drums, and percussion) for the 2012-2013 revival of Evita, and the 2013-2015 revival of Cinderella.
Broadway Cast Albums
Follies
Elaine Stritch At Liberty
Nine
Fiddler On The Roof
The Light In The Piazza
LoveMusik
Finian’s Rainbow
The Addams Family
Scandalous
Big Fish
Side Show
Also, cast albums for Stephen Sondheim's Road Show, New York City Center Encores' productions of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Pipe Dream.
Played drums on the album, Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein, arranged and conducted by legendary Stephen Sondheim orchestrator, Jonathan Tunick.
Broadway Subs
Titanic
Jekyll & Hyde
Chicago
The Lion King
Cabaret
Scarlet Pimpernel
Charlie Brown
Fosse
Annie Get Your Gun
The Music Man
The Producers
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Oklahoma
Forty Second Street
The Color Purple
Spamalot
Three Penny Opera
Lestat
Pajama Game
Mary Poppins
Xanadu
Young Frankenstein
South Pacific
Next To Normal
Evita
Cinderella
Matilda
The Shop, Seattle Washington
