Artist bio

Elena Bonomo is a drummer, percussionist, band leader and music educator based in the NYC area. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, she holds a Bachelors Degree in Performance.


Actively involved in both the pop/rock and musical theater scenes, Elena strives to create fluidity across all musical genres. She has performed at venues across NYC including Feinstein’s/54 Below, Birdland, The Blue Note, Symphony Space, The Green Room 42, Rockwood Music Hall, Pianos, The Bitter End, and many others. She is currently in the house band for FEMME Jam, and all-female led jam session that takes place once a month at Brooklyn’s C’Mon Everybody (led by Camille Trust, Melissa McMillan, Alita Moses and Miranda Joan).


In the theater realm, Elena has toured across the United States as the drummer for the 1st National Tour of the hit Broadway musical, Waitress (music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles). She originated the drum chairs for two Off-Broadway shows including The Hello Girls and A Strange Loop, and appeared as the drummer on both of their Original Cast Recordings. An active sub in the NYC Theater scene, her Broadway and Off-Broadway sub credits include Waitress, Be More Chill, Cagney, For Colored Girls, and A Taste of Things to Come.


Elena has shared the stage with Jordin Sparks, Brandy, Hillary Scott (of Lady A), Tony-award winning actress Patina Miller (Pippin, Sister Act), Annie Golden (Orange is The New Black), Nikki Renee Daniels, Constantine Maroulis, Desi Oakley, Christine Dwyer, Solea Pfeiffer, Natalie Walker, Heath Saunders, and jazz vocalist Jacqui Naylor. She has appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers as a guest drummer with the 8G Band. In addition to her US appearances, Elena has performed throughout the Caribbean, South America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe while working as band leader for Holland America Cruise Lines. She has toured nationally with Boston based Americana/Folk group, The Novel Ideas, with whom she also recorded an album.


After two successful runs at the American Repartory Theater in Cambridge, MA and at The Ordway in St. Paul, Minnesota, Elena currently holds the drum chair for Broadway's newest hit musical, SIX (by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss).


Elena is a proud endorser of Yamaha drums, Sabian cymbals, Remo drum heads, and Vic Firth drum sticks.

ELENA’S SOLO WORK IS FLUID AND FUNKY. SHE IS POLITE, ACCURATE, RELAXED, AND VERY CONSISTENT.” – KENWOOD DENNARD

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ELENA HAS A LOT OF PATIENCE AND MATURITY, AND HER PERFORMANCE IS A REFLECTION OF THAT. SHE IS ONE OF THE ‘BEST’ YOUNG DRUMMERS I’VE HEARD IN A LONG TIME.”NEAL SMITH