The Theater Musicians Association (TMA) is an official player conference of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), formed by musicians in order to unite theater players throughout the United States and Canada (full-time, part-time, local and traveling), so that we will be better equipped to address concerns that affect our industry. These issues include collective bargaining agreements, working conditions, virtual replacement by recordings and electronics, and non-union musicians/theatre productions.
The Chicago Area Chapter was formed in 1996 to organize local theater musicians to actively engage in addressing the professional needs of pit musicians in accordance with the standards of the industry and to assist the Chicago Federation of Musicians (CFM). The TMA Chicago Area Chapter works in collaboration with the CFM to create systems, structures, and collective bargaining agreements that support the professional needs and concerns of local theatre musicians.
Through this website we inform our membership (and other interested musical theater enthusiasts) of local theater news, links to our current and upcoming productions, glimpses into our world through our social media feed, opportunities to network and connect with our members, and important articles of interest. We invite you to join us in solidarity for a better future for theater musicians!
TMA Executive Board
Below you will find our dedicated board members who are excited to serve the needs of our local Chicago Chapter. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to reach out. You can email and connect with our local board members by clicking on the icons at the end of the biographies.
Heather Boehm
PRESIDENT
Heather is honored to have the opportunity to serve the membership of TMA as President. She has also served on the Board as Secretary-Treasurer and Director. As a violinist, she has played in and contracted pits for numerous theatre productions in downtown and suburban theaters. Heather lives in Chicago where she is an active freelancer and looks forward to working with everyone to advance the goals of Chicago Theatre Musicians.
Carey Deadman
VICE-PRESIDENT
Carey has been an active trumpet player since moving to Chicago in 1985. He has played numerous theatrical productions in every major venue in the Chicago area. He has a long, supportive relationship with the CFM, serving on two Broadway in Chicago and multiple Drury Lane Theatre negotiating teams. As an arranger and orchestrator, Carey has orchestrated numerous productions including over 25 for The Drury Lane Theatre. He has scored arrangements for film, television, and radio, as well as orchestrations for Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, and Lyle Lovett. Along with his busy performing and writing schedule, Carey is on faculty at Columbia College and Elmhurst College.
Anthony Rodriguez
SECRETARY / TREASURER
Anthony is thrilled to be serving and working with the amazing musicians of the Chicago theater community. Anthony served as a paralegal in multiple law firms for the past six years, as well as being a local reed player. Anthony has performed on the 2012 Jakarta run of Phantom of the Opera, Peter Pan at Northern Stage as well as the 1st national tour of SpongeBob Squarepants the musical. Anthony has been a part of many notable local shows since moving to Chicago in 2013.
Dominic Trumfio
DIRECTOR
Dominic is honored to be serving the Chicago theater musician community in his capacity as TMA board director. As a woodwind player, Dominic brings to the table nearly 20 years of experience playing in theaters throughout the Chicagoland area. He was part of the national tour of Les Miserables from 2000-2003 before rooting himself in the Chicago theater community of artists. Some favorite recent credits include the world premiere of WAR PAINT (starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole) and the award winning production of BRIGADOON and WONDERFUL TOWN at the Goodman Theater, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and LOVE NEVER DIES for Broadway in Chicago, and numerous productions at the Marriott Theater and other surrounding regional theaters.
Joe Sonnefeldt
DIRECTOR
As a percussionist, Joe has been active in local theatre since 2003 when he won the audition to play the marimba book for the Chicago production of “The Lion King”. Since then he has played for numerous downtown productions and occasionally at other area theaters. He has served on the negotiating committee for the 2 most recent Broadway In Chicago contracts. In addition to playing musicals, Joe works as a freelancer and specializes on steel drum, vibes and hand percussion. He has recorded or performed with several local artists including Poi Dog Pondering, Marshall Vente and “Tropicale”, and The Jay Davis Trio. He also leads his own group, The JoeSounds Steel Drum Band. Joe teaches privately in his home studio and at John Hersey H.S. in Arlington Heights. In 2015 he was re-elected to the Mount Prospect School District 57 Board of Education, currently serves as its President and is a strong advocate for arts education. In 2017 he will sit on the employer side of the bargaining table for the 2nd time to reach a deal with the teachers of the MPEA.
2019 TMA Members
Frank Babbit
Violin, Viola
Andy Baker
Trombone, Bass Trombone
Amy Barwan
Oboe, English Horn
Dave Belden
Violin, Viola, Mandolin, Concertina
John Blane
Bass Trombone, Tuba
Heather Boehm
Violin, Viola
Chuck Bontrager
Violin, Viola, Electric Violin
Peter Brusen
Bassoon, Saxophone, Clarinet
Alan Bukowiecki
Piano, Keyboards
Tim Burke
Trumpet
Madeline Capistran
Violin
Ricardo Castañeda
Oboe, English Horn
William Cernota
Cello, Trombone
Matt Comerford
Trumpet
Paul Dallas
Bass (Electric & Acoustic)
Rich Daniels
Saxophone, Conductor
Jo Ann Daugherty
Piano, Conductor
Jocelyn Davis-Beck
Cello
Randy Deadman
Piano, Keyboards
Carey Deadman
Trumpet
Austin Deadman
Piano, Keyboards, Drums, Percussion
Ethan Deppe
Drums, Percussion
Nicholas Donatelle
Cello
Darlene Drew
Flute
Steven Duncan
Trombone, Bass Trombone
Lisa Fako
Violin
Buddy Fambro, Jr.
Guitar (Electric & Acoustic)
Jed Feder
Drums
John Floeter
Bass (Electric & Acoustic)
Jeremiah Frederick
Horn
Roberta Freier
Violin, Viola
Jim Gailloreto
Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
Karla Galva
Violin, Viola
Bob Garrett
Drums, Percussion
Loretta Gillespie
Viola
Michael Green
Percussion
Jeff Handley
Percussion
Tom Hipskind
Drums, Percussion
Marc Hogan
Bass
Elizabeth Huffman
Violin
Katherine Hughes
Violin
Terry Jares
Violin
Trevor Jones
Bass (Electric & Acoustic)
Andy Jones
Drums, Percussion
Sharon Jones
French Horn
Michael Joyce
Trombone
Jill Kaeding
Cello
Jeremy Kahn
Piano, Keyboards
Carmen Kassinger
Violin, Viola
Michael Keefe
Piano, Keyboards
Kara Kesselring
Piano, Vocal
Sarah Kim
Violin, Viola
Kevin Kizer
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute
Debbie Katz Knowles
Percussion, Drums
Steve Leinheiser
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute
Mark Lekas
Cello
Michèle Lekas
Violin, Viola
B.J. Levy
Trumpet
Betty Lewis
Violin, Viola
John Ling
Violin, Viola
Art Linsner
Trombone
Tom Logan
Guitar
Janice MacDonald
Flute, Piccolo
Linda Madonia
Piano, Conductor
Phil Martin
Drums, Percussion
Valerie Maze
Conductor, Piano
Stacy McMichael
Bass
Sean McNeely
Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone, Oboe
Lisa McQueen
Keyboards, Piano
Tom Mendel
Bass
Ryan Miller
Trombone
Jered Montgomery
Trumpet
Karl Montzka
Piano
Nick Moran
Woodwinds
Christian Moreno
Drums, Percussion
Dave Moss
Viola, Violin
Leo Murphy
Drums, Percussion
Susan Nigro
Contrabassoon, Bassoon
Felton Offard
Guitar
Vance Okraszewski
Drums, Percussion
David Orlicz
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, Bassoon
Talia Pavia
Violin
Howard Pfeifer
Piano, Keyboards
Brandon Podjasek
Drums, Percussion
Corey Richardson
Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin
Anthony Rodriguez
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe
Brent Roman
Percussion
Dean Rolando
Piano
David Saenger
Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin
Greg Sarchet
Bass
Christopher Sargent
Piano
Lerryn Schaefer-Donatelle
Viola
Brian Shannon
Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
Jocelyn Shoulders
Cello
Michael Sinclair
Bass
Sara Sitzer
Cello
Audrey Snyder
Cello
Rick Snyder
Piano, Keyboards
Joe Sonnefeldt
Drums, Percussion
Shawn Stengel
Conductor, Piano
Zack Thomas
Trumpet
Richard Trelease
Drums, Percussion
Dominic Trumfio
Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Piano
Linda Van Dyke
Clarinet, Saxophone
Paul Vanderwerf
Violin, Viola
Benton Wedge
Violin, Viola, Mandolin
Neal Wehman
Drums, Percussion
Tahirah Whittington
Cello
Jim Widlowski
Drums, Percussion
Matt Wifler
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute
Patrick Williams
Bass
Andy Wilmoth
Drums, Percussion
