Tom Vendafreddo

TOM VENDAFREDDO is a New York-based music director, actor, and educator. His NY-area credits include shows at NYMF, Engeman Theatre, Argyle Theatre, Cape Playhouse, among others. He is an adjunct instructor at Pace University and Marymount Manhattan College. He has a private voice studio with clients currently in THE OUTSIDERS Nat'l Tour, THE GREAT GATSBY Nat'l Tour, THE LION KING Nat'l TOUR, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE Nat'l Tour, and more!

At the Paramount Theatre in Chicago, Tom music supervised a majority of the Broadway Series productions from 2013-2020, and—in addition to many Jeff Award nominations—he received the Joseph Jefferson Award for Outstanding Music Direction for his work on Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd in 2017.

During his time in Chicago, Tom also collaborated with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Steppenwolf, Drury Lane, Marriott Theatre, Writers Theatre, Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, and more. He also played keyboard for Broadway National Tours of Mean Girls and Les Misérables.

Regionally, Tom has worked for The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, and Cygnet Theatre (San Diego), Signature Theatre (DC), The Engeman Theatre and The Argyle Theatre (Long Island), Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Capital City Theatre (Madison, WI), Theatre Squared (Fayetteville, AR), Musical Theatre Heritage (Kansas City, MO), and many more. At Mason Street Warehouse in Saugatuck, MI, Tom received an Oscar Wilde Award nomination for his portrayal of “The Suspects” in Murder for Two, as well as countless Wilde Awards for music direction on many shows, including In the Heights, Beautiful, and Kinky Boots.

Tom was the recipient of the 2020 Illinois Theatre Association’s Award of Excellence in Professional Theatre for his contributions to the community as a music director, as founder of the Chicago Artists Chorale (a volunteer nonprofit specifically for theatre artists), and for providing free online voice and theatre classes during the pandemic.

Tom is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music (BM: Vocal Performance and Music Education) and received his MFA in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University.

As an educator, Tom has also taught at Northwestern University, Chicago Conservatory for the Performing Arts (Roosevelt University), San Diego State University, The School at Porchlight (Chicago), Baeksuk University (Seoul, South Korea), and North Central College (Naperville, IL).

He is a proud member of both Actors’ Equity and the American Federation of Musicians.