Meet a Purdue alum touring as lead audio engineer for a Broadway show

Robert Cohen is one year out of college and running sound for ‘The Book of Mormon’

What’s it like to hit your career goals right after graduating? Robert Cohen is one of the rare people who knows that feeling. 

Cohen earned his degree in sound for the performing arts last year and immediately took on technical roles with touring productions like Disney On Ice and “The Book of Mormon.” 

When the Broadway tour for “The Book of Mormon” stops at Elliott Hall of Music on Oct. 2, Cohen will feel right at home. Here the College of Liberal Arts alum shares how his experiences at Purdue helped him find success in the field he loves.

Q: What inspired you to pursue theater? 

A: While I’ve never performed, I got involved in the technical side of theater in high school. It caught my attention because of how much freedom I could have learning. It was a space where I could explore and experiment, where I could try, fail and grow. Once something piques my interest, I want to understand as much of it as I can.

Q: What about college surprised you? 

A: There is an abundance of activities at Purdue. Campus has a club for everything under the sun. You don’t grasp the scale of it until you’re juggling an entirely full schedule and have to figure out when you’re going to eat lunch — that definitely happened a few times.  

The unexpected part is how small the campus felt. No matter where I went, I was met with familiar faces. Being a part of so many organizations made for a tight-knit community.  

Some friends and I started a club — Live Events and Productions (LEAP) — by sort of stumbling into it. Throughout my time working at Hall of Music Productions when I was a student, I had the chance to work on various Broadway tours, concerts and sporting events.  

However, the number of people needed for these roles was limited, so not everyone could participate in these exciting opportunities. Recognizing this, the summer before my senior year, my friends and I had several calls and began planning a club to connect other students with hands-on technical experience. This has grown to become LEAP and has been hosting trainings, concerts and other opportunities for anyone interested since then.

Q: What advice would you give a freshman just starting to earn their degree?

A: It’s no surprise that the biggest takeaway is to get involved. There’s so much to do, and you should go in head first. Fill your plate. I feel like I became more well-rounded because of the different skills I learned and connections I created.  

In the theater industry, things move quickly. You have to be ready to pick things up — new opportunities, new roles, new technology. Being able to adapt is huge. Learning new skills in college helps me with my life now, from working on a new soundboard to fixing gear under pressure.  

Being able to step into different environments and do your best is important. I get to travel the country now, seeing different cities and working with local crews. Every crew requires a different approach to coordinating.  

Traveling has been such a rewarding part of the job. During the Disney On Ice tour, we were in New Mexico and got to see the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. A few company members and I woke up at 3 a.m., drove from Sante Fe and saw the hot air balloons launched.  

We stood in the field and got to watch hundreds take off. Then we went back to Sante Fe and did three shows that day. Balancing the hard work with making the most of my free time has been worth it.

My experiences at Purdue led to this.

Robert Cohen

BA sound for the performing arts ’24

Q: When was your last “pinch me” moment? 

A: In between Disney On Ice and “The Book of Mormon,” I had the chance to work as monitor engineer for “Riverdance,” the Irish step dancing show. They needed someone to cover for about two weeks.  

I started with them at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago. Growing up, I would watch shows in that very theater. So when I walked out into the house of the theater before the show, it hit me. I’m living my dream already.  

I’m making a living doing what I love. When “The Book of Mormon” is at Purdue, it’ll be another one of those full-circle moments. Working shows in the venues I know so well as an audience member is surreal.

Q: What are you most excited for next?

A: When I was a senior in college, I sat down with a few of my mentors and professors and made a five-year plan. I’m a year out of college, and I’ve already hit it. I’m thrilled to be where I am.  

I love my work and getting to travel the country. After this tour, I’ll do whatever comes my way. There’s still so much to learn in the theater world and room to grow. It’d be cool to try the concert industry. It’s a whole different ballgame as far as technical skills and demands are concerned, but I’m eager to dive in.  

My experiences at Purdue led to this. Classes and clubs set me up for success, but the connections made the biggest difference. I’m glad that I could get involved in this industry so early and start building my career while I was in college.