Ameenah Kaplan (born June 17, 1974) is an American actress, musician and choreographer. Kaplan was born on June 17, 1974 in Denver, Colorado. She was raised in Atlanta, where she graduated from Avondale High School for the Performing Arts, and from New York, where she attended Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and trained in their experimental theater wing. She is a graduate of the Academy of Art University film school. She has been a drummer since age 12 and was a member of the original American cast of STOMP. She is the west coast drum coach for Blue Man Group. She has played drums and/or percussion with Ty Taylor of Vintage Trouble, Adam Lambert, Alisan Porter, Macy Gray, Rihanna, Taylor Hicks, Lisa Haley and the Zydecats, Drake, Leslie Odom Jr., Scarlett Cherry, and the Twinz. She has performed on Oprah, Conan O’Brien, The Academy Awards, the AMA’s, the Grammy’s, and the Tonight Show. She is the Resident Director of The Lion King on Broadway. Her current bands are : Sin City (hip-hop) and KULA (rock) and BAST .