Broadway's Stomp Returning to Denver in Its Explosive, Syncopated Glory

I last heard the clanging sounds of Stomp nearly three years ago, but Stomp will be back in town with its incredible cast of percussionists, who treasure the old adage about one man's trash.

The eight-member troupe doesn't look at regular, everyday objects the way the rest of the world does. In the performers' hands, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters and the general detritus of the 21st century takes on lives of their very own. Stomp, created and directed by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, is truly an exploration of the outer limits of rhythmic invention. It's a Pipe, (drain pipe) and Drum Corps of our age. Though the show looks like it could be nothing but silliness and fun, Stomp is a concatenation of sound and skill, and only works when its rhythms and percussionists are intact.

There was also nonstop body movement of bodies, objects, noise- even abstract ideas. See, there's no dialogue, speech, or even a plot. Yet music? Absolutely! Uncommon music, created in nontraditional ways with every day objects that would range from matchbooks to every household object that you can name. Here is where all is syncopated and choreographed with their precision of a bulge corps minus the bugles and by the fertile imagination of buskers or street performers from the streets of Brighton, England. It is in this town of the U.K. where Cresswell and McNicholas dreamed up this utterly inventive, unexpected, and whacked out show. Stomp had come a long way since 1981 and their credits over the years had been an amazing experience that had spread internationally.

In the summer of 1995, two American productions were created for the sole purpose of U.S. touring that continues to this day. U.S. casts have also debuted Stomp in places such as Chile, Brazil, and Korea. In the meantime, a fifth Stomp company that was also touring from the UK was formed in 1997 and had consistently toured the world ever since. According to their web site, it was this company that have accomplished the achievement of being the first to perform in Scandinavia, South Africa, and has since been a regular visitor to Germany, Holland, and France. Also, there is another Stomp production that opened up in San Fransisco in 2000, and all productions have been busy adding onto their work and credits.

Aside from the Broadway shows, Stomp had also recorded music for the movie, "Tank Girl", and appeared on Quincy Jones album, "Q's Jook Joint". Luke and Steve had also recorded for the soundtrack, "Riot", a movie on Showtime in the spring of '97. Stomp has also appeared in commercials for Coca-Cola, made a special appearance for the Academy Awards in 1996 on stage with their acclaimed original piece involving their live synchronization that featured as many as 20 performers from all five productions. Not longer later, Stomp had received an Emmy award nomination, which pushed the creators to direct and create, "Stomp Out Loud", a television special that was aired on HBO.

Stomp had also performed to reach out to children. During 2000, a Sesame Street special, "Let's Make Music," a collaboration between Stomp and the Muppets was released on TV and video in North America. Not too long after, Luke and Steve began production of their IMAX movie called, "Pule: A Stomp Odyssey" in Brazil during Carnival 2000, and was completed in the summer of 2002. This movie takes viewers on a spectacular global journey that features performances from Kodo, Timbalda and Eva Yerbabuena. It received the ultimate IMAX award for best film in Montreal, and is still performing in select IMAX theaters today.

The performers have their own style that resembles many dances that are performed around the world. When it comes to Stomp, there are no political statements or dialogue, only fun should be there for everyone. The surprising sighs and rattles of the moment from clashing metal that casts its spell to industrial strength dance routines involving a lot of supremely well coordinated bodies. This is the show I highly recommend for people of all ages to see.

For more information, or to get tickets, call the Buell Theater at 303-893-4100, or purchase tickets through TicketWest, which is at all King Soopers locations, or you may buy them online at www.denvercenter.org. (Will be performing March 4-9, 2008) This is truly one of the best shows to sit back, relax, and tap your feet of clap your hands with. Head on down and hold on fast to those hubcaps as you zip yourself downtown to swing along with Stomp!

www.stomponline.com
www.denvercenter.org
wilkipedia
http://search.hollywood.com/movies/Stomp