REIGNITING THE RHYTHM
STOMP, which I originally saw at New York’s 299-seat Orpheum Theatre in 1994, has performers using their bodies and both industrial and household objects as percussive musical instruments, and it was performance art nirvana. Years later, it still retains the original flair and comedy that makes it so enjoyable. The indefatigable, rhythmic, syncopated cast makes this well-oiled machine appear improvisational, but whether it’s sight gags or stick combat, their timing is impeccable. They create music from a gallimaufry of items: sand, matchbooks, their own bodies, dustpans, trash cans, ladles, rubber gloves, metallic sinks, stiff-bristle brooms, supermarket carts, corrugated plastic tubing played like accordions, and PVC pipes cut at many lengths for different tones. My favorite was the clever use of Zippo lighters: Not only did they make a catchy sound, but they reminded me of the syncopated fireflies I saw on a hike in the Great Smoky Mountains.
If you’ve never seen it before, expect performers dressed in a look best described as B-Boy meets construction worker. Each member of the multi-cultural, funky-haired cast has the kind of specific personality you would find at an elementary school playground: The nerd, the tough guy, and the class clown are playfully competitive in a tribal, ritualistic way as they non-verbally communicate with each other and the audience.
So, if you’ve been missing connection, definitely check out Stomp when the global phenomenon and iconic New York theatrical landmark returns to the Orpheum Theatre beginning Tuesday, July 20, 2021. (Tickets will go on sale on June 21.) It will be among the first off-Broadway productions to have resumed performances since the pandemic.
STOMP
The Orpheum, 126 Second Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets
performances resume July 20, 2021 | open run
for tickets (beginning June 21), visit Ticketmaster
Tuesday – 7 PM
Wednesday – 7 PM
Thursday – 7 PM
Friday – 8 PM
Saturday – 3 PM & 8 PM
Sunday – 2 PM & 6 PM
for more info, including tours, visit Stomp On Line
