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Stomp(theatrical show)

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Stomp
Stompat theAmbassadors Theatre,West Street,London, July 2016.
GenrePhysical theatre
Show typeOff-Broadway, West End, touring
Date of premiere1991(1991)
LocationOrpheum Theatre, New York
Ambassadors Theatre, London
Touring
Creative team
Co-creatorsSteve McNicholasandLuke Cresswell
Official website

Stomp(stylized asSTOMP) is a percussion group, originating inBrighton,England, that uses the body and ordinary objects to create aphysical theatreperformance using rhythms, acrobatics and pantomime.

History and performances

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1990–98

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Stomp was created bySteve McNicholasandLuke Cresswellin 1991. The performers use a variety of everyday objects as percussion instruments in their shows.[1]

Cresswell and McNicholas first worked together in 1981 as members of the street bandPookiesnackenburgerand the theatre group Cliff Hanger. Together, these groups presented a series of street comedy musicals at theEdinburgh Festivalthroughout the early 1980s. After two albums, a TV series and extensive touring in Europe, Pookiesnackenburger also produced the "Bins" commercial forHeinekenlager. The piece was originally written and choreographed as part of the band's stage show.

In 1986, Cresswell formed the Urban Warriors, a 'junkpercussion duo'[2]with Benjamin Frederick Tin, a Liverpool drummer also based in Brighton. Cresswell later said, "Two of us would do street work, beating the hell out of each other with sticks and armour made out of bits of metal."[3]The Urban Warriors appeared on the 1986 children's television showNo.73andthe Tubewith Jools Holland. Their performance onNo.73can beseen on YouTube.Tin also appeared in the Heineken advert, playing a drum solo on dustbin lids.

Between 1987 and 1990, Cresswell directed and staged four large-scale outdoor events, including "Beat the Clyde", which involved floating a drum orchestra on a pontoon in the centre ofGlasgow.The largest of these events, the "Heineken Hove Lagoon Show", involved a 120 piece drum orchestra featuring theBrighton Festival Chorusand a full orchestral string section.[citation needed]

In the summer of 1991, Cresswell and McNicholas produced, financed, and directed the originalStompshow, previewing at London'sBloomsbury Theatreand premiering at theAssembly Roomsin Edinburgh, where it becamethe Guardian's"Critic's Choice" and wonthe Daily Express's"Best of the Fringe" award. Originally a seven-piece (with Luke Cresswell, Theseus Gerard, Fraser Morrison, Carl Smith, Nick Dwyer, David Olrod and Sarah Eddy), Stomp grew to be an eight-person outfit with the addition of Fiona Wilkes in the autumn of '91.

Between 1991 and 1994, the original cast of Stomp played to capacity audiences around the world. The touring culminated in a season atSadler's Wells Theatrein London in January 1994, where Stomp received anOliviernomination for the "Best Entertainment Award"and won" Best Choreography Award in a West End show ". Also, in 1993, they performed in an advertisement for apples[4]for the Australian Horticultural Corporation.[5]

Stomp began its run at theOrpheum Theatrein New York City in February 1994 winning anObie Awardand aDrama Desk Awardfor Most Unique Theatre Experience. By the summer of 1994, the first American cast was in place at the Orpheum, freeing the original cast for a tour of North America and Japan. The cast appeared onGeneral Hospitalin 1994.

An extended version of Stomp, involving up to 30 cast members, was originally created for theBrighton Festivaland was subsequently presented inMelbourne.It was most recently seen in September 1995 in an open-air production at theAcropolisin Athens and at theRoyal Festival Hallin London.

In October 1995, Stomp appeared on an episode ofMister Rogers' Neighborhood.[6]

One by one, the entire cast was interviewed bySpace Ghoston theCartoon Networktelevision sitcomSpace Ghost Coast to Coastand appeared onReading Rainbowin 1996.

The cast cameoed on the seventh season ofMad About You,Season 7, Episode 5, "The Silent Show," 10 November 1998.

2000–present

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Stomp performed at theLincoln Memorialat the Millennium celebrations of US PresidentBill Clinton.During 2000, aSesame Streetspecial "Let's Make Music", a collaboration between Stomp andthe Muppets,was released on TV and video in North America.

Cresswell and McNicholas began production of theirIMAXfilm,Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey,in Brazil duringCarnaval2000 and completed it in the summer of 2002.Pulsefeatures an international cast, with performances fromKodo,TimbaladaandEva Yerbabuena.It was released in the fall of 2002 and won two awards atLa Geode's film festival in Paris the following year. In 2004 it received the ultimate IMAX Award for Best Film at the GSTA in Montreal. Pulse is still playing in IMAX cinemas worldwide.

In September 2002, Stomp entered London'sWest Endat theVaudeville Theatre,and later that year performed as part of theRoyal Variety Showfor the second time.

In 2003, aDolby Digitaltrailer featuring Stomp performances debuted in cinemas worldwide, and the following year an Emmy nominated sequence was created forABC Sportscoverage of theWorld Figure Skating Championships.

In 2006, Stomp's New York production passed its 5000th performance mark. In the same year, Cresswell and McNicholas directed a public service announcement for television called "Stomp Out Litter", which featured the cast "sweeping up" at iconic locations in the five boroughs. They also began filming an IMAX 3D movie about South Africa'sSardine run,released in early 2008.

In addition, they were commissioned to create and producePandemonium: the Lost and Found Orchestra,which takes the ideas behind Stomp to a symphonic level, in celebration of 40 years of theBrighton Festival.The LFO subsequently performed at theSydney Opera Houseas part of theSydney Festivalearly in 2007 and at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The show was reworked and renamed for a US tour in 2010:Pandemonium: the Lost and Found Orchestra.

In 2007,Stomp Out Loudopened inLas VegasatPlanet HollywoodResort & Casino with an expanded cast and performed inside a theatre specifically created for the production.

In August 2012, Stomp contributed to the musical segment of the2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremonyinLondon.

"The Gang Goes to Hell: Part 2"is the tenth episode of the eleventh season ofIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphiatelevised onFXX,19 March 2016. It is the season finale and the conclusion from the previous episode "The Gang Goes to Hell."The gang is locked in the brig of aChristianchartered cruise ship for their various crimes and offences to other passengers and begin using their bodies and contents of the brig to create a rhythmic production in the style of Stomp.

In October 2017, the show’s creators, Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, announced that the London show would end its 15-year run in January 2018 but were quoted in an article inThe Stageas stating that "its closure would not mark the end of Stomp in London."[7]

In July 2019, Stomp was the subject of theUSsitcomAmerican Dad!.When his uncle dies and leaves him with a large inheritance,Stan Smithgoes against his family's wishes for a trip toNew York Cityand uses the money to buy the rights to theBroadwaymusicalStompinstead.

Stomp were unable to perform in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In December 2022 the New York production posted its closing notice, shuttering on 8 January 2023 after over 11,000 performances.[8][9][10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Stomp comes to The Mayflower this September".Music & Culture News.19 June 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 16 December 2013.
  2. ^Merilyn Jackson, 'Pound of Music', Phoenix New Times, 17 June 2001
  3. ^Interview with Cresswell at CulturenorthernIreland.org, 15 December 2009
  4. ^"Youtube AHC Advertisement for apples".Archivedfrom the original on 21 December 2021.Retrieved15 May2021.
  5. ^"Australian Horticultural Corporation - Report - 1993-1994".Retrieved15 May2021.
  6. ^Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,"Mad Feelings"(season 26, episode 5),PBS,20 October 1995.
  7. ^The Stagehttps://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2017/stomp-to-close-in-west-end-after-15-years/
  8. ^White, Abbey; Huston, Caitlin (6 December 2022)."'Stomp' to Close After Nearly Three Decades Off-Broadway ".The Hollywood Reporter.Retrieved17 October2023.
  9. ^Feldman, Adam (6 December 2022)."Stomp is closing after nearly 30 years".Time Out New York.Retrieved17 October2023.
  10. ^Veltman, Chloe (7 January 2023)."STOMP closes after 29-year New York run".National Public Radio.Retrieved16 October2023.
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