Percussion group Stomp stamps into Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre March 15-16
From a press release:
From its beginnings as a street performance in the United Kingdom, Stomp has grown into an international sensation over the past 20 years, having performed in more than 50 countries and in front of more than 24 million people. The celebrated percussion group will perform at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, March 15 and Thursday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets, which are $35, $45, and $55, plus fees, are on sale now and available through the Kirby Center box office (71 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre), online at kirbycenter.org, and by phone at 570-826-1100.
Created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, Stomp continues its phenomenal run with four global productions: the ongoing sell-out production at New York’s Orpheum Theatre, a permanent London company, and North American and European tours. Throughout its life, the show has continued to change by creating new material; this year, it will incorporate two new pieces. It is safe to say that you will never again look at supermarket carts or plumbing fixtures the same way… or paint cans, or kitchen sinks, or…
Stomp, an overwhelming success marked by rave reviews, numerous awards, and sell-out engagements, is the winner of an Olivier Award for Best Choreography (London’s Tony Award), a New York Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatre Experience, and a Special Citation from Best Plays.
In addition to the stage shows, Stomp has been an overwhelming success marked by rave reviews, numerous awards, an Academy Award nomination, four Emmy nominations, and one Emmy Award for their acclaimed HBO special “Stomp Out Loud;” noteworthy TV appearances, including the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, the Academy Awards (produced by Quincy Jones), and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood;” and a series of award-winning international commercials.
The performers “make a rhythm out of anything we can get our hands on that makes a sound,” says co-founder/director Luke Cresswell. A unique combination of percussion, movement, and visual comedy, Stomp has created its own inimitable, contemporary form of rhythmic expression; both household and industrial objects find new life as musical instruments in the hands of an idiosyncratic band of body percussionists. It is a journey through sound, a celebration of the everyday, and a comic interplay of characters wordlessly communicating through dance and drum.
Synchronized stiff-bristle brooms become a sweeping orchestra, eight Zippo lighters flip open and closed to create a fiery fugue, wooden poles thump and clack in a rhythmic explosion. Stomp uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – dustbins, tea chests, radiator hoses, boots, hub caps – to fill the stage with a compelling and unique act that is often imitated but never duplicated.
Critics and audiences have raved. “Stomp is as crisp and exuberant as if it had opened yesterday,” says The New York Times. The San Francisco Chronicle declares, “Stomp has a beat that just won’t quit!” The Los Angeles Times exclaims, “Electrifying! Triumphs in the infinite variety of the human experience.” “A phenomenal show! Bashing, crashing, smashing, swishing, banging, and kicking – a joyous invention!” says the Chicago Tribune.
Stomp is made possible, in part, by Community Bank, N.A.
