STOMP is Coming to The Washington Pavilion in June

STOMP, the international percussion sensation, returns to the Washington Pavilion with two performances June 11–12. From its beginnings as a street performance in the UK, STOMP has grown into an international sensation over the past 29 years, having performed in more than 50 countries and in front of more than 26 million people.

“As we celebrate our milestone 25th season, we couldn't think of a better way to pay tribute to our roots than by bringing back a show that was on our very first season,” says Regina Ruhberg, Director of Performances for Washington Pavilion Management, Inc. “Don't miss the chance to experience the pulse-pounding magic that helped kickstart our theatrical adventure!”

Tickets are still available for both performances. To secure your seat, go to WashingtonPavilion.org or visit the Box Office at 301 S. Main Ave.

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 incorporates two new pieces. It is safe to say you will never again look at supermarket carts or plumbing fixtures the same way … or paint cans, or kitchen sinks or ….

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.

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), Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and a series of award-winning international commercials.

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