൯ STOMP

STOMP, a unique combination of percussion, movement and visual comedy, was created in Brighton, U.K., in the summer of 1991. It was the result of a 10 year collaboration between its creators, Steve McNicholas and Luke Creswell. They first worked together in 1981, as members of the street band Pookiesnackenburger and the theatre group, Cliff Hanger.

In the summer of 1991, Luke and Steve produced, financed and directed the original STOMP, previewing at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre and premiering at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, where it became the Guardian’s “Critic’s Choice” and won the Daily Express’ “Best of the Fringe” award. Originally a seven-piece (with Luke, 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 fall of ‘91.

Between 1991 and 1994, the original cast of STOMP played to capacity audiences around the world from Hong Kong to Barcelona, from Dublin to Sydney. The touring culminated in a sell-out season at London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre in January 1994, where STOMP received an Olivier nomination for Best Entertainment Award and won Best Choreography Award in a West End show.

STOMP began its run at the Orpheum Theatre in New York in February 1994 and quickly went on to win an Obie Award and a Drama Desk Award for Most Unique Theatre Experience. STOMP also created the “Mr. Frears’ Ears” series of short films created for Nickelodeon. “Brooms,” a 15-minute short film based on the opening routine, was nominated for an Academy Award. This STOMP-oriented film was also selected for screening at Robert Redford’s Sundance Festival and for competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

Luke and Steve began production of their IMAX movie Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey, in Brazil during Carnival 2000 and completed it in the summer of 2002. Pulse takes the IMAX audience on a spectacular global journey, featuring performances from Kodo, Timbalada and Eva Yerbabuena. It was released to critical acclaim in the fall of 2002 and won 2 major awards at La 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 theatres worldwide.

In September 2002, STOMP finally entered London’s West End at the Vaudeville Theatre, and later that year STOMP performed as part of the Royal Variety Show for the second time. STOMP is now in its fifth year in London. In 2003, a unique Dolby Digital trailer featuring STOMP performances debuted in cinemas across the globe and the following year an Emmy nominated sequence was created for ABC Sports coverage of the World Figure Skating Championships.

In 2004, in celebration of ten years of STOMP in New York, 2nd Avenue at 8th Street was renamed Stomp Avenue. In 2007, STOMP OUT LOUD opened in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino with an expanded cast and performed inside a new $28 million theater specifically created for the production. [wikipedia]