Wednesday, January 8, 2014

STOMP Returns to Washington, National Theatre Next Month


From our friends at the National Theatre...

STOMP, the International Percussion Sensation Returns to Washington to Rock National Theatre, February 4-9, 2014

Tickets on Sale Now

STOMP, the international percussion sensation, makes its triumphant return to Washington, playing the National Theatre for a limited engagement February 4-9, 2014. From its beginnings as a street performance in the UK, 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.

Tickets for STOMP are priced at $40 plus applicable service charges for opening night, Tuesday, February 4. Tickets for the remainder of the engagement start at $43, plus applicable service charges, and are on sale now online at thenationaldc.com, by phone at (800) 514-3849, or in person at the National Theatre box office. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling (855) 486-2516. For more information, call (202) 628-6161.

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, including the recent addition of 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….

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. STOMP has also received an Academy Award nomination, four Emmy nominations and one Emmy Award for their acclaimed HBO special Stomp Out Loud, and has made 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.

The performers “make a rhythm out of anything we can get our hands on that makes a sound,” says co-founder/director 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 continue to be impressed: “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.

About the National Theatre:
Located at 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, the National Theatre opened in 1835 and is one of the oldest continuously operating theaters in the nation. Over the years, the National has hosted a multitude of memorable events, including the pre-Broadway presentations of the musicals Show Boat; Hello, Dolly!; and West Side Story. Many of the world’s greatest performers have graced the National Theatre stage including Robert Redford, George C. Scott, Will Rogers, Helen Hayes, James Earl Jones, Eartha Kitt, Sir Laurence Olivier, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno, Katherine Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Ian McKellen, Debbie Reynolds, and Audrey Hepburn. National Theatre Group, a partnership between JAM Theatricals, Ltd. and SMG, oversees the programming for and management of the theater.

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Performance Schedule:
Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 5 at 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 6 at 7:30 PM
Friday, February 7 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, February 8 at 5:00 and 9:00 PM
Sunday, February 9 at 2:00 and 7:30 PM