We all know the old trope—your kid gets an expensive present and ends up playing with the box, transforming it into a house, a race car, and maybe a rocket ship. STOMP, a wordless dance and percussion performance, has the same feeling of free-wheeling creativity as performers repurpose everyday objects into musical instruments. The high-energy numbers and the playful ingenuity with props appeals to all ages, which probably goes a long way in explaining the show’s longevity.
I used to live a block away from the Orpheum Theater in the East Village and would see happy, laughing people spilling out onto the sidewalks after seeing STOMP, but I somehow never made it to a performance myself, until recently. When I slid into a seat, two 9-year-old girls in tow, I realized I had missed out on a fun show for—oh, about 22 years. It’s a lively, interactive performance with lots of humor, energy, music, and of course, dancing—but not the kind you usually see in an Off-Broadway production. Children will appreciate the improv feel and exhilarating antics.
