Hubcaps? Garbage cans? Brooms? Zippo lighters? These objects do not necessarily come to mind when thinking about percussion instruments. Enter STOMP. The thrilling percussion show turns ordinary objects into spectacular instruments to create an unforgettable audience experience. The show spent nearly 29 years in New York City and has staged productions all over the world, including lengthy tours.
STOMP performer Declan Hayden phoned CleveRock’s hotline ahead of the Cleveland engagement at Playhouse Square beginning April 17 and running through April 21.
Hayden is no stranger to the Buckeye State! He hails from Kings Mills, which is just north of Cincinnati. While not exactly a homecoming, the percussionist is happy that STOMP is bringing him back to Ohio for the week. His grandparents in Cincinnati and additional family in the Lima area will be making the journey to Playhouse Square to see him perform.
“I am a drummer, first and foremost,” Hayden said. “I studied percussion at the University of Cincinnati, but even when I was younger, when I was in high school, the school I went to had a really strong drumline program and percussion instruction. I’ve probably been playing music since I was in the fifth grade. I’ve always loved playing the drums. When I first encountered STOMP, I was a junior in college. I had really never seen it in person. Knowing that it was an option for musicians was illuminating for me. I thought of it maybe more as a theater production, but music is so intrinsic to the show, and that was a really inspiring moment for me to think that I might be able to do it. And now I know, of course, that there are a lot of percussionists on the show. Since it’s all really based around making music with household objects and cleaning supplies and garbage cans and plumbing equipment and that sort of thing, I think being a percussionist is a really fabulous gateway into this kind of niche area of the performing arts.”
STOMP has rhythm. STOMP has characters.
STOMP has ZERO DIALOG. STOMP has ZERO PLOT!
Yet, the show’s creators and unique performers have managed a way to engage audiences through percussive expression.
“I think the biggest challenges are theatrical because the music of the show is really good, to be honest. As long as we play our music, and we do, it has a tendency to sound and look very, very cool. It’s very engaging and upfront, regardless of what we do. But there is definitely an element of theatricality that can be difficult to nail,” Hayden explained. “There are a lot of different characters in the show, and one of the biggest challenges for me is making sure that my character serves the show. It’s not particularly narrative, exactly. There’s not necessarily a story to follow, but there are definitely distinct theatrical voices from all of us. Whether you’re supposed to be kind of crazy or really serious or the butt of all the jokes, just trying to stay in your lane theatrically can be tough to get that exactly right. But we do a pretty good job.“
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Like any show that has been performed countless times in virtually every market around the globe, STOMP has had literally thousands of performers involved since its inception. On one hand, new performers have plenty of footage to watch of the actors who have been in the show long before their arrival. On the flip side, in a show like STOMP, audiences expect a different experience each time they stroll through the theater doors.
How does a STOMP performer make a character their own and help the show evolve?
“I would say there are two main ways that I make it my own. And, of course, the first way is in terms of music. I have studied a lot of avant-garde music in my life. Recently, I’ve been really interested in studying a lot of jazz music. Prog rock was something I played a lot when I was younger. Those kinds of musical languages creep into how I do the show,” he explained. “There are a lot of musical solos, so you can really hear each individual’s different vocabulary when they’re playing music. That’s a big one, the musical vocabulary that I choose to draw from when I’m performing. In terms of the theater of it, I am really inspired by other musicians who have a really engaging stage presence.”
“There’s a lot of improvisation in STOMP, and there’s a lot of theatrical improvisation just in terms of how we might interact with each other on stage. I think that the freedom to express yourself through the lens of whatever character we might be playing really helps keep the show alive and well,” Hayden continued. “I think over the years, and even though there have been a ton of different casts, I mean, it’s been around for 30 years, there have been a ton of different people who have done it. I think all of them are able to have just a really different flair and approach to both the music and the theater. And it really does keep it fresh every night. I think the cast changes every night. A lot of people know more than one role. I know three roles and the mixing up of the cast and who’s doing what on what day helps. Maybe you had an extra cup of coffee before the show, and so you’re going to make a lot of different musical and theatrical choices because you’re feeling energized. Or even if you’re tired, maybe you can play off of that, too. There’s a lot of room for exploration and creativity and I think that keeps it fresh.”
There are so many great moments in STOMP. This interviewer has seen the show several times. There are certain parts I look forward to seeing each time, plus moments that grow on me with each performance. As both a performer and audience member, Hayden was asked what part of the show has the “wow” factor that has the audience the most captivated, night in and night out.
“I think in terms of how much of the audience likes it, there’s a number called Zippos where we make music and visual shapes with Zippos and Bick lighters, and everyone loves that number,” he replied. “And it’s funny because, from a performance perspective, we don’t really move around the stage. It’s more of different people turning on the lighters at different times to make shapes while we all stand in one place. So as a performer, it actually feels pretty underwhelming because a lot of the show, we’re jumping all around and running across the stage and doing tricks and that sort of thing, but for whatever reason, they really love the lighter.”
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There’s no shortage of ways to spend one’s expendable income on entertainment. Heck, there are many choices at Playhouse Square alone! However, one of the most overlooked elements of STOMP may tip the scales in its favor.
“One thing that gets glossed over in a lot of the marketing for STOMP is that it is hilarious. It’s really funny,” Hayden notes. “And even though it’s all cool music, it’s all groovy and very musically engaging. Primarily, it’s a comedy, and there’s a lot of really well-written and improvisatory humor, and you’ll definitely laugh.“
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