THE BEAT GOES ON

Thuds, thumps, whistles and snaps, shuffles and crashes, crack-ups and claps will electrify the stage in Bedell Performance Hall on Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus on Tuesday.

"STOMP," the critically acclaimed live show, is a wildly inventive, all-percussion show that doesn't use traditional drums or cymbals. Instead, the eight-member troupe uses wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters -- all kinds of equipment, all to produce magnificent rhythms, all without dialog.

This year, the show has two new pieces to incorporate, according to a news release. "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 release stated.

"I'm thrilled to be able to bring back this classic company," Bob Cerchio, assistant director of Southeast's Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts, said in a news release. "Last here in 2008, the show today is every bit as fresh and amazing as it was then."

Troupe members peform 'STOMP' while on tour.Submitted photo

One cast member agrees, and said he's thrilled to be part of the troupe bringing "STOMP" back to Cape Girardeau.

Artis "The Artist" Olds is on his second tour with the show, having done his first stint in fall 2016.

Olds comes to the show as a long-time admirer.

"STOMP" premiered 26 years ago and, Olds said, he grew up admiring the performances but thinking it was beyond his ability to appear in the show.

That didn't stop him from taking up both music and dance, though.

During his time studying at Central State University in Ohio, he majored in percussion, was the school band's drum major and joined Alpha Phi Alpha, the first African-American, intercollegiate Greek-lettered fraternity.

That's where he learned about stepping, a percussive dance form, which carried him into performing with Step Afrika!, the first professional company dedicated to the art form of stepping, out of Washington, D.C.

As Olds got more and more into stepping, he said, he also developed as a body percussionist.

His sense of rhythm and infatuation with the beat only helped as he built up his style, he said.

"Those talents transferred easily to 'STOMP,'" he added.

"I think one thing really cool about the show is, people play different roles, and each role is very, very particular," Olds said.

Olds said one aspect of the show that especially appeals to him is, there's no spoken dialog in the show.

The players tell an elaborate, moving story with just their movements and the sounds they can make, he said.

"It's incredible," Olds said.

He's known the show for a long time, Olds said, seeing the 1997 HBO special, "STOMP OUT LOUD," while still in high school.

"I always thought it was cool and I was really into, but it was not something I really thought, realistically, I could be a part of," Olds said. "Just the way everything panned out, here I am, and I'm very excited to be part of it."

Cerchio said in the news release, "They use everything from matchbooks to hubcaps to convey sheer joy and heart-pounding excitement. This is not a show to be missed."

The show is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in Bedell Performance Hall on the university's River Campus, 518 S. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau. Tickets are available at the River Campus box office, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., by calling (573) 651-2265 or online at RiverCampus.org.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630