The Rhythm of Everyday Objects

Herald Palladium - 02/25/2016 Copy Reduced to 81% from original to fit letter page Page : D03

The Herald-Palladium • THURSDAY, February 25, 2016 3 The rhythm of everyday objects

‘Stomp’ veteran Dibble and My background is in dance. I’ve A been dancing since I was a little girl, cast mates make stop at LMC but I’ve always loved music, too. I fi rst heard about the show when I was in high By JEREMY D. BONFIGLIO school, and I was immediately drawn to Sight & Sound Editor it because it was different. It was unlike any other show I had seen. I really want- BENTON HARBOR — The third ed to do it. A friend of mine had seen an time was the charm for Leilani Dibble. ad for open auditions for “Stomp” I The dancer fi rst saw “Stomp” as a dragged my drummer friend with me. I high school student in San Francisco, did not get hired, but he did. It wasn’t and was so taken by it that she and a until my third audition that I got hired. I drummer friend auditioned at an open think I just realized you could be the best casting call. He got hired. She didn’t. drummer or dancer in the world, but if Dibble later auditioned in you don’t have that it they are looking New York City with the for it doesn’t matter. same result. Using everyday objects to make mu- Then on Jan. 20, 2003, Q sic is at the heart of this show. As a she auditioned for the new performer how do you prepare for that? Boston company of People don’t really practice playing “Stomp” and got the gig. A music with everyday objects. At In addition to her Bos- DIBBLE least they didn’t before “Stomp,” now I ton stint, Dibble has per- Photo provided don’t know, maybe now they do play formed in Europe, was part of “Stomp “Stomp” – the rhythmic Broadway juggernaut – performs Sunday afternoon at Lake Michigan music with everyday objects. Out Loud” cast in Las Vegas, and has College’s Mendel Center Mainstage Theatre. The cool thing about the whole every- been with the national touring company day objects thing is that when we get with multiple casts in multiple years. I’ve been with the company for 13 hired and thrown in the 9-5 to learn the On Sunday afternoon, Dibble will be A years now, so I’ve defi nitely been IF YOU GO show, they put a broom in everyone’s among the cast when “Stomp” performs witness to the metamorphosis of the hand and suddenly it’s an even playing at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel show over that time. I got hired in 2003 What: “Stomp” fi eld. It’s just an odd item to play music Center Mainstage Theatre. and, since then, there has been cycling in with. Created in 1991 in Brighton, England and out of different pieces and different When: 4 p.m. Sunday Like everything else it takes practice. by buskers Luke Cresswell and props. Playing different music. Where: Lake Michigan College’s The more time you spend with a prop, Steve McNicholas, “Stomp” The creators pretty much hand Mendel Center Mainstage Theatre, the more comfortable you are and the transforms common house- pick every performer and 2755 E. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor more you feel like exploring it. It’s very hold and workplace objects they are the writers, so if How much: $35-$60 strange, but it’s pretty cool. into percussion instru- there’s a number that is What do you think it is about this Contact: 927-1221 or ments. a little bit tired or needs Q show that has allowed it to sustain FIVE QUESTIONS www.themendelcenter.com Synchronized stiff- some sprucing up, the success it has over two decades now? bristle brooms become they’ll come up with some- Artist info: www.stomponline.com Pretty much everything we’ve been a sweeping orchestra; thing and we’ll workshop it to A talking about already. Changing the wooden poles thump and clack in put into the show. That probably lineup and set list every few years. One a rhythmic explosion. In fact, “Stomp” happens more than people think. There’s we did every show we’d be getting a lot thing I think that keeps it relevant is that uses everything but conventional percus- been a lot of changes over the years. I’m more injuries. We all play the brooms. within the structure of the show there is sion instruments, including dustbins, tea not sure the last time we were in Benton We all play the trash cans. I’ve worked in space and room to improvise or bring chests, radiator hoses, boots, hub caps Harbor, but if it’s been a few years we New York and worked in Europe and our own fl avor to it musically, theatri- and shopping carts. will defi nitely be performing some differ- the traveling company in America, and I cally. I think that has really kept it fresh It began its Off-Broadway run at the ent pieces this time around, which keeps was traveling on tour in America 10 throughout the years. You see the same Orpheum Theatre in New York City in it fresh and it keeps it fun, which is vital years ago. structure, but it’s going to feel a little bit 1994, and the act has been performed in 20 years later. It is still interesting to see the people different depending on the people on more than 50 countries during the past I imagine it’s a pretty physically de- that Luke Cresswell and Steve McNich- stage. 20 years. Q manding show. How do you keep olas bring together. Everyone brings Maybe they are carrying a different Dibble, who was reached by phone pushing that hard on a tour such as this? their own strengths, but in the end vibe or are making different choices or during a tour stop in Ohio, talked about There’s eight performers per show. “Stompers” all become one really big different character motivations. It makes her experiences with the show. A We travel with 12 performers in ev- family. it fresh for us, and it makes it fresh for How has the show changed and ery cast so people can be swapped in and What can you tell me about your audiences who keep coming back. Q evolved in the time you’ve been with out so we don’t have to do every show Q background and how that prepared Contact: [email protected], 932-0364, Twitter: it? because it is so physically demanding. If you for this show? @HPBonfiglio