The farce awakens at the Orpheum Theatre

A new era is beginning at the classic Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... yesterday afternoon, the signage arrived for the venue's next production, "The Empire Strips Back" ...

This burlesque "Star Wars" parody begins a limited run at the venue on May 10.

This is the first time in 29 years that "Stomp" signage is not present on the theater. That show, which is on the road these days, ended here on Jan. 8 after 11,000-plus performances.

And this production continues the Orpheum's use as a theater. In the 1980s, the Orpheum was well-known for Off-Broadway productions such as "Little Shop of Horrors" in 1982, Sandra Bernhard's "Without You I'm Nothing" in 1988, Eric Bogosian's "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll" in 1990, John Leguizamo's "Mambo Mouth" in 1991, and David Mamet's "Oleanna" in 1992.

The Orpheum is reportedly owned by Liberty Theatres, a subsidiary of Reading International, which also runs Minetta Lane Theatre.

According to Cinema Treasures: "The site on which the Orpheum stands is alleged to have been a concert garden as early as the 1880s and, as such, to be one of the oldest continuously operating places of gathering for entertainment events in New York City." 

...and another view via Steven...

Meanwhile in Syracuse...

Our post earlier today about the "Stomp" signage at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue prompted EVG reader roflo to share this photo... from Syracuse, where "Stomp" just played there at the Landmark... and the show continues on tour. (Hello Lynchburg, Va. tonight!)

The "Stomp" sign's 29-year run continues on 2nd Avenue

Photos by Steven 

Workers yesterday were fixing the wiring on the Orpheum Theatre's marquee... which required the removal of the (iconic? maybe?) "Stomp" signage.

We thought they might be tossing the panels... as the energetic percussion-based show closed here on Jan. 8 after a 29-year run... (we've seen other discarded "Stomp" goods around here on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street)...

At the end of the day, the workers returned the "Stomp" sign, albeit backward...

... and a little later...

As previously reported, a burlesque version of "Star Wars" is next for the Orpheum Theatre. Starting on May 10, "The Empire Strips Back" begins a limited run at the venue.

In the 1980s, the Orpheum was well-known for Off-Broadway productions such as "Little Shop of Horrors" in 1982, Sandra Bernhard's "Without You I'm Nothing" in 1988, Eric Bogosian's "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll" in 1990, John Leguizamo's "Mambo Mouth" in 1991, and David Mamet's "Oleanna" in 1992.

Get ready to say so long to the Stomp sign

Photo by Steven 

Workers were spotted measuring the marquee today at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... word is the "Stomp" sign will be coming down soon to make way for signage of a new production. 

No word just yet on what might be next here in the famed theater. (There are rumors of an April start date.)

"Stomp" ended its 29-year run here in early January. 

According to Cinema Treasures: "The site on which the Orpheum stands is alleged to have been a concert garden as early as the 1880s and, as such, to be one of the oldest continuously operating places of gathering for entertainment events in New York City." 

In the 1980s, the Orpheum was well-known for Off-Broadway productions such as Little Shop of Horrors in 1982, Sandra Bernhard's Without You I'm Nothing in 1988, Eric Bogosian's Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll in 1990, John Leguizamo's Mambo Mouth in 1991, and David Mamet's Oleanna in 1992.

Clearing out 'Stomp'

Photos by Steven 

Workers were spotted clearing out the Orpheum Theatre today... two days after "Stomp" ended its 29-year run here on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place...

Some items were going into waiting trucks... while other props were put on the curb. One of the workers said people could help themselves to the stuff...

... for your own homemade "Stomp" production...

Monday's parting shot

Little Man Parking on Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue will need to update its sign now that "Stomp" and Dallas BBQ are gone...

Long live Webster Hall!

After 29 years playing in the East Village, I finally decided to see 'Stomp' before it closed

The 29-year reign of "Stomp" concluded yesterday evening at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue. 

Per NPR on Saturday: 

"Twenty-nine years is a long time to sustain a run," "Stomp" co-producer and general manager Richard Frankel said. "Foreign tourists became a major part of our audience and they really have not returned to New York since COVID. It's been tough. We just aren't selling enough tickets."

The energetic percussion-based show opened here on Feb. 27, 1994, for an initial four-month run. Since then, I've walked by the theater between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place thousands of times and never had any interest in seeing the production. 

I'm not the biggest theater person, spending more time taking in live music, movies or art exhibits. Aside from seeing the marquee on a near-daily basis, "Stomp" didn't immediately register with me. At some point, I realized that "Stomp" had been playing here forever. I think it was 1997. 

As the production continued to catch on and become a tourist destination, the desire to never see it only intensified. 

I recall sitting with friends at the Grassroots on St. Mark's Place. Someone knew a cast member and went to see the show. Their reaction: "It was better than I expected." I heard that similar refrain from other people who had dreaded seeing it, mostly locals who brought relatives or other out-of-towners to the theater per their wishes. 

Unlike "Rent," which had local roots, "Stomp" came out of the 1980s United Kingdom street performance scene. I never saw a connection between the show and the neighborhood, other than where the venue was located. Still, Frankel, the producer, told NPR that "Stomp" "really captured the sensibility of the East Village in the 1990s." 

In any event, as it was ending after nearly 11,500 shows, I decided to buy a ticket for an evening performance last week... and found myself in a short line like I had passed so many times in the past 29 years.

I admit to being curious about what the interior looked like... (there's a strict no-photo policy in the auditorium) ... 

Here's an official description of the plot via a press release about the closing: 

It is a journey through sound, a celebration of the every day 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, shopping carts, radiator hoses, boots, hub caps — to fill the stage with a compelling and unique act that is often imitated but never duplicated. 

On the night of the show, I found myself sitting next to, and in front of, several parents and their children — roughly 7 to 12 in age. The kids patiently waited for the show to begin (the 8 p.m. start was actually 8:15 p.m.) by playing games or watching videos on various handheld devices. 

The show started, and the attendees — a sold-out theater of 300-plus — seemed to appreciate the talented performers and theatrics, laughing and clapping along during the audience-participation moments. The kids around me especially enjoyed the more sophomoric elements of the show (the radiator hose/penis gag). Set pieces came and went, and we all saw countless inventive ways to make rhythms from everyday household items. 

I was pleased we had breezed through the show, as the early 20th-century seats without much legroom were taking their toll on my legs and lower back. At one point, I figured I had about 15 minutes left of the 105-minute show (with no intermission). I glanced at my phone; I had been there for 35 minutes — 70 to go! 

With the continued banging of trash can lids and swishing of brooms, I wondered who the characters were supposed to be: Co-workers not really working? (A thunderous display of quiet quitting?) Roommates in an industrial space? (I would hate to live below them with all this racket!)

In the end, I'm glad I saw it. I appreciated the creativity or, as Village Preservation put it, "the joyful John Cage-ian insight that any object can be an instrument and any noise can be a song." 

And there weren't any "why didn't I see this 26-27-28-29 years ago!" pangs of regret.

The show has won several awards, including the Olivier for best choreography, an OBIE and a Drama Desk award. Its North American and European tours will continue. (It has played in 45 countries.) So this isn't the end of "Stomp."

As for the future of the theater, I hope it remains an off-Broadway destination. In the 1980s, the Orpheum was well-known for Off-Broadway productions such as "Little Shop of Horrors" in 1982, Sandra Bernhard's "Without You I'm Nothing" in 1988, Eric Bogosian's "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll" in 1990, John Leguizamo's "Mambo Mouth" in 1991, and David Mamet's "Oleanna" in 1992.

No word on what might be next for the Orpheum, reportedly owned by Liberty Theatres, a subsidiary of Reading International, which also owns Minetta Lane Theatre. Some people have worried that this prime space will become the Orpheum Condoplex or something. That would be a familiar East Village story for the 2020s.

1 month left of 'Stomp'

As reported this week, Stomp is ending its run at the Orpheum Theatre at 126 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place on Jan. 8 — after 29 years and 11,400-plus performances.

The closing is "due to declining ticket sales," a spokesperson for the production told The Hollywood Reporter. 

Ticket sales weren't an issue for today's noon matinee ... as there were long lines for entry. (Thanks to Steven for the photo!)

Bang a gone: Stomp's long run on 2nd Avenue concludes in January

The producers of Stomp yesterday announced that the energetic percussion-based show will conclude its 29-year run in the East Village on Jan. 8, 2023. 

The closing is "due to declining ticket sales," a spokesperson for the production told The Hollywood Reporter. 

Stomp debuted on Feb. 27, 1994, and has performed nearly 11,500 shows at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. 

Show creators Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell told this to The Hollywood Reporter: 

"We are so proud that the East Village and the Orpheum Theatre has been Stomp's home for so many wonderful years and want to thank our producers and our amazing cast, crew and front-of-house staff, all of whom have worked so hard for so long to make the show such a success. They have always given 100 percent to every audience, from the very beginning in 1994 to the post-lockdown audiences of 2022. We want to thank everyone involved for such an incredible New York run." 

Per press reports, the show has won the Olivier for best choreography, an OBIE award, a Drama Desk award for unique theater experience and a Legend of Off-Broadway award. 

You can still see Stomp elsewhere as its North American and European tours will continue. 

No word on what production might be next for the Orpheum, which is reportedly owned by Liberty Theatres, a subsidiary of Reading International, who also own Minetta Lane Theatre.

According to Cinema Treasures: "The site on which the Orpheum stands is alleged to have been a concert garden as early as the 1880s and, as such, to be one of the oldest continuously operating places of gathering for entertainment events in New York City." 

In the 1980s, the Orpheum was well-known for Off-Broadway productions such as Little Shop of Horrors in 1982, Sandra Bernhard's Without You I'm Nothing in 1988, Eric Bogosian's Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll in 1990, John Leguizamo's Mambo Mouth in 1991, and David Mamet's Oleanna in 1992.

Above photo by Lucien Samaha via Cinema Treasures

Tuesday's parting shot

Stomp resumed performances this evening at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street.

The show is among the first Off-Broadway productions to return following the PAUSE of March 2020. Go here for safety info and tix.

Stomp is now in its 26th year in the East Village, though it seems longer...

Do you have what it takes to Stomp?

Open auditions are taking place this morning for Stomp at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street. (Top photo by Steven) 

Per the casting call:

Who you might be:

• A drummer who moves well 

• A dancer who can drum 

• An athletic individual with a great sense of rhythm 

• Acting ability is strongly preferred

As these photos by Derek Berg show, the line for tryouts goes around the corner on Seventh Street... 

Stomp returns to the Orpheum Theatre on July 20. Tickets go on sale this coming Monday.

As Deadline noted, "Stomp will be among the city's first Off-Broadway productions to resume performances post-pandemic shutdown." Proof of vaccination will be required for entry, per reports.

The show is now in its 26th year in the East Village.

The return of Stomp

ICYMI: Stomp returns to the Orpheum Theatre on July 20. Tickets go on sale starting June 21.

As Deadline noted, "Stomp will be among the city's first Off-Broadway productions to resume performances post-pandemic shutdown." Proof of vaccination will be required for entry, per reports.

The show, featuring an array of "body percussionists," is now in its 26th year here on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Photo from March by Steven

Celebrating 25 years of Stomp

[EVG photo from yesterday]

In case you missed Stomp Day NYC this past Wednesday ... Stomp is throwing "a very special celebratory performance" tonight in honor of its 500th 25th anniversary at the Orpheum on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... the event will be on Facebook Live at 6:50 this evening...

Today in discarded 'Stomp' props

Workers at the Orpheum on Second Avenue were taking out the trash today — some banged-up garbage cans belonging to cast members of "Stomp," now in its 25th year here between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place...





Thanks to Steven for the photos!

Wednesday's parting shot

Second Avenue this morning via Peter Brownscombe...

A milestone for 'Stomp'

[Photo of the new marquee from last week]

Today, "Stomp" celebrates 10,000 performances at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

"Stomp" — created in 1991 by Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell in England — began its run at the Orpheum in February 1994.

People magazine noted the number of props the cast of the dance/percussion show has used at the Orpheum:

• 19,000 wood-handled brooms (glued, coated with marine epoxy, and covered with nylon strapping tape).
• 5,900 metal trash bins (three varieties of bins are used in the show — two imported from the UK, the third manufactured in the U.S.).
• 2,100 sheets of Masonite
• 600 wooden poles

For awhile, it looked as if "Stomp" wouldn't be holding any milestones here. In April 2015, the owners of the Orpheum were suing the producers of "Stomp" to prevent them from leaving the theater. However, a Manhattan judge ruled that the production was allowed to discontinue its contract and move on to a new theater in Midtown.

But! An arbitrator later ruled that the show must stay put after it tried to relocate to a competing playhouse uptown.

Here's some history of the Orpheum Theatre via Cinema Treasures:

The site on which the Orpheum stands is alleged to have been a concert garden as early as the 1880s and, as such, to be one of the oldest continuously operating places of gathering for entertainment events in New York City.

A 1904 NY Times article describes a visit to the Orpheum as an evening which began with entertainment from a Hungarian orchestra, continued with dinner in the 7 o'clock hour, and concluded with a three-hour stage show by a Viennese theatre company.

The theatre was part of the exploding Second Avenue Yiddish theatre scene in the early decades of the 20th century but was exhibiting motion pictures by at least 1921. By 1926 it was operated by the Meyer & Schneider circuit. Additional references indicate that it continued to do so through the mid-1950s.

Week in Grieview

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

RIP Kenny Kendra (Wednesday)

Remembering Elizabeth Lee (Monday)

Haveli Banjara Indian Restaurant said to be closing and relocating early next year (Tuesday)

NYPD searching for driver involved in deadly Union Square hit and run (Wednesday)

East Village resident arrested in hockey-stick assault (Monday)

Annual New York Cares coat drive underway (Thursday)

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood (Thursday)

Out and About with Ronald Rayford (Wednesday)

New at Ray's Candy Store: chicken and waffles (Monday)

Former Angelica Kitchen space will yield to a Chinese noodle shop on 12th Street (Thursday)

Le Village is closed for now on 7th Street (Wednesday)

Construction watch: 619 E. 6th St. (Tuesday)

Odessa breaks out the Thanksgiving Special signage (Friday)

BarBacon looking at expanding to Avenue A (Friday)

About the Bowery Social Justice Short Film Festival (Monday)

Catching up with the hardcore matinee crowd (Thursday)

7th Street storefront to be modified for piercing studio (Thursday)

A look at Icon Realty's 9th Street building where the rentals are $30k a month (Monday)

Sales underway for Ben Shaoul's Liberty Toye — at the 'crossroads that cradled the Culture of Cool' (Thursday)

More about 29B, a new teahouse at 29 Avenue B (Wednesday)

Lizzie Fortunato for the holidays on 7th Street (Tuesday)

Kellogg’s NYC, will be slinging cereal at an all-day breakfast café on Union Square next month (Tuesday)

Construction watch: 809 Broadway (Friday)

... and I meant to note this in last week's Week in Review... the new-look Stomp marquee at the Orpheum on Second Avenue...



...looked like this for years...



Bonus! Here's a photo from 1991 via Cinema Treasures showing the marquee here for John Leguizamo's "Mambo Mouth" ...



---

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Garbage cans spared from further Stomping

Workers were moving out some old props today at the Orpheum on Second Avenue... where "Stomp" is entering its 22nd season. (Auditions are happening June 13 — FYI.)

An arbitrator recently ruled that the dance/percussion show must stay in its longtime home here between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place after its producers tried to relocate to a playhouse uptown.

Photo by Steven

The show will go on with 'Stomp' in the East Village

[Photo in April 2015 by Derek Berg]

In April 2015, the owners of the Orpheum Theater were suing the producers of "Stomp" to prevent the long-running show from leaving its home on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street. However, a Manhattan judge ruled that the production is allowed to discontinue its contract and move on to a new theater in Midtown.

But!

According to a report today in the Post:

[A]n arbitrator ruled that the dance/percussion show must stay in its longtime home at the Orpheum Theater after it tried to relocate to a competing playhouse uptown.

The arbitrator also said its producers also should have to cough up a whopping $2.2 million in legal fees for trying to wriggle out of a contract that barred the show from leaving the Orpheum for a competitor, New World Stages.

Stomp began its run at the Orpheum in February 1994.

In October 1995, the cast appeared on an episode of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood." You will want to watch this here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reports: 'Stomp' will be leaving the East Village (21 comments)

Why 'Stomp' might be leaving the East Village after 21 years (25 comments)

Reports: 'Stomp' will be leaving the East Village

[Photo by Derek Berg]

Following up on the reports from yesterday in which the owners of the Orpheum Theater were suing the producers of "Stomp" to prevent the 21-year-old show from leaving the neighborhood.

However, a Manhattan judge ruled yesterday that the production is allowed to discontinue its contract and move on to a new theater in Midtown.

Why the seemingly sudden departure? Per the Daily News:

Glenn Spiegel, a lawyer for 'Stomp''s producers, said the show has been a 'cash cow' milked for years by Orpheum’s owners who have refused to maintain the historic theater for years.

"'Stomp' did not want to move,” but 'it smells like sewage' in the lobby, the carpets are in a state of disrepair and there are signs in the rest rooms asking people to dispose of soiled toilet paper in the waste basket, not the toilets, Spiegel said.

The lawyer also said patrons have complained about rats, which have been seen in larger numbers in the neighborhood since a gas explosion two doors down on Second Ave. leveled three buildings and killed two people on March 26.

"The show decided we can’t function like this any more," he said.

However, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Oing told "Stomp"'s lawyers "that he will hold the production liable for damages — and will undo its contract with the new theater — if an arbitrator rules that 'Stomp' had no right to move.

As for the Orpheum, reps argued that they had been in the process of making the repairs and that the "Stomp" producers should allow the theater some more time before their departure. Their primary concern is that the venue will suffer financially without the show, according to an article in Playbill.

As for when "Stomp" might leave for New World Stages, a multi-theater complex on West 50th Street, the News mentioned it would happen as of June 15.

We just checked the "Stomp" website and found tickets available at the Orpheum through Jan. 3, 2016.