GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONIZI

Klonoary

JUNICHI TAKAHASHI

Put a lid on it Stomp does that

and more with cans, barrels, brooms and a kitchen sink

by Michelle Tomko

It seems strange doesn't it? Cats, the longest running show on Broadway, is about a bunch of cats hopping around on garbage cans in a "memorable” alley. Now, the Stomp cool cats are banging on garbage can lids, or sinks, or brooms, or any other everyday objects these drummers can get their hands on.

From Bring In Da Noise Bring In the Funk, the tap creation of Savion Glover child star of Broadway's The Tap Dance Kid, to the international rhythm sensation Stomp, theatre goers of late are literally demanding more bang for their buck.

What's really interesting is this trend is happening amid all the technical wizardry of our modern world. With no explosions, no falling chandeliers and no helicopters, the octet of Stomp entertains their audiences armed in street clothes and garden-variety tin armor that could be purchased at your local hardware store. Stomp is the 1991 brainchild of Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, who first worked together in 1981 in the street band Pookiesnackenburger. (Say this three times fast, and you'll know why their new collaboration has only five letters.)

Between 1991 and 1994, the original cast performed throughout the world including the Royal Festival Hall in London. This production broke the box office record there that has been held by Frank Sinatra since 1972. In 1994, in the states, Stomp won both Obie and Drama Desk awards.

This February 1-6, the American touring company of Stomp

“Sometimes God puts certain

people in my path. I so love to let them know I am gay. Most people ask questions. When people tell me I am going to hell, I tell them we're gonna be there together.”

will be playing at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Of the eight person troupe, two of the members are gayJim Holdrige and Carlos Thomas.

This writer had the opportunity to talk with two-year cast member Carlos Thomas via phone recently. "I've always enjoyed music. I was in Sears with my mother, who was buying a television, and it was taking forever so I started playing with the keyboards. The next Christmas I got a keyboard,” said Carlos when asked how he got started.

"I refused to take lessons," he added, noting that the piano teacher in his upstate New York hometown had a house that smelled of cats. "The dancing thing happened at a school dance."

Thomas went on to study graphic design at USC when a scout from MTV saw him dancing at a club. Off went Thomas's performing career from being an organist at his Pentecostal church to dancing in videos and "stomping" for the nys and the president during the millenium celebration.

"I'm the partier. I was in a loud outfit and said 'What's up, Bill?'” said Thomas of his meeting with President Clinton.

"I've been out, way out, since the eleventh grade," said Thomas. His parents told him, "We love you even more because you are honest with us. We know who our son is now."

However, his parents did ask him to keep it quiet to save him turmoil at school. But Thomas' response was "If you guys are fine with it, then I'm fine with it."

He wanted to take another boy to the prom but didn't, following the request of his health teacher, with whom he had a romantic relationship with in his senior year. “Everybody knew about it," he said.

Although his coming out was rather mild, being on the road for two years has exposed Carlos to some homophobic events.

"There's a lot of homophobia out there because people

have the wrong ideas about us," said Thomas. “Sometimes

God puts certain people in my path. I so love to let them

know I am gay. Most people ask questions. When people tell me I am going to hell, I tell them we're gonna be there together."

He described experiences in southern states like Alabama, and a run-in with an usher in Toronto who kept staring at the gay rainbow flag that Thomas had bought at Toronto Pride.

Thomas is also currently touring with a cast member who he described as homophobic.

"I hug all the guys. But I had to shake his hand.” Thomas tricked the man into going to gay bars with him under the guise of needing protection. Once they were there, his straight friend was amazed at how big and built some of the men were. He started talking to them about working out and had a good time. Ironically, Thomas ended this interview because this cast member was meeting with him.

-Carlos Thomas