Believe it or not, it's been 15 years since RIVERDANCE first stomped its way onto the world stage thrilling millions of people around the globe. Now, the thunderous celebration of Irish music, song and dance returns to where it was first introduced to American audiences...the famed Radio City Music Hall, where it played 8 farewell performances. The production will close March 21st.
"Since 1996, the success of RIVERDANCE in North America has gone beyond our wildest dreams," said producer
Moya Doherty. "The fact that the show continues to draw and excite audiences 15 years after its debut in Dublin is a tribute to every dancer, singer, musician, staff and crew member who have dedicated themselves to the show."
Composed by
Bill Whelan, produced by
Moya Doherty and directed by
John McColgan, to date, RIVERDANCE has played nearly 10,000 performances, been seen live by more than 22 million people in over 350 venues throughout 40 countries across 4 continents. They have traveled well over 600,000 miles (or to the moon and back!), played to a worldwide television audience of nearly 2 billion; sold over 3 million copies of the Grammy Award-winning CD (certified Platinum in the US) and over 10 million videos making it one of the best-selling entertainment videos in the world! RIVERDANCE had its world premiere at the Point Theatre, Dublin, in February 1995, where it opened to unanimous critical acclaim.
What began as a seven-minute dance segment on the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest (televised to over 300 million people in Europe) and then quickly turned into a full-scale production has become much more than an international theatrical success. "I believe Riverdance has been basically a pathfinder," said Niall O'Dowd, founder of Irish America Magazine and the Irish Voice newspaper. Along with the peace process in Northern Ireland and the economic miracle in Ireland proper, the show "has been a hugely important part of a transformation of the image of Ireland in the last 20 years."
In a flash, RIVERDANCE became Ireland's greatest ambassador and the thirst began. RIVERDANCE changed the face of Irish dance and despite its imitators, has remained on top and was voted the #1 Variety/Family Entertainment Show in the US (1998).
There have been many milestones along the way including the distinction of being the largest Western musical to play China; a record-breaking line of 100
Irish Dancers mesmerizing 85,000 people at the 2004 Special Olympics in Dublin; a 10th Anniversary celebration at Radio City Music Hall; dancing in Red Square and on the Great Wall of China and much more.
Of all the performances to emerge from Ireland in the past decade, nothing can compare to the energy, the sensuality and the spectacle of RIVERDANCE. An innovative and exciting blend of dance, music and song, RIVERDANCE draws on Irish traditions and the combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing and music to the present day capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures. This extraordinarily unique show features an international company all performing to the magic of
Bill Whelan's music.
RIVERDANCE has played to sold-out houses at Radio City five times (twice in 1996; 1997; 1998 and 2005) and has packed theatres throughout North America, Oceania, Asia and Europe. RIVERDANCE also performed on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre for an unprecedented 18 months in 2000.
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