Riverdance Announces Farewell Tour

Riverdance Announces Farewell Tour

MEDIA RELEASE Thursday 8 September 2011

The greatest celebration of Irish music, song and dance touring New Zealand for the last time.

Composed by BIll WhelaN Produced by Moya DoherTy

Directed by JohN McColgaN

For the first time in nine years the pounding feet and swirling music of Riverdance, which has tapped its way onto the world stage thrilling millions of people around the globe, will tour to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch from May 2012.

For those who have not yet experienced this joyous spectacle of Irish music and dance - and for diehard fans - this is your last chance to feel the thrill of Riverdance when the legendary show visits our shores for its farewell tour. And audiences will be able to experience the breathtaking energy and vitality of the show up close as Riverdance will be performed for the first time in an intimate theatre setting.

Of all the performances to emerge from Ireland – in rock, music, theatre and film – nothing has rivalled the energy, the sensuality and the spectacle of Riverdance. With its fusion of Irish and International music and dance, the show received unanimous critical acclaim and broke all box office records during its world premiere run in Dublin in early 1995.

When it transferred to London in June of that year, the audience response was so overwhelming that the original 10 performances had to be increased to 151 shows. Since then, it has packed theatres throughout North America, Oceania, Asia and Europe.

Riverdance focuses on the evolution of Irish dance, capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures. It draws on Irish traditions and combines the richness of the music with the magic and sensuality of the dance.

With music and lyrics by Grammy Award winning Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, Riverdance is the development of an original idea by Moya Doherty, which was initially performed at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Dublin in April 1994 as a seven-minute interval act. Its success has since become part of theatre history.

As Director John McColgan explains “There are now three companies touring the world. These companies, named after Irish rivers – The Moy, The Shannon and The Foyle – have become a kind of extended family, even a small village. The dancers, musicians and singers don’t simply perform together, they travel the world together, looking after each other, sharing their energies and aspirations, pushing each other to new heights and to the highest of standards.”

Each of the touring companies consists of 45 cast and crew members, with the remarkable Riverdance Irish Dance Troupe joined by the cream of Irish

musicians in the Riverdance Band and a spectacular array of talent from around the globe.

“Quite simply incredible!”

- Washington Times

“A Phenomenon of historic Proportions!”

- Washington Times

RIVERDANCE FACTS

Since Riverdance began performances in Dublin in 1995, the show has...

• Played more than 10,000 performances

• Been seen live by over 22 million people

• Played in over 350 venues worldwide

• Visited 40 countries, across 4 continents

• Travelled 563,000 miles (or to the moon and back!)

• Played to a global television audience of over 2 billion people

• Sold over 3 million copies of their Grammy Award-winning CD

“An explosion of sight and sound that simply takes your breath away!”

Chicago Tribune

• Sold over 10 million Riverdance videos and DVDs

• Grossed over US$1.6 billion worldwide

And there have been...

• 1,500 Irish Dancers

• 14,000 Dance shoes used

• 12,000 Costumes worn

• 200,000 Gallons of water consumed

• 60,000 Gallons of Gatorade consumed

• 1,650,000 Show programs sold

• 1,500 Flight cases used

• 12,000 Stage lighting bulbs used

• 40,000 Boxes of tissues used

• 16,250 Guitar, bass and fiddle strings replaced

• 284,000 T-shirts sold

• 35 Marriages between company members

• 20,000 Cumulative years of study in step-dancing by Irish Dancers

• 45,000 Rolls of self-grip tape used by company physiotherapists

• 15,000 Hours of rehearsals on tour

• 5,500,000 pounds of dry ice used on stage

• 60,000 pounds of chocolate consumed (for energy!) by the cast

“A family evening unlike anything else!”

The London Times

TICkETS oN SAlE FRoM 9AM MoNDAy 19 SEpTEMbER

AUCKLAND – ASB Theatre – 22 to 27 May

WELLINGTON – St James Theatre – 29 May to 3 June

CHRISTCHURCH – CBS Arena – 5 to 10 June

SEASON DETAILS

AUCKLAND

VENUE: ASB Theatre

SEASON: Tuesday 22 to Sunday 27 May 2012

TIMES*: Tuesday 8pm

Wednesday 8pm

Thursday 8pm

Friday 8pm

Saturday 2pm & 8pm

Sunday 1pm & 6pm

BOOKINGS

0800 BUY TICKETS or the-edge.co.nz

Group Bookings 12+ SAVE!

Telephone Group Bookings or email groups@the-edge.co.nz

WELLINGTON

VENUE: St James

SEASON: Tuesday 29 May to Sunday 3 June 2012

TIMES*: Tuesday 7.30pm

Wednesday 7.30pm

Thursday 7.30pm

Friday 7.30pm

Saturday 2pm & 8pm

Sunday 1pm & 6pm

BOOKINGS 0800 TICKETEK or ticketek.co.nz

Group Bookings 12+ SAVE!

Telephone Group Bookings or email groupbookings@ticketek.co.nz

CHRISTCHURCH

VENUE: CBS Arena

SEASON: Tuesday 5 to Sunday 10 June 2012

TIMES*: Tuesday 7.30pm

Wednesday 7.30pm

Thursday 7.30pm

Friday 7.30pm

Saturday 2pm & 7.30pm

Sunday 1pm & 6pm

BOOKINGS 0800 TICKETEK or ticketek.co.nz

Group Bookings 12+ SAVE!

Telephone Group Bookings or email groupbookings@ticketek.co.nz

* Performance times may be subject to change without notice.

ends

© Scoop Media