LOS ANGELES (Tellem Worldwide) - Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance tour - the international Irish dancing phenomenon that has performed sold-out shows at theaters, arenas and stadiums in more than 45 countries - is returning to theaters across the United States for its ninth consecutive year. The tour is scheduled to dance its way into more than 40 cities this fall, kicking off on
September 28th in Morgantown, WV.
More than 50 million people worldwide have seen Lord of the Dance, coming off an extremely successful and highly acclaimed four-year residency in Las Vegas - with an estimated two million people attending the show.
Audiences across the United States will have a chance to experience the extravaganza that has helped catapult Irish dancing into the global spotlight and created a new wave of Celtic dance mania. Global ticket sales for Lord of the Dance now exceed $500,000,000.
Michael Flatley, who originated the role of the Lord, serves as the artistic director and continues to oversee all aspects of the production. The first American to win the All-World Championship in Irish Dance, Flatley opened the show in Dublin in 1996. The Guinness Book of World Records lists Flatley for having "the world's fastest feet" at 35 taps per second.
"Lord of the Dance is so close to my heart. I am gratified by the wild applause and excitement of the audience night after night, country after country," says Michael Flatley, creator of Lord of the Dance. Flatley adds, "The show is continuously updated, so that it's constantly fresh and exciting for the audience and the dancers, without changing the foundation that has made Lord of the Dance the success that it is today."
Described by the New York Post as "fascinating, rewarding and above all, entertaining," and by the Los Angeles Times as "a showpiece extravaganza," Lord of the Dance is a mesmerizing blend of traditional and modern Celtic music and dance. The story is a classic tale of good vs. evil based on old Irish folklore as Don Dorcha, the Dark Lord, challenges the Lord of the Dance. It is also a passionate love story that is expressed through dance numbers that transport audiences into a mystical and exhilarating world of intense passion.
The action is played out over 21 scenes, on a grand scale of precision dancing, dramatic music, colorful costumes and state-of-the-art staging and lighting.
Flatley explains, "Lord of the Dance is not ballet. It's not tap. It's not Flamenco. It's something that I created from scratch because nothing else was just right."
The Lord of the Dance troupe features Irish dance champions from around the world. These gifted performers, who have an average age of 22 years, stretch every boundary of a traditional form of dance that has evolved for more than 2,000 years.
"Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance is one of the top-grossing theatrical tours in history," said Lee Marshall, president of Magic Arts & Entertainment, the tour promoter and a veteran of many blockbuster entertainment events. "Thousands of eager fans continue to line up at every performance thanks to these young, talented and energetic dancers."
See below for the Lord of the Dance tentative tour schedule. For more information, visit www.lordofthedance.com.
LOTD 2004 Fall Tour Itinerary
September 27-28 - Morgantown WV - WVU - Concert Theatre
September 29 - Jackson MI - Potter Center Music Hall
September 30 - Akron, OH - EJ Thomas Hall
October 1-2 - Detroit, MI - The Fox Theatre
October 3 - Champaign, IL - Assembly Hall
October 4 - Lima, OH - Crouse Hinds
October 5 - Wheeling, WV - Capitol Music Hall
October 6 - Jamestown, NY - Civic Center Arena
October 7 - Easton, PA - State Theatre
October 8-9 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods
October 12 - Baton Rouge, LA - Riverside Centroplex
October 13 - Panama City, FL - Marina Civic Center
October 14 - Columbia, SC - Koger Center
October 15-16 - Jacksonville, FL - Times Union PAC
October 17 - Pensacola, FL - Saenger Theatre
October 19 - Daytona, FL - Bethune-Cookman
October 20 - Savannah, GA - Johnny Mercer
October 21 - Lakeland, FL - Lakeland Center
October 22-23 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Broward Center
October 24 - Melbourne, FL - King Center
October 25-26 - St. Petersburg, FL - Mahaffey Theatre
October 28 - Gainesville, FL - Phillips Center
October 29-30 - Sarasota, FL - Van Wezel
October 31 - Charleston, SC - Gaillard Auditorium
November 2-7 - Newark, NJ - NJPAC
November 9 - Bangor, ME - Auditorium
November 10 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Civic Center
November 11 - Lowell, MA - Memorial Auditorium
November 12-13 - Richmond, VA - Landmark Theatre
November 16-18 - Providence, RI - PPAC
November 19-21 - Waterbury, CT - Palace
November 22 - Burlington, VT - Memorial Auditorium
November 23 - TBD - TBD
November 24 - TBD - TBD
November 26-27 - Boston, MA - The Wang
November 30 - Naples, FL - TBD
December 1 - TBD - TBD
December 2 - Tupelo, MS - Bancorp Sourth Center
December 3 - Lafayette, LA - Heymann
December 4-5 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theatre
December 7 - TBD - TBD
December 8 - TBD - TBD
December 9 - TBD - TBD
December 10 - TBD - TBD
December 11 - TBD - TBD
December 12 - Little Rock, AR - Barton Coliseum
