Lord Of The Dance Returns To U.S. For Fall Tour

(CelebrityAccess MediaWire)– 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 28 in Morgantown, WV.

More than 50 million people worldwide have seen Lord of the Dance, coming off a successful and highly acclaimed four-year residency in Las Vegas with an estimated two million people attending the show. 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 Flatley "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."

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. "Thousands of eager fans continue to line up at every performance thanks to these young, talented and energetic dancers."

Magic Arts & Entertainment, headed by Marshall and Joe Marsh, is also currently producing "The Magic of David Copperfield" and "Grease" starring Frankie Avalon. They are former owners of Magicworks Entertainment.

Lord of the Dance tentative 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

November 24 TBD

November 26-27 Boston, MA The Wang

November 30 Naples, FL TBD

December 1 TBD

December 2 Tupelo, MS Bancorp Sourth Center

December 3 Lafayette, LA Heymann

December 4-5 New Orleans, LA Orpheum Theatre

December 7 TBD

December 8 TBD

December 9 TBD

December 10 TBD

December 11 TBD

December 12 Little Rock, AR Barton Coliseum

–Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen