Special to The Leader

ORANGE ‑ The international Irish dance phenomenon is back by popular demand with Riverdance – The 20th Anniversary World Tour! The tour makes stops in over 60 North American cities during the 2015/2016 Season, including a stop in Orange,Texas at the Lutcher Theater for two performances, February 24, and 25, 2016, at 7:30 pm. Tickets ranging from $45-$70 are available now at Lutcher.org or by calling the Lutcher Theater Box Office at 409-886-5535.

Composed by Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, Riverdance celebrated a sold out, critically acclaimed run across Europe and Asia and arrived in North America in fall 2015. To mark the eagerly awaited return of the show to North America, ending a four-year absence, Riverdance – The 20th Anniversary World Tour will feature new costumes, new lighting, new projections and the addition of a brand new number, “Anna Livia,” featuring the female members of the Irish dance troupe in an a cappella hard-shoe number.

Riverdance – The 20th Anniversary World Tour is an innovative and exciting blend of dance, music and song. Drawing on Irish traditions, the combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing and music into the present day, capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures.

Riverdance began its journey as the interval act in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, produced for television by Moya Doherty. This electrifying and innovative seven-minute dance piece was then developed into a full-length stage show by Producer Moya Doherty, Composer Bill Whelan and Director John McColgan. With its fusion of Irish and International music and dance, the show broke all box office records during its world première run in Dublin in early 1995. When the show transferred to London in June of that year, the reaction was unprecedented, with the original 10 performances being increased to 151 in subsequent months. There followed a hugely successful tour starting in New York in March 1996, where 8 sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall heralded the start of 16 years of non-stop touring by Riverdance companies throughout North America. Since its inception Riverdance has packed theatres throughout North America, Oceania, Asia, Europe, South Africa and most recently South America.

The Lutcher’s presentation of Riverdance is sponsored locally by Invista.

The Frances Ann Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts is located at 707 Main, Orange, Texas.