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'Riverdance' Retraces Its U.S. Steps

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By KATHY L. GREENBERG Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 18, 2009

When Ali MacGraw told Ryan O'Neal in "Love Story" that "Love means never having to say you're sorry," she knew that all good things must come to an end. That was in 1970.

When "Riverdance" debuted in Dublin in 1995, the originators of the Irish dance theatrical had that same idea in mind. Nearly 15 years later, after traveling repeatedly throughout North America and Europe, the show's producers have finally called it a day - sort of.

Producer and director Moya Doherty "never wanted 'Riverdance' being dragged to an unseemly end," said Julian Erskine, executive producer for the show. "We always wanted it to go out on a high. We've been everywhere six, seven, eight times. So as we came to our 15th anniversary, we felt it was appropriate to do a farewell tour."

Now titled "Riverdance: Farewell Performances," this labor of love will open at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center on Tuesday. The show is retracing its steps and returning to all of the cities it played before. It's a fairly long goodbye that won't be over until June 2010.

"For us to go back everywhere and play a week of performances is going to take us three years to do," Erskine said. The lingering adieu is a bit misleading, however.

The show is a farewell to America - "not a farewell to 'Riverdance,'" Erskine said.

The producers have been exploring places that have never seen the troupe of step dancers stomp and kick to the heart-pounding beat of Irish drums. India, China, South Africa and the Middle East are on the list of future venues. Erskine said he expects these tours to begin sometime next year.

So despite the show's title, there's still plenty of time for fans and newcomers to see a great performance, whether in Tampa or Dubai.

"We got to a point where we had a show that we were proud of and people enjoyed. We've kept it that way ever since," Erskine said. "Our job and the way I see my job is to keep the show as good as possible and as smart as possible. So you won't see any changes, but you will see as good a 'Riverdance' as you've ever seen," said Erskine.

ON STAGE

Riverdance: Farewell Performances

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25

WHERE: Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Carol Morsani Hall, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa

HOW MUCH: $38.50 to $72.50; (813) 222-1001; www.tbpac.org

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