RiverDance.....the farewell tour

Well my first theatre experience in Madison is complete. I joined my friends Wendy and Crystal from work to attend the farewell tour of Riverdance at the Overture center on March 12th. I must say this theatre complex is beautifully designed and offered numerous venues for theatrical performances.

We entered the theatre to take our seats which just happened to be in the third row of the balcony, smack dab in the middle. I don't usually like to sit in the balcony because it offers a view which doesn't normally do a performance justice. However those were the best available seats that weren't sold out at the time we purchased our tickets. (I prefer to sit in the mezzanine level in the center. Best view of the entire stage and close enough to see all emotions of performers) Regardless of the height of our seats I believe the balcony was a good choice for Riverdance. It gave us an entire view of the stage as well as a semi birds eye view for complete formation and transition viewing of the dancers.

I never knew the story of Riverdance until after the show I googled the story line. I literally had only seen it a few times on PBS and really enjoyed the intricacy of the footwork. As many know it was created by Michael Flatley who is also the star of Lord of The Dance. This show intimately includes musical interludes, signing, narration, and of course my favorite dance. In a short summary Riverdance tells the story and history of Ireland through its "lifetime" beginning with the immigration of numerous cultures to the island of Ireland, through the potato famine, the immigration to the united states, and then the return to the home land. In essence it also talks about culture and how most culture have a deep history and commitment to the land on which it was created, and how in many aspects it all starts with a connection to the river.

After reading the information I found at this helpful site. I really understood the whole performance and feel that I left not only entertained but also educated.

Its a shame that this travelling performance will be ending but I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to see it live. To understand Riverdance please feel free to read this links analysis of the show http://www.hbci.com/~tgort/rdance.htm

I also wanted to comment on the young man who sat next to me at the show. So sophisticated he was, he entered the theatre with his mother dressed to the nines. He had a full tux on and even carried a small white scarf which he elegantly draped over his shoulders. Now that is what I remember a trip to the theatre meant. Getting a good meal, dressed up, and enjoying amazing performances. It brought a smile to my face and reminded me of younger days at the theatre with my grandmother Joan.

If you have the chance to see the show, go.....until then I'll wait till the next performance rolls through.

Peace and Love.
J