Posted: 7/7/06 at 9:54pm
Stephanie just got back from a little trip to Ireland and here is a pic and an article from the time she was there. This article is from unison.ie??
"THE DUO behind multi-million-euro show 'Riverdance' are preparing to make their maiden voyage with a new big-budget musical production based on the life of 16th-century Irish pirate Grace O'Malley.
Final rehearsals of 'The Pirate Queen' are under way in Dublin before Moya Doherty and John McColgan set off for the United States, where their show will premiere in Chicago in October.
The producers said the first step towards creating the musical began four years ago when Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, authors of 'Les Miserables' and 'Miss Saigon', agreed to write it.
"The ship is about to sail for a foreign port and we are looking forward to the rest of the journey," McColgan said.
The musical tells the extraordinary life of Grace O'Malley, also known as Granuaile, who led a band of pirates from Galway and went on to become a chieftain. It will open in Chicago in October before moving to Broadway.
"We wanted an Irish story that had a resonance, we wanted something that could travel internationally," Doherty said.
"And I think that what has happened with this Grainne is that she has become sort of a female iconic role model really, and I think there is great interest in North America in the character of Granuaile because they don't know anything about her and they are amazed that she actually existed."
On its potential for success on the US stage, she said: "You can never tell with these things but the quality of the work is very good and we are very pleased with where we are at the moment."
The musical, which is being directed by Tony award-winner Frank Galati, will feature a cast of 40 people.
Doherty, who hopes to bring the musical back to Ireland eventually, said that a number of talented Irish musicians have been working on the show.
Our picture shows Linda Balgord (left), who plays Queen Elizabeth, and Broadway star Stephanie J Block who will have the role of Granuaile."
I hope it does well. With all the talent behind it, I know it will be great.
Sooo excited!
