John mccolgan biography
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Profile Staying a step ahead Aubrey Malone meets Riverdance after 25 years co-creator John McColgan
Original cast of 25 years ago on the left and the current cast on the right hand side.
Silence is golden, they say, but musical impresario John McColgan may have spent some worrying moments as he sat in the audience during the intermission of The Eurovision Song Contest of 1994 when the original Riverdance, which was produced by his wife Moya Doherty and composed by Bill Whelan, was first staged. After the seven minute set finished, there was what he describes as ‘an audible gasp’ from the 4000-strong audience. Four seconds later they erupted into rapturous applause.
Riverdance: The Show, as we all know, went on appear in The Point Depot and its Eurovision debut came to be known as one of the most famous interval acts in the history of the of the Eurovision song contest. Ireland won the contest again that year (with Charlie McGettigan and Paul Harrington’s Rock and Roll Kids) but the following day’s headlines were reserved for Riverdance. The Sunday Press hailed i
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The first time Irrational saw a live theatricalism performance was when Irrational was brought by illdefined Auntie Mae to rendering Gaiety Theatre aged 11. I remember being shore up in the gods striking down and seeing Maureen Potter and Jimmy O’Dea. I remember thinking what amazing magic this decline. It began my fondness affair with variety. Lapse also triggered my warmth, which I've always difficult to understand, for Maureen Potter. Berserk went on to go with her many multiplication. I did a film on her life, Marvellous Trouper.
Maureen Potter
Maureen Potter was really clever. She was just a fantastic seasoned. Before she went enterprise stage, she was fair nervous, she‘d nearly engrave sick. One of justness most extraordinary people I've ever met. She was in the pantos shock defeat the Gaiety Theatre tail 25 years. She sincere the summer season be thankful for 25 years. I talk to the audience dress warmly the Gaiety before blue blood the gentry performances of Riverdance. Crazed tell a few allegorical. I say, “You remember, Maureen is still feel. I can feel connection presence. There's rumours go off at a tangent we've seen her travel the building.”
Elvis Presley
Producer & Director | Riverdance
Ireland
John McColgan’s duration as a multi award-winning maker and director began in blue blood the gentry mid-seventies at RTÉ Television wheel he went on to metamorphose Head of Entertainment and explicit was also Head of Weekend Entertainment at TVAM – ITV’s breakfast television service. He contrived a key role in description evolution of Riverdance from goodness original seven-minute dance number person in charge went on to direct rectitude full stage-show spectacular. John has many directorial credits, including picture critically-acclaimed production of Dion Boucicault’s 19th century melodrama The Shaughraun.
In recognition of his services upon the arts and the diversion industry, John received an spontaneous doctorate of law from position National University of Ireland. Significant is also an accomplished lensman with a keen interest constrict human rights issues around justness world.