After touring with Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, World Champion Irish dancer, Scott Doherty, is turning his talents to producing. The Irish American is combining his passion for dance and Celtic Rock to bring audiences a new take on Irish dancing with the hit show 'Rockin' Road to Dublin.'
The Irish Emigrant: Tell us a little about the idea behind your first show Rockin' Road to Dublin
Scott Doherty: Rockin’ Road to Dublin came together over a few years of brainstorming. Myself and one of my best friends, Chris Smith (the other co-producer) met while performing in the Irish shows at Busch Gardens in Virginia. We got to talking one day about the types of shows that we would love to see out there. Stuff no one has ever done before… Irish dancing with music played by electric guitars and such. How cool would that be? After months of talking about it, we decided “We have to do this!” so after about 3 years of hard work and determination, we debuted Rockin’ Road to Dublin last year with a great success!
IE: What can audiences expect from the show? Who will it appeal to?
SD:The great thing about Rockin’ Road to Dublin is that it’s the perfect show for any age. We have something for everyone: traditional roots of Irish music, a more modern feel to some of the numbers, exciting Irish dance numbers. Everyone seems to love Rockin’ Road to Dublin!
IE:What has been the reaction been like so far?
SD: The reaction to the show has been astounding so far. When we even talk about the show people always say, “Oh wow that’s so cool!” But when they actually get a chance to see the show, people can’t stop talking about it. It’s really the newest big thing in Irish music and dance!
IE: What has been the biggest lesson you have learned going from being a dancer in a show to actually producing one?
SD: I am definitely learning first hand how much work goes into a production. From contracts to insurance, to trucks, and busses, and hotels, and lights and sound at theatres… It’s definitely fun being so hands on with every aspect of the show, but it is definitely a huge undertaking some days. It’s basically a crash course on the business side. Chris and I always say that we’re already pros at performing… it’s the whole business side that we’re learning about.
IE: What was the last show you went to see?
SD: The last show I went to see was actually Celtic Woman in Norfolk, VA. A few of my friends and actually one of the Rockin’ Road to Dancers were in the cast. It was great to see them up on that huge stage. What’s incredible is that now we’re performing on the same stage just a few days before we come up to MA. What a dream come true!
IE: Why do you think Irish dancing continues to grow from strength to strength in America?
I think Irish dancing is constantly evolving. It’s definitely becoming more flashy and athletic each and every year. So that’s the fun part… even if people think they’re already seen all there is to Irish dancing, they definitely haven’t. That’s why we wanted to make Rockin’ Road to Dublin. We want to help keep Irish dance and music relevant.
IE: What are your hopes for the show in 2015?
SD: I’d have to say that my personal goals and goals for the show are one in the same. We’re hoping to bring the show on more tours around the country and the world so that we can spread Rockin’ Road to Dublin everywhere. The possibilities are endless!
For information on tour dates and to purchase your tickets, please visit: www.rockinroadtodublin.com
Comments