THRILLER LIVE Celebrates 1,500th West End Performance
By: Kelsey Denette Aug. 08, 2012
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Thriller Live, the concert show that celebrates the music of the world's greatest entertainer and undisputed King of Pop, Michael Jackson, this week celebrates its 1,500th West End performance.
More than 880,000 people have seen the production at the Lyric Theatre, where it opened in January 2009 after three acclaimed UK tours, and where it is the longest-running show since 5 Guys Named Moe almost 20 years ago. It holds the record for the highest weekly gross in the history of the theatre, and is currently booking to March 3, 2013.
More than two million people have seen the show worldwide. Its premiere in Japan in September will mark the 25th country the show has played in over several world tours.
The high calibre of the show’s singers was proved last month with three of the Top 5 finalists in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ITV1 Superstar competition to find Jesus for his arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, coming from Thriller Live. Winner Ben Forster and Roger Wright, who came third, were stars of the original West?End cast. Fifth placed Nathan James has also starred in Thriller Live.
Thriller Live combines high-energy dancing, eye-popping video footage and effects together with dazzling choreography. It is not a rigid book musical with set songs, but is a constantly evolving music concert celebration. Following the tragic death of Michael Jackson, the show has regularly been updated with additional songs, new visuals and choreography.
Several singers share the songs of MJ. New to the West End cast this week is a British pop singer David Jordan, who shot to fame in 2007 while appearing on The Royal Variety Show with his number three chart song Sun Goes Down, produced by the legendaryTrevor Horn.
A year after Michael Jackson’s death, a permanent West End memorial to him was unveiled in the foyer of the Lyric Theatre by the cast and Britain?s top dance group, Diversity.
Thriller Live was originally conceived and created by Executive Director of the show, AdrIan Grant, a long time associate of Michael Jackson, and author of Michael Jackson – The Visual Documentary.
It is produced by Paul Walden and Derek Nicol for Flying Music in association with AdrIan Grant for Key Concerts.
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