STEPHANIE J BLOCK SPHERE OF INFLUENCE: STAGE

MOYA Doherty and John McColgan's golden touch guarantees the success of their latest venture, The Pirate Queen, which brings the fascinating tale of the 16th century adventuress, Grace O'Malley to the stage. The Riverdance of 2007, it's a major career coup for American-born Block, who plays Grania (Grace).

Already a well-known stage actress and mezzo soprano, she first appeared on Broadway in 2003, playing the role of Liza Minnelli opposite Hugh Jackman, who played Peter Allen in the musical The Boy from Oz. She was also the original Belle in Beauty and the Beast, while on the more commercial side of things, she provided the singing voice for Barbie in advertisements.

Since its launch on 3 October, The Pirate Queen has played to packed audiences in Chicago, with the box office grossing over $1,000,000 weekly for the last three weeks, and similar success is anticipated when it opens on Broadway on 5 April. Quite simply, it's an award-winning formula. Produced by Doherty and McColgan, the score is by Tony award winners Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg; the director is another Tony award winner, Frank Galati; and Broadway veterans, Graciela Daniele and Richard Maltby, Jr have come on board.

It's being described as exhilarating and an epic by the critics, with its modern interpretation of traditional Irish dance and song. So far, so very Riverdance, which undoubtedly means that Block will reach the heady heights of Michael Flatley and Jean Butler and become an internationally recognised name.