Bord Gáis Energy Theatre


The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre is a performing arts venue, located in the Docklands of Dublin, Ireland. It is Ireland's largest fixed-seat theatre. It was designed by Daniel Libeskind for the DDDA, built by Joe O'Reilly, and opened by Harry Crosbie on 18 March 2010. It is owned by Bernie and John Gallagher, who bought the theatre in 2014 from NAMA, through their company, Crownway.

History

The site originally housed various buildings and structures of the Dublin Gasworks Company which were demolished in 1985 and decontaminated by the DDDA in the late 1990s and early 2000s at a cost of over €50M.

Development (2004–2010)

Grand Canal Theatre is the largest fixed seated theatre in Ireland, and the only Irish theatre with a stage capable of hosting major London West-End shows.
It would rank as the 4th largest London West-End theatre, and exceeds the capacity of all New York Broadway theatres.
The theatre was built by Joe O'Reilly of Chartered Land, on a site, at a reported cost of €80 million, to the specifications of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority.
The cost of the theatre was funded by the sale of two sites, on either side of the theatre, that Joe O'Reilly purchased from the DDDA in 2006. Therefore, as well as the Grand Canal Theatre, O'Reilly built the south office block, and north office blocks, as well as a 222-space car-park.
Polish-American starchitect Daniel Libeskind designed the theatre for the DDDA in 2004. Studio Liebskind also designed the office blocks on either side of the theatre to ensure O'Reilly's scheme was integrated. Studio Liebskind collaborated with RHWL architects in London and McCauley Daye O'Connell architects in Dublin. Construction started on the theatre in January 2007 and finished in late 2009. The main contractor was John Sisk & Sons and Arup were the main engineers.
The DDDA's wider development of the Grand Canal Square, included another office block, a 5-star Hotel and a Martha Schwartz designed central piazza.

Ownership (2010 onwards)

As construction began in January 2007, the DDDA reportedly proposed the Grand Canal Theatre to the State or the Abbey Theatre, or as a new venue for National Concert Hall, but neither were able to meet the cost of fit-out, or handle the scale of the venue.
The theatre was purchased by Dublin Docklands-based businessman Harry Crosbie for €10m in July 2007 from Joe O'Reilly. Crosbie borrowed the purchase price, plus another €3.8M for the fit-out, from Allied Irish Banks.
Crosbie then leased the management contract for the Grand Canal Theatre to Live Nation.
Crosbie officially opened the Grand Canal Theatre with a performance of Swan Lake by the Russian State Ballet of Siberia on 18 March 2010.
The Grand Canal Theatre was formally renamed the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on 7 March 2012 as part of a 6.5-year naming rights deal with Bord Gáis Energy worth a reported €4.5 million. The naming-rights deal was renewed in 2018, until the end of 2026.
The theatre was put into receivership by the NAMA in April 2013. Crosbie's AIB theatre loans had been transferred to NAMA, however, Crosbie had larger loans with NAMA on various docklands projects. He unsuccessfully fought the foreclosure by NAMA's receiver, Grant Thornton.
Grant Thornton took control of the theatre for NAMA, however Live Nation continued to manage the venue and support the sales process with CBRE.
The theatre was sold in September 2014 on behalf of Grant Thornton for €28M, to Bernie and John Gallagher, one of Ireland's richest hotel couples. They had not previously owned a theatre or concert venue.
LiveNation remain as venue managers.

Operational performance

Filed accounts, indicate that the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre:
  • sells circa half a million tickets per year;
  • hosts circa 330 events per year, close to busiest UK theatres of 350 per year;
  • 70% of events are described as West-End musicals, and 20% are described as West-End theatre;
  • makes circa €8m in revenues per year
  • makes circa €1.5m in EBITDA, and circa €1m in pre-tax profit.

    Events

Productions

As per above, the Bord Gáis Energy theatre imply that circa 90% of the events are West-End musicals and West-End theatre shows.
The following West End shows have been shown in the theatre:
  • Wicked
  • The Lion King
  • Blood Brothers
  • Dirty Dancing
  • War Horse
  • Miss Saigon
  • Les Misérables
  • Kinky Boots
  • The Book of Mormon
  • Hamilton
The following other notable performances have been shown in the theatre:
  • In March 2010, the theatre hosted a performance of Swan Lake by the Russian State Ballet of Siberia on 18 March 2010.
  • Also in March 2010, the theatre hosted a classical Chinese dance performance Shen Yun by Shen Yun Performing Arts on 28 March 2010.
  • In September 2014, TEDxDublin was held in the theatre.
  • In March 2016, the theatre hosted 'RTÉ Centenary', a concert for television to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the 1916 Rising.
  • In 2022, it hosted Carmen starring Paula Murrihy.

    Performers

  • Samantha Mumba
  • The Beach Boys
  • Robert Plant
  • Josh Groban
  • Tony Bennett
  • Gavin James
  • Incubus
  • Leo Sayer
  • Marti Pellow
  • Suede
  • David Gray
  • Josh Ritter
  • Maroon 5
  • Jedward
  • Tori Amos
  • Alexandra Burke
  • Norah Jones
  • Kraftwerk
  • Damien Rice
  • Opeth
  • Conor Oberst
  • The Waterboys
  • Janet Jackson
  • Why Don't We
  • Rebecca Storm
  • Idina Menzel