The Haunted House Playhouse staging was being dismantled last Friday after another successful run.
“After a Haunted House load-out, we’ll begin the skate load-in,” said Gateway artistic director Paul Allan.
Allan was referring to The Gateway’s “Holiday Spectacular on Ice,” with beautiful skating icon Nancy Kerrigan and a roster of skating stars, great singing and dancing, snow, and yes, real ice.
Get your tickets; the show starts Nov. 28 to Jan. 4.
(The Rockettes are great, but this show is close to home and affordable.)
“There’s a lot yet to do,” Allan said. “We start constructing the skating rink onstage this week [Wednesday] and at the end of the day should have it stabilized. The biggest challenge is getting it ready for rehearsals. We have two weeks before the show starts.”
And what a show!
“There’s such a variety of musical and skating styles. We have a couple just off the ‘Disney on Ice’ tour, principal skaters Ian Lorello and Laura Seal, and glamourous skating legends Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding—they are phenomenal trick skaters. It’s a lot of showmanship.”
Also, check out the ensemble skaters who are at the top of their form.
Kerrigan, who engages with the audience, will host the entire show. Our favorite singer-songwriter from Bellport, Shannon Gibbons, the “American Idol” top 40 finalist, returns, too. As does movie and musical-theater performer/singer Jennifer Brett, who starred in the last Kerrigan show, and vocalist Tyler Moore. A youth ensemble will warm your heart; a Hannukah song will cheer you; and a rocking “Felice Navidad” will get you dancing in the aisles. There are 30 songs, including fabulous ‘40s classics to raise your vibrations.
Company manager Chris Smith’s Boston terrier, Brady, won’t be in this production; he wants to snooze by his owner’s desk this year.
“We might send out a local call for a dog that can be in our show,” Allan said.
There will be snow. And real ice that sprinkles over the audience in the first row from the skaters.
“The most asked question we get is, ‘How do you make the ice?’” Voila! The Gateway has ice-making equipment. See the YouTube video on their website. (Pop up “Yes, it is Real Ice. See how we do it.”)
Kerrigan’s artistry won her a slew of skating awards, including a 1991 bronze medal in the World Championships, another bronze in 1992 in the Albertville Winter Olympics, and the silver medal at the 1992 World Championships. She became the United States Ladies Champion the year after and followed that up with her historic silver medal performance at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics. She also wrote two books, “In My Own Words” and “Stronger Than She Thinks,” aimed at children.
“We’ve done it every two years since 2021,” Allan said. “It’s a fun show to be up close to. You don’t get wet, but there is a light spray of ice.”
For tickets, click on www.thegateway.org
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here