Holiday-on-ice.docx

Holiday on iceHoliday on Iceis an ice showcurrently owned by Medusa Music Group GmbH, a subsidiary of CTS EVENTIM, Europes largest ticket distributor, with its headquarters in Bremen, Germany.HistoryHoliday on Ice originated in theUnited Statesin 1943. It was the brainchild of Emery Gilbert of Toledo, Ohio, an engineer and builder who created a portableice rink. He took his idea of a traveling show toMorris Chalfen, a Minneapolis executive, who supplied the financing, and George Tyson, who used his theatrical background to create the show.1The touring show made its first international trip to Mexico in 1947. In 1946, the company expanded with another ice show and secondary unit, Ice Vogues, which took over the Holidays last seasons production and extended it for another year making stops in Cuba and Hawaii. Then the Vogues toured in Central and South America while Holiday remain in North America. After 1956, the Ice Vogues became a second unit of Holiday on Ice.2After her touring company was shut down,Sonja Henie joined Holiday on Ice in 1953, remaining part of the show until 1956. Her first performance with the company was in Paris while her final show was in South America.3US was represented by Holiday on Ice atBrussels World Fairin 1958. While in 1959, the new Cultural Exchange Program allow the company to travel to Russia.3A Holiday on Ice show onOctober 31, 1963was the scene of a gas leak and subsequent explosion at theIndiana State Fairgrounds Coliseumwhich killed 74 people.4All owners exceptMorris Chalfensold their shares of the North America Holiday on Ice toMadison Square Garden Corporationin 1964, while Chaflen retained ownership of the international Holiday on Ice tour and remained as executive producer of the North America company.25ByAugust 1971, General Ice Shows, Inc., a subsidiary ofThomas Scallens Medical Investment Corporation (Medicor) and parent company ofIce Follies, had purchased Holiday on Ice (North America) from Chaflen and Madison Square Garden Company. At that time, Chaflen had purchased $2.2 million in Medicor convertible subordinated notes, which when converted to stock would have made Chaflen the largest share of Medicor. Scallen had Medicor stall registering the notes and sold 400,000 Medicor shares toArthur Wirtz. After lawsuits by HoIs Chaffen5and Wirtz in 1976,6Wirtz gained ownership of both shows.7MattelsIrvin & Kenneth Feld Productionspurchased the Ice Follies and the Holiday on Ice (USA) from Chicago-based Wirtz for $12 million in 1979.78Ice Follies merged with Holiday on Ice in 1980 operating as a combined show in 1980 and 1981. The firstDisneys World on Icebegan touring in 1981.89International companyIn 1964, Chaflen retained ownership of the international Holiday on Ice tour separating ownership from the North America company.25After several changes of ownership, today it primarily tours with only one production in Europe. In 1996, the company was purchased by Endemol Entertainment.3On October, the 2nd, 2014, the German Medusa Music Group GmbH, a subsidiary of CTS EVENTIM, Europes largest ticket distributor, acquired 50% of Stage Entertainment Touring Productions and Holiday on Ice. This deal was followed by the acquaintance of the remaining 50% two years later, on July, the 8th, 2016. Hence, Holiday on Ice has become a German company with Stage Entertainment no longer involved in it.During the 60s Holiday On Ice was introduced to the Philippines. Araneta Coliseum always was the venue until Disney On Ice came to Araneta Coliseum.ShowHoliday on Ice was established as a family-oriented show by its founders but has retained little of the traditional ice revue format. The actual shows focus more on a theatrical/musical aspect rather than on the glamorous revue style with clouds of feathers and millions of sequins and rhinestones to attract a new, younger audience. The once large Corps de Ballet of skaters has been reduced from 24 girls + 12 boys to 20 girls + 10 boys (between 1998 and 2008), and 14 girls + 10 boys (from 2009) and elaborate costuming has been replaced in favour of small modern stylings. Also the music choice from mainly Broadway show scores has been changed and adapted to the contemporary taste of actual pop music and even rock. Novelty acts such asacrobatshave been added regularly to the main production numbers in recent years.A traditional element in each Holiday on Ice show is the precision number with its famous spinning wheel, in which the skaters link arms with each other, one by one, lengthening the two spokes which spin around a center point. For many years, the traditional kickline, the light finale with illuminated costumes and the firework fountains at the end of a show were much expected elements as well.Since 1988 each show has been given an official name to expose its unique identity resulting from its main production theme that weaves the various numbers into a unitary presentation. Beginning in 2005, Holiday on Ice has added several family-oriented touring shows to their schedule, includingPeter Pan,Bugs Bunny on IceandAli Babain 1001 Nights on Ice in their new branch Kids Ice shows (KISS).In contrast to the North American skating toursStars on IceandChampions on Icewhich feature primarilyWorldandOlympicchampionfigure skaters, most of the skaters who tour with Holiday on Ice are not particularly famous, and the focus is on the overall production quality rather than the skaters competitive credentials.In 2011, Stage Entertainment announced the foundation of another subsidiary company which combines all its touring live productions, one of which is Holida