CINDERELLA ON ICE -- 23 Olympic, World, Russian National and European Championship skaters in one spectacular show!
Produced by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, Tony Mercer, David Atkins Enterprises and Vladislav Olenin
CINDERELLA ON ICE
AUCKLAND – ASB THEATRE, THE EDGE®. FROM 11 JULY – 13 SHOWS ONLY! WELLINGTON – ST JAMES THEATRE. FROM 23 JULY – 8 SHOWS
ONLY!
The world-famous Imperial Ice Stars, who have won international critical acclaim with their previous tours of The
Sleeping Beauty on Ice and Swan Lake on Ice, will perform skating moves never attempted before in competition or on the
stage -- not even at the last Winter Olympics.
New Zealand audiences will be the first in the world to see these spectacular feats when CINDERELLA ON ICE -- featuring
23 Olympic, World, National and European Championship skaters -- begins its world tour in July.
Cinderella on Ice has been conceived and choreographed by Tony Mercer, widely regarded as the world’s leading creator of
theatre on ice, together with Evgeny Platov, dual Olympic gold medallist and four time World Champion, and Alexander
Zhulin, Olympic silver and bronze medallist and World Champion. The production boasts special effects rivalling Cirque
du Soleil, including fire and rain; lavish sets depicting Siberian snowscapes and gypsy carnivals from one of
Australia’s top scenic designers; and glorious costumes from Albina Gabueva, head designer at Moscow’s famed
Stanislavsky Theatre. In this retelling of the traditional story, Cinderella is a prima ballerina whose dancing
captivates the Mayor’s son. Despite rival attempts by her stepsisters to steal his heart, the kindly Watchmakers and
Gypsy Fortuneteller ensure that true love triumphs.
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INTERESTING FACTS
www.imperialicestars.com
* The Imperial Ice Stars have performed to over 2 million people across five continents and have toured in Australia,
New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, UK, Germany, Spain, Holland, France, Belgium, Monaco, South Africa, Canada,
Russia and even in Cyprus in an outdoor amphitheatre in temperatures of 40C!
“A spellbinding dramatic experience that will thrill the senses” Sun Herald
* Some of The Imperial Ice Stars started skating from as young as three years of age.
* The performers between them have won over 250 competition medals.
* The creative team behind Cinderella on Ice comprises some of the world’s most respected ice coaches and
choreographers, including Tony Mercer, widely regarded as the world’s leading director and choreographer of theatre on
ice; Evgeny Platov, dual Olympic gold medallist in figure skating (1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics and 1998 Nagano
Winter Olympics) and four-time World Champion (1994-1997); and Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski, last year’s ice
dancing World Champions, who also claimed the title in 2006.
* There are 6 working couples on the tour and 3 children.
* The Imperial Ice Stars are the only ice skating company to have won a theatrical award – they were awarded the
Manchester Evening News ‘Best Special Entertainment’ for their production Swan Lake on Ice in 2007.
* Most of the daring moves performed in the show would normally be performed in an arena of approximately 60m x 60m. The
stage the performers skate on in the theatre is only 15m x 15m.
* 44 people tour with the show including performers, technicians and a doctor, with a further 17 people required in each
venue.
* The performers rehearsed 9 hours a day, 6 days a week, for 7 weeks to pull the show together, and they rehearse for 3
hours each day before the show.
* 23 pairs of skates and 46 sets of blades are carried with the troupe on tour.
* 14 tonnes of ice are created in the production – the same weight as nearly 3 elephants.
* 2,500 litres of anti-freeze are used – enough to fill 100 car cooling systems.
* The ice reaches temperatures of minus 15 degrees C, three times colder than your household freezer.
* The ice rink takes over 140 man-hours to build but only 30 man-hours to dismantle.
* The Cinderella on Ice set is one of the most expensive ever created for a theatrical ice show anywhere in the world.
It incorporates fire, rain, flying and state-of-the-art projection.
* The sumptuous scenery and props in Cinderella on Ice have been designed by Eamon D'Arcy who was Senior Production
Designer for the acclaimed Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, Designer for the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, and is
currently designing the forthcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He is one of Australia's top scenic designers and
has created sets for drama, dance and musical theatre in both Australia and Asia over the last 25 years.
* The scenery and props were originally created in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, and take up two 40ft containers
when they are shipped from country to country on the tour. They have taken 6000 man hours to create.
* There are 77 lavish costumes in Cinderella on Ice, designed by renowned Russian costume designer Albina Gabueva, head
designer at Moscow’s famed Stanislavsky Theatre. It has taken one year to design and create all the costumes.
* No two costumes are the same – each one is individually designed and made, cut by the famous Bolshoi Ballet costuming
department.
* Ten of the costumes cost almost $10,000 each to make, and incorporate luxurious fabrics and intricate detailing.
* There are two wardrobe mistresses who tour with the company to maintain the costumes in perfect condition.
* The specially commissioned score for Cinderella on Ice has been composed by Tim A Duncan and Edward Barnwell, both of
whom are highly regarded contemporary composers. It took 18 months to compose from start to finish.
* The music is performed by the 88-piece Moscow State Cinematic Orchestra, and took three days to record, using the
latest digital technology to achieve the best possible sound quality.
* The music has to be recorded as the timing must be absolutely exact for the skaters to perform their manoeuvres. If
the music was conducted live, even slight changes in tempo would cause the skaters to become out of step, which given
the speeds involved, could have disastrous consequences!
www.imperialicestars.com
ENDS