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Hot Ice

Hot Ice is an ice skating extravaganza produced by Stageworks of Blackpool, England whose acclaimed ice productions have been touring the world since '1937. Show producer and director, Amanda Thompson, the granddaughter of the show's founder, Leonard Thompson has brought together many international skating stars together with a full lighting and sound production.

On the audio side the existing system of an all JBL speaker system, driven by C-Audio amplifiers, was revamped allowing improved dispersion, also due to the age of the building and the fact that its thick walls meant there were dramatic variations in temperature a Sabine real-Q and reference microphones was installed to maintain the sound quality under all conditions. Doc's has three elements to its operation, firstly a feeder bar which is open throughout the week and secondly the club itself which operates four nights of the week, Imminent changes in the Irish licensing laws will allow the club to bring into play its third option of cutting off one half of the club, the dance floor half, by means of huge centrally hinged doors and letting the all seating area operate every night as a late licence bar.

The technical highlight of this year's show is its laser system, supplied and programmed by Laser Innovations of Suffolk, England and Stageworks. The installation includes a Coherent Purelight Star laser source controlled by a Laser Innovations Mirage twin scan control system with LI's own Laser Draw software. Hot Ice also utilises 4 Clay Paky Golden Scan 3's and 4 High End Systems Cyberlight CX's, controlled by a Jands Hog 600 desk. Sound throughout the production is by Bose.

This new, exciting and creative production of HOT ICE transports ice shows into a new realm. Stageworks Worldwide Productions innovative production proves that ice shows are now the most. exciting form of entertainment ever to be seen in a live format. The choreography and direction have been designed to gain a new audience and to demonstrate to theatregoers that a live production can be as exciting and as mind-blowing as a multi-million dollar feature film. With live entertainment performed at such breakneck pace, there is always that element of excitement and danger which keeps the audience sitting on the edge of their seats. Choreographer, PHIL WINSTON, has worked with producer and director, AMANDA THOMPSON, for over ten years, forming a partnership that is second-to-none. Phil has worked with, and choreographed, the great talents of the Duchesnays, as well as the German Skating Federation, and various world champions within the Hot Ice company. Amanda is the driving force behind Hot Ice; she has worked on some 25 ice shows throughout the world, and with Nigel Lythgoe on LWT's Ice Warriors, each show involving new and more technically demanding and creative ideas, pushing the boundaries of the performers ever further.

The lighting and special effects in this year's production are truly state-of-the-art, and the costumes are comparable to any London, Paris or New York catwalk. binding the world of theatre and fashion with up to the minute technology. Lasers and pyrotechnics are incorporated, harmonising technology and artistry, with Flying by Foy providing the most unusual aerial feats possibly ever performed on ice.

The cast of unrivalled figure skating talent has been so carefully selected so that their varied talents compliment each other, and embodies a profusion of national and international champions, including Hot Ice favourites JOANNE CONWAY, six times British figure skating champion; five times Finnish champion, OULA JAASKELAINEN; British Men's Professional Champion SERGEI VAIPAN; and European acrobatic champions VICTOR MYTNIK and VALERIA TISHLER. Three times British Ice Dance champion, MARIKA HUMPHREYS, makes her Hot Ice debut amidst a complement of 26 talented skaters who cover the ice at speed with breathtaking skill and talent, ensuring that the theatrical experience that is Hot Ice provides a totally artistic and creative performance.

HOT ICE is at the Arena, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, from Saturday May 2 and runs until Sunday November 8, with performances daily (no shows on Sundays from June to November).

HOT ICE at THE ARENA

Technical Information
HOT ICE, the world-renowned, state-of-the-art ice spectacular requires an enormous amount of technical expertise and equipment to complement the compelling combination of glamour and precision skills of top international figure-skating champions. Hot Ice, produced by Stageworks Worldwide Productions, is performed in the 61 year old 1566 seater Pleasure Beach Arena and requires:

A flying system elevating 5 skaters 30' above the ice, flown via 5 special motorised lift mechanisms. Specially trained technicians operate this technically demanding equipment
The 26 performers wear costumes specially designed for the skaters to move fluently across the ice. The costumes are designed and created by Stageworks Worldwide Productions wardrobe deparbnent, and each one is especially fitted for each performer. 260 different costumes are required for each performance, costing in total Ł70,000
3240 pyrotechnic effects are used throughout the season
40 props and illusions are seen in each performance, designed and made by Stageworks Worldwide Productions model and animation department
The hydraulic staircase, lowered from the roof in each performance, was first used in 1960 and 700 lightbulbs illuminate the stairway
2,240 square metres of ice is created by a 400 amp 3 phase ice plant freezing 8,000 gallons of water to -8°C by pumping 1,600 gallons of coolant around the ice floor Q Throughout each performance of Hot Ice there are 1000 lighting cues which take the lighting designers 200 hours to programme. The lighting is controlled from a 512 channel Whole Hog 2 lighting control desk, and the electrical consumption is a massive 468 KW, powering 290 luminaires (made up of tungsten halogen par cans, floods, profile spots and fresnels) 4 x 2.5 KW HMI Followspots 22 moving Cyberlights and Golden Scans 6 watt Coherent Star Ion Laser, requiring specialist operator training 30 colour changers 85,000 metres of electrical cable 8 7 KW of power pumps the music through 12 Bose 802 and 2 Bose.
Laser Innovations Mirage laser control system/Twin scan head/Coherent Purelight star.

Tel (UK): 0845 634 9175

International:+44 1638 565 389

Fax: +44 (0)1223 425 531