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| Ice Follies | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ice Follies |
| Genre | Touring ice show |
| Created | 1936 |
| Creator | Eddie Shipstad; Roy Shipstad |
| Country | United States |
| First | 1936 |
Ice Follies Ice Follies was a touring ice show created in 1936 by the Shipstad brothers, emerging alongside contemporaries such as Holiday on Ice and Broadway. It blended elements drawn from vaudeville, circus, and Musical Theatre traditions to produce large-scale spectacles for arenas used by franchises like the New York Rangers and venues such as Madison Square Garden. Over decades it toured with talent associated with institutions like Metropolitan Opera, Radio City Music Hall, and companies linked to producers from Cirque du Soleil and Disney on Ice.
Ice Follies originated in the interwar period under producers Eddie Shipstad and Roy Shipstad, contemporaneous with entertainers from Ziegfeld Follies and entrepreneurs connected to RKO Pictures, MGM, and Paramount Pictures. Early tours featured skaters who later joined troupes promoted by Arthur Wirtz and impresarios working with Hugh Allen and agents tied to William Morris Agency. The show expanded during the postwar boom alongside touring acts promoted by Jack Benny, Ed Sullivan, and corporate sponsors such as General Motors and Ford Motor Company. Ownership and production shifted through entities related to Irving Berlin-era theatrical investors, later involving businesspeople affiliated with Metromedia and executives who also managed Radio Corporation of America assets. During the late 20th century management intersected with companies connected to Kenneth Feld and executives from Anschutz Entertainment Group. Ice Follies’ operational history paralleled labor and union developments tied to organizations like Actors' Equity Association and unions that represented performers on national tours.
Productions often launched in major markets including New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, and Tokyo, sharing dates with touring packages promoted by Live Nation-era firms and venues historically occupied by the Boston Garden and Staples Center. The tour routing frequently synchronized with dates for franchises such as the Boston Bruins and events run at sites like the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Seasons adopted thematic programs echoing productions seen at Radio City Music Hall and revues that attracted guest appearances from celebrities who also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. International legs engaged promoters connected to Tatsunoko Production networks and entertainment agencies that handled tours for acts like The Rolling Stones and ABBA-era packages. Corporate tie-ins involved sponsors similar to Coca-Cola campaigns and televised specials produced for networks like NBC and CBS.
Throughout its run Ice Follies employed performers who later became associated with major events and institutions such as the Winter Olympics, World Figure Skating Championships, and networks including ESPN and ABC Sports. Prominent skaters included alumni who trained under coaches linked to Carlo Fassi, Tamara Moskvina, and choreographers connected to Gillian Lynne and Jerome Robbins; many moved on to starring roles in productions by Disney on Ice or creative teams that worked with Michael Flatley. Guest celebrities often included entertainers with credits on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, and stage credits from Broadway musicals like productions at the Shubert Theatre. Technical and supporting performers included specialists drawn from circuses associated with Ringling Bros. and television variety shows produced by companies such as Desilu Productions.
Ice Follies shows combined ensemble tableaux influenced by choreographers from Ballets Russes lineage and staging techniques used in Broadway revues, employing large casts, synchronized patterns, and specialty acts comparable to variety segments on The Ed Sullivan Show. Productions incorporated lift work and pair elements taught in schools associated with coaches from Ice Theatre of New York and national training centers that produced competitors for the United States Figure Skating Association. Stagecraft used ice-rigging systems and scenic automation similar to methods employed at Radio City Music Hall and in theatrical designs by firms that serviced Royal Opera House and touring companies appearing at Wembley Arena. Directors often commissioned guest choreographers who had credits on West End and Broadway shows.
Musical accompaniment ranged from live pit orchestras drawn from musicians affiliated with unions such as those representing players at the Metropolitan Opera and session musicians who recorded for Capitol Records and RCA Victor, to recorded tracks produced by arrangers with credits alongside artists on labels like Columbia Records. Repertoire included arrangements of standards from composers tied to Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and selections associated with film scores by composers connected to John Williams and Henry Mancini. Costume designers were often recruited from couture houses and theatrical ateliers that had outfitted productions at Radio City Music Hall and La Scala, collaborating with milliners and textile firms that supplied wardrobes to companies like Cirque du Soleil and theatrical costumers who had worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber shows.
Ice Follies influenced popular perceptions of skating in mass media alongside televised spectacles broadcast on NBC, CBS, and specials hosted by personalities such as Ed Sullivan and Johnny Carson. It helped cultivate audiences that supported competitive skating stars appearing at the Winter Olympics and fueled demand for touring ice spectacles that evolved into brands like Disney on Ice and influenced production models used by contemporary producers with ties to Cirque du Soleil and Live Nation. Archival materials, including playbills and photographs, are held in collections associated with institutions such as the New York Public Library and museums that collect performing-arts ephemera, informing scholarship in studies connected to performers who moved between variety shows, Broadway, and televised entertainment.
Category:Ice shows Category:American touring shows