The Long Island Advance
Dazzling Ice Skating, Songs Cheer Audiences At The Gateway
Thirty-eight song favorites with wow-wee singers, imaginative skits, gorgeous costumes adorned with sequins and tulle, and skating with elegant and impossible lifts and spins, mesmerized a recent packed full house. Those looking for an ebullient holiday performance got their wish.
Please, bring the kids; it’s a fabulous and true family show.
The Gateway’s “Holiday Spectacular on Ice” was jumping for two hours, with a 20-minute intermission, its upbeat energy infused by its host, two-time Olympic-medalist Nancy Kerrigan.
It’s the second Gateway show for Kerrigan, who displayed her fabulous skating, frequently interacting with the audience and having as much fun as her fans, even giving a shout-out to staffers from Avino’s.
Oh, the torture to pick just a few sparkling numbers; they all were great, but here goes.
Bellport’s Shannon Gibbons (top 40 finalist on ABC’s “American Idol”) and Jennifer Brett have amazing voices, as does Jose Contreras (remember him saving the day in “The Wedding Singer?”) and Tyler Shore (he of the many regional and Off Broadway shows, as well as television). They sang together and soloed several times.
The “Two-Step ‘Round the Christmas Tree” is a (yahoo!) country Western number, with this fab four singing and two-stepping as Kerrigan joins them—just one of several collaborations.
Brett vamped it up in red sequins with “Santa Baby,” while four tuxedoed men vied for her attention escorting her to a sled, and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” got a tweak in the lyrics (“Murray the driver just pulled up outside,” sings an amorously frustrated Contreras), with Brett in this humorous remake.
Before skating, while Gibbons, in a beautiful green gown, sings the lovely “Like It’s Christmas,” Kerrigan commented on the young singer’s new release (“On My Mind”).
There’s a joyful “Chanukah, O Chanukah” rendition, and The Holiday Shoppers scene with the Youth and Ensemble Skaters, as frenetic consumers zooming by with packages past an old lady trying to maneuver a cane, is a hoot. She pummels the policeman, then winds up strutting her stuff on skates victoriously to cheers. Boston terrier Brady John Oliver Smith, a canine cancer survivor, makes his Gateway debut, popping out of a Christmas box.
“Run, Run Rudolph” featured poodle-skirted skaters rocking, rolling, and swooning over Ryan Dunk, a true John Travolta of the ice, who does a split and a triple axel; he also cartwheels in “Jingle My Bells.” (Dunk, who performs throughout the show, is a United States Junior Men’s National Champion and two-time Collegiate National Champion with a legion of TikTok followers.)
As for the skating choreography, how these performers soar, lift, spin, and hoist bodies over two inches of ice with ease and elegance, is a wonder. Kudos to figure skating casting and choreographer Tara Modlin-Maurizi.
French-born American skater Alain Sandrez performed a luminous “Christmas Eve/Sarejevo,” as did pair skaters Daniela Ivanitsky and Jonathan Rogers, in “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” in an ethereal, silvery skating dance.
The gorgeous “Silent Night,” with female ensemble skaters emulating floating winged angels through a veil of fog, touched a lovely spiritual quality; fire performer Kayleigh Linkus in “Code Name Vivaldi” was amazing, as was Kevin Lee, Dayron Tondike and Alain Sandrez.
Your favorite songs are in there. “The Christmas Song,” “Feliz Navidad,” “All I Want for Christmas Is You”; there were sing-a-longs, clapping moments, Santa, playful ice shavings, and candy being tossed.
The man on my left, who came with his wife and two daughters from Plainview, was an enthusiastic spectator, tapping out the beat at times, murmuring the songs.
“Isn’t it fabulous,” he said enthusiastically, while a woman in the back yelled out, “Unbelievable!”
Yes to both, thanks to another hit show by director Keith Andrews. Ditch the trip to the city and come see these remarkable performers.
Smithtown Matters
The Gateway's "Holiday Spectacular On Ice!" Is Festive, Fun, And Family-Friendly
If you’re looking for a Christmas miracle to share with your loved ones, take them to The Gateway’s “Holiday Spectacular on Ice!” While watching this joyous show, they will witness a winter wonderland resplendent with snowflakes, an onstage ice rink, Santa Claus arriving by sleigh, and visions of candy canes flying through the air.
“Holiday Spectacular on Ice!” features one of America’s most recognized sports icons, the two-time Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan, as host and performer. During the opening number, “Where Are You Christmas,” the enthusiastic audience cheered and applauded when Kerrigan skated on stage, graceful and beautiful as ever, to join the talented young figure skater Gabrielle Freeman, a rising superstar.
This show has so many outstanding numbers that I don’t even know where to begin. My favorite was “Run, Run Rudolph,” where the fabulous Female Ensemble Skaters, donning poodle skirts, skated around Ryan Dunk, whose hip gyrations and funky skating moves stole the show. During “Silent Night,” the Female Ensemble Skaters looked like beautiful snow angels floating among the clouds, and during the upbeat number “Sleigh Ride,” they performed like ice skating Rockettes. The Female Ensemble Skaters, accompanied by The Youth Skaters, delivered an unforgettable performance during the traditional Chanukah song celebrating the Festival of Lights, “Chanukah, O Chanukah!”
Kayleigh Linkous astounded the audience with her aerial acrobatics during “Hangin’ Round the Mistletoe.” When Dayron Tondike joined Linkous, these two athletic performers held the audience spellbound with their gravity-defying antics on the lyra. The best way to describe the showstopping number “Code Name Vivaldi” is to say it was all fire and ice. The multitalented Linkous displayed her breathtaking skating ability while dancing with flaming torches!
The children in the audience loved the two classic Christmas jingles sung by the Youth Singers, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” with Ariela Masarsky portraying Santa’s most famous reindeer, and “Frosty the Snowman,” which showcased a larger-than-life-Frosty-skating around the stage accompanied by the Female Ensemble Skaters dressed like Santa’s other adorable reindeers.
The featured Skate Pair, Daniela Ivanitskiy and Jonathan Rogers, captivated the audience with their riveting performances of “All I Want for Christmas is You” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home.” At select performances, the other featured Skate Pair are Grace Hanns and Danny Neudecker.
The stellar vocalists Jennifer Brett, José Contreras, Tyler Shore, and Bellport’s own Shannon Gibbons, a Season 18 “American Idol” contestant, added greatly to the overall enjoyment of this production. I particularly loved their group renditions of “I’ve Got Love to Keep Me Warm” and “The Christmas Song.” Gibbons rocked the Jonas Brothers hit, “Like It’s Christmas,” while Nancy Kerrigan figure skated to breathtaking choreography during this upbeat song. Dressed in a sizzling red dress and riding in a sparkling red sleigh, Brett delivered a powerful rendition of “Santa Baby” surrounded by the Male Ensemble Skaters. Contreras and the Youth Singers had the audience singing along to “Feliz Navidad,” and Shore, with his rich and velvety vocals, gave the iconic Burl Ives version of “A Holly Jolly Christmas” a run for its money.
Keith Andrews’s astute direction and Tara Modlin-Maurizi and Andrews’s high-energy, precision-perfect choreography, in conjunction with the breathtaking costume design by Marianne Dominy with additional costumes by Janine Loesch, all deserve special mention. The holiday-themed, versatile set by Brittany Loesch further amplified the celebratory tone of the evening.
The gifted members of the Youth Ensemble are Sonnie Betts, Stefania Conte, Sofia Da Costa-Wilson, Samantha Hayes, Dominick Heilemann, Emily Hershey, Sophie Hughes, Edward Langston, Giada Longo, Julius Lovelace, Brendyn Molnar, Jennifer Morales, Abigail Pirozzi, Ella Roberts, Mia Rofrano, Kyle Walter, Addison Wasylyshyn, and Bree Wilkens.
The outstanding Ensemble Skaters are Viktoria Chiappa, Stephanie Chin, Ryan Dunk, Kevin Lee, Kayleigh Linkous, Ariela Masarsky, Madison Patrell, Violet Presley-Wolff, Alain Sandrez, Lacie Tew, Dayron Tondike, and Naomi Wong.
The biggest applause must go to the technical crew for creating and maintaining the ice rink. I stumbled upon a fascinating YouTube video made a few years back by “My Long Island TV” about the making of the staged rink. You might want to click on the link to find out for yourself.
This magnificent show runs now through January 1, 2024.
The Theater Guide
Holiday Spectacular On Ice – Gateway Playhouse – Theatre Review
After an absence of several years, Olympic figure skating icon Nancy Kerrigan makes her return to The Gateway in the Holiday Spectacular on Ice! This show is a fun and festive celebration of the holiday season that is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit (and Chanukah too)!
Kerrigan hosts the show in addition to skating, and is adept at both roles. As a skater she is as graceful and impressive as ever, and as a hostess she is warm and natural, drawing the audience in and welcoming us to participate in the revelry from our seats.
The performance showcases the talents of Kerrigan as well as a full cast of figure skaters and singers in a holiday revue of routines and songs. Directed by Keith Andrews, who also choreographed along with Tara Modlin-Maurizi, the show moves quickly and smoothly from one routine to the next, keeping the audience engaged from start to finish. The various routines are well-balanced between high-energy antics and poignant flowing pieces, preventing it from ever feeling either overwhelming or too slow.
The base set is a picturesque town and bridge framing the open stage which has been transformed into a real ice rink under Executive Artistic Director Paul Allan. And the effort is well worth the result as the skaters perform all the wonders of their medium, complete with snowy shavings flung upon the audience on occasion. Lighting Designer Brian Loesch creates a beautiful atmosphere with swirling lights projected onto the ice and color palettes that compliment the moods of the various routines. The costumes, designed by Marianne Dominy are a positive parade of sparkle and shine. At every turn there are new and interesting looks for the skaters and singers to correspond with the themes of the show’s segments, including classic retro, country, and modern winter styles.
Jennifer Brett, Jose Contreras, Shannon Gibbons, and Tyler Shore comprise the quartet of singers who perform many of the songs during the show in various combinations or solos. Their clear and strong voices grace the stage and bring the songs to life with holiday spirit.
The talents of this skating cast cannot be overstated. Not only do they display incredible athleticism, but they do so while executing the heartwarming, and at times surprisingly comedic, pantomime storytelling from routine to routine. Some highlights include: the adorable young skaters (performed alternatively by Conalie Julia King, Gabrielle Freeman, Charlotte Gilroy, and Reese Wustenhoff); the remarkably quick Ryan Dunk in the 1950s inspired routine of “Run Run Rudolph”; the hilarious physicality of Ariela Masarsky, Viktoria Chiappa, Violet Presley-Wolff and Madison Patrell in “A Holly Jolly Christmas”; and most especially, the incredible Nancy Kerrigan herself in several solo performances throughout the show.
If you’re looking for a fun way to get into the merriment of the season, go check it out! This show is suited to all ages, though parents should be prepared for their kids to ask for skating lessons afterward.
Dan's Papers
Gateway's Holiday Spectacular on Ice Is Long Island's New Christmas Classic
Any holiday production worth its weight in tinsel can be described as a magical, heartwarming experience but not usually an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride (Die Hard notwithstanding). Miraculously, The Gateway’s Holiday Spectacular, directed by Keith Andrews, checks all these boxes on its premise alone. The production pairs the spectacle of a Rockettes-esque stage show with moving renditions of the holiday songs that generations have grown up with and caps it all off with daring skating choreography atop the ice-covered stage.
There is an inherent dissonance witnessing ice skating jumps, spins and intricate choreography performed on a stage raised above the audience rather than on a rink below. It’s as if the stakes are equally raised, leaving very little room onstage for slip-ups, and that makes the entire experience all the more thrilling. At certain points in the spectacular, bladed skates seemingly extend over onlookers’ heads, ice shavings are flung into the audience, fire is juggled effortlessly. It’s strange to recommend this as a holiday show for thrill seekers, but here we are.
Rest assured, however, that any sense of danger remains solely in the mind of those seeking that suspense (and those perpetually anxious few who consider high school dodgeball a near-death experience). The Gateway has assembled an all-star ensemble of talented skaters, led by choreographer Tara Eve Modlin-Maurizi, with the skills to pull off difficult stunts one after another, most of all Kerrigan. She serves as the show’s charming host and one of its most prominently featured skaters.
The Holiday Spectacular offers a balanced mix of graceful ice dancing and powerful displays of athleticism, with much of the cast leaning into one strength or the other, but Kerrigan’s spotlights prove her mastery in both poise and stamina.
The numerous numbers featuring the female ensemble skaters — Viktoria Chiappa, Stephanie Chin, Ariela Masarsky, Madison Patrell, Violet Presley-Wolff, Lacie Tew, Naomi Wong and Kayleigh Linkous — are a marvel to behold. With a layer of fog covering the stage, they glide across the stage like winged angels in a soul-stirring instrumental rendition of “Silent Night,” and they inspire glee with delightfully fun takes on “Sleigh Ride,” “Chanukah, O Chanukah” and “Run, Run Rudolph.”
As if the poodle skirts and ’50s rock sound of “Run, Run Rudolph” aren’t enough of a surprise following a buttery-smooth performance of Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” sung by the show’s quartet of singers, this is also the moment when Ryan Dunk steps out of the skating ensemble and steals the scene with a jaw-dropping routine of tight spins, fast flips and, somehow, a cartwheel on skates.
Following Dunk’s breakout performance, all the male ensemble skaters get a moment to shine. Act two of the two-hour production opens with an elegant routine by Alain Sandrez, in which he perfectly times his spins to the music of “Christmas Eve/Sarejevo.” Dayron Tondike shows off his incredible prowess as a skating aerial acrobat during “Hangin’ Round the Mistletoe.”
And Kevin Lee, along with Sandrez and Tondike, assists Linkous in her showstopping fire dance for “Code Name Vivaldi.” The male skaters’ choreographed “Carol of the Bells” dance with long sheets blowing away the onstage fog was another high point of the spectacular.
Additionally, different showtimes include alternate skating pairs, Daniela Ivanitskiy and Jonathan Rogers or Grace Hanns and Danny Neudecker, as well as alternate young skaters, Conalie Julia King and Gabrielle Freeman or Charlotte Gilroy and Reese Wustenhoff, so those considering a second viewing have something new to look forward to. The youth singers alternate as well, but you can expect the same level of adorable enthusiasm no matter which group of kids is singing “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”
Thus far, this review has touched on many of the musical numbers conducted by Music Director Hosun Moon but hasn’t given proper praise to the Holiday Spectacular singers: Jennifer Brett, José Contreras, Tyler Shore and Bellport’s own American Idol contestant Shannon Gibbons.
As a quartet, they harmonize wonderfully, but when they go solo, their uniquely gifted voices and onstage personas are at their peak. Brett is able to channel her inner pop sensation with fabulous renditions of “Santa Baby” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” while Contreras fills the role of charismatic crooner in “I’ve Got Love to Keep Me Warm” equally as well as his life-of-the-party persona in the “Feliz Navidad” audience sing-along.
Likewise, Shore is able to flip the switch from an authentic country twang in “A Holly Jolly Christmas” to a deeply moving operatic tenor in “O Holy Night.” Each time Gibbons takes center stage, Kerrigan reminds the audience what a treat it is to have her in the show, and she’s not wrong.
The tonal quality of Gibbons’ voice is a thing to behold, and with each song she sings, such as “Like It’s Christmas,” it’s as if she signs her name claiming the rendition as uniquely hers.
From the talented vocalists singing holiday hits to the masterful skaters gliding across the frozen stage, The Gateway’s Holiday Spectacular on Ice is a truly wonderful way for the whole family to celebrate the Christmas season. Long Island now has a holiday classic all its own.
Broadway World
Review: The superb production, directed by Gateway vet Keith Andrews, runs through January 1, 2024 at the beautiful Bellport venue.
One thing I love about the theatre's of Long Island is that they truly make the holiday season extra special with their Wonderful Productions. Seeing the venues decked out for the holidays adds to the spirit of the season. Case-in-point is the Gateway's Holiday Spectacular On Ice starring Olympic medalist NANCY KERRIGAN. The superb production, directed by Gateway vet Keith Andrews, runs through January 1st at the beautiful Bellport venue and is certainly a must see this Winter season.
Ms. Kerrigan hosts the evening (or, afternoon if you are catching the matinee) as well as taking part in several of the vingettes of the two act production. A large company of extraordinary skaters and singers thrillingly exude the Holiday spirit. The score of this show is a clever compilation of classic carols and new contemporary holiday songs. This is including "Happy Holidays", "Holly Jolly Christmas", and "White Christmas" among the iconic selections while "All I Want For Christmas Is You", "Grown Up Christmas List", and "Christmas Eve/Sarejevo" head up the modern performances. Kudos to Music Director Hosun Moon for the festive selections. The cast also has fun surprises during the show and the enthusiastic audience responds resoudingly with thunderous applause.
Indeed, you will notice how stunning the production is. Brittany Loesch's bi-level set is well done. For the record, I am still in awe of them putting in an ice rink for this production. For my fellow fashion lovers, Marianne Dominy's constumes are gorgeous, too. Add in Brian Loesch's stuninng atmospheric lighting design and you will simply be entranced at this production.
And so, you should certainly put The Gateway's Holiday Spectacular On Ice on your To-Do list this holiday season. In addition, the bustling town of Bellport looks gorgeous this time of year which will also surely get you into the holiday spirit. The brilliant NANCY KERRIGAN, a superb company, and the exquisite Gateway Playhouse indeed will make this holiday season on Long Island... spectacular!
With support from
Bellport Box Office
Tuesday - Sunday, 11am - 6pmClosed Monday
631-286-1133
boxoffice@thegateway.org
