Magic On Ice creator: Philippines show is ‘meant to be’

MANILA, Philippines — Fate really has a way of surprising us all.

Steve Wheeler, creator of Magic On Ice, has already taken his renowned show all over the world to entertain over 20 million people. This year, however, the show comes to the Philippines for the first time ever. Yet this isn’t Steve’s first brush, so to speak, with its Manila venue.

Three years ago, in Las Vegas, Steve bought a Muhammad Ali T-shirt. Anyone who knows Ali knows that the legend is perhaps one of the biggest sports figures around the world; the man, likewise, has his own royal place in pop culture. Steve would often use the shirt when he worked out in the gym.

“I didn’t think much about it; I’ve had it all this time,” Steve told STAR during his preliminary visit to Manila to iron out production details of Magic On Ice.

“Then after (negotiations for the show) came about, I thought, ‘Wait a minute, don’t I have a shirt that says that?’ I pulled it out — and there it is, Thrilla in Manila — Araneta Coliseum!” He was going to set foot and actually perform in the iconic venue that hosted one of Ali’s biggest fights in his illustrious boxing career.

“It was meant to be,” Steve exclaimed with a big smile.

Home to enthralling ice spectacles from the days of Holiday On Ice in the early ’60s, the Big Dome has had its share of family-friendly shows every Christmas season. 

Having taken Magic On Ice to the best venues in the world — like Six Flags Magic Mountain Theater in Los Angeles; the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas; Friedrichstadt Palast in Berlin; National Events Theater in Abu Dhabi; and Blue Square Theater & Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul; among others — Steve knows that the right venue will go a long way in giving audiences the best experience.

Seeing Smart Araneta Coliseum, Steve noted, “I am actually very impressed with the sightlines. Even when you are up high, you feel like you’re right on top of the action.”

As such, he is confident that they can deliver an unforgettable Christmas show. His production team is, after all, comprised of the best in the business, with collective experience in shows like Cirque du Soleil and Vegas’ Le Rêve, as well as concerts of entertainment icons like Madonna, Sting and the late Prince.

Steve loves magic and is a sports enthusiast, particularly ice hockey. He started performing magic when he was only 10 years old, and as a teenager, he studied Theater Arts, fuelling his love for rock concerts and theatrical spectacles. Magic On Ice was borne of his idea to combine his passions into a show.

Magic On Ice combines the speed and elegance, the power and beauty of ice skating with big, theatrical magic illusions. “The audience will see lightning-fast appearances and vanishes, beautiful levitations, death-defying escapes, as well as some fun interactive comedy numbers that involve members of the audience,” he said.

It happens in a frozen magical world that comes to life when the Voyager (Steve) enters it with a skating ensemble called The Seekers. They encounter the Ice Angel (Tracey Lynn Wheeler, Steve’s wife); and her counterpart, the dark and mysterious Raven (four-time Estonian National Champion and Olympic figure skater Maria Sergejeva). Other characters are called The Reliance, an ice skating duo that performs incredible feats of strength, speed and skill. And then, the fun family of abstract silver tubes called The Slinkies.

“Our stadium shows, whether we do it in the US or Europe or here, basically it’s the same show. The only time we change it is if we go to a smaller venue,” Steve assured.

While Magic On Ice is a kind of show that teenager friends find cool and families enjoy watching together, Steve notes the best reaction they get is when “little kids would come up (to us) and maybe they’ll talk about some of the magic that’s a little more sophisticated (for their age, and ask us), ‘Wow! How did you do that? Do you do real magic?’ To see that expression on their faces is really rewarding.”

Running at the Smart Araneta Coliseum from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1, 2019, tickets to Magic On Ice from as low as P190 for general admission to P2,335 for VIP seats are fast-selling via Ticketnet outlets.

Call 911-5555 or visit www.ticketnet.com.ph for your tickets to the best show this Christmas season.