January 26th, 2023

Palm Beach's Cafe L'Europe

On Thursday, January 26th, Palm Beach's Cafe L'Europe hosted a concert/reading from the new Broadway-bound musical "Ice Champion" for a select group of backers and investors and theater-lovers.

Dramatist Guild member, playwright, and former champion figure skater Frank D'Agostino created and composed this exciting show.  The presentation was a selection of monologues and songs performed by five local performers: Alexa Lasanta, Shelly Keelor, Spenst Hanson, Brian Varela, Mikayla Cohen, and under the musical direction of Eric Ashford.  

"Ice Champion" is a behind-the-scene glimpse into the lives of six figure skaters and is performed on a stage of "real ice" - from beginner skaters’, national skaters’, international skaters, and Olympians, and demonstrates how they evolve and struggle and ultimately find glory. 

40 years ago "A Chorus Line" broke barriers on Broadway and told the story of dancers.  Today "Ice Champion" brings innovation to a new level of story telling with a multimedia experience of music, song, acting, dance and championship figure skating. As we approach the 100 year anniversary of figure skating being part of the Winter Olympic Games, "Ice Champion" is the perfect show to celebrate this historical milestone. 

The intimate group of invited guests included: Janet Levy, Jeff Sophir, Jim Gielda, Kara Ross, Simone Levinson, Laurie Bodor, Robert Caravaggi, Lisa Marie Conte Browne, Vicki Schneps, Chase Backer, Stephen and Eda Sorokoff, Paul and Ursula Lowerre, Robert and Robin Baker Leacock, Rochelle Ohrstrom, Julia Hansen, Jane and Jeffrey Greaves, Mikolaj Bauer, Barbara Kendrew, and Ice Champion Producers: Doug Evans, Dr. Joan Liman, and Annie Watt, as well as the owners of Cafe L’Europe, Emanulea Marcello and Jennifer Marcello.

Moving forward with the cast album," Ice Champion"  is being produced by seven-time Grammy nominated and seven-time Tony-nominated music producer Rob Sher, whose label, Time Warner Classics, releases his cast albums.  Rob's most recent album “The Music Man” starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster climbed the iTunes charts. There will be bonus tracks in Korean and KPop Korean language tracks on the album.

After several equity workshops in New York, the show is slated to open within the year in South Korea and have a Broadway opening following the preview runs in South Korea. The South Korean producer includes ABT World, and U.S. producers include the famed and Tony award-winning producers at Amas Musical Theatre in New York.

Photos by Annie Watt

Photo on the COVER: Spenst Hansen, Mikayla Cohen, Alexa LaSanta, Frank D’Agostino - playwright Composer, Shelly Keelor, Eric Alsford - musical director, Brian Varela

Photos belown: Barbara Kendrew, Janet Levy, Doug Evans

Jane Greaves, Jeffrey Greaves

Jeff Sophir, Jim Gielda

Jennifer Marcello, Emanuela Marcello

Joan Liman, Lisa Marie Conte Browne

Laurie Bodor, Annie Watt

Mikolaj Bauer, Robert Caravaggi, Chase Backer

Robin Baker Leacock, Robert Leacock

Rochelle Ohrstrom, Julia Hansen

Simone Levinson, Kara Ross

Stephen Sorokoff, Eda Sorokoff

Ursula Lowerre, Paul Lowerre

Vicki Schneps, Simone Levinson