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LIVE! from the Point — Funcoast has videos from the live shows

By Karen Mork
Online editor, Funcoast.com

While Cedar Point is best known for its world-record-breaking roller coasters and rides, the park also delivers thrills that come without harnesses, seat belts or lap bars.

See video highlights from five live shows at Funcoast.com

There's the thrill of watching an Extreme Splash 2006 performer make an 80-foot dive from a tower into a 10-foot-deep pool; the thrill of watching a pair of professional ice skaters perform a "headbanger" spin at the Good Time Theatre; and the thrill of watching a future Broadway star sing and dance at the Centennial Theatre, Palace Theatre or Red Garter Saloon.

Each of the park's live shows has a distinct personality, said Marje Rody, vice president of live entertainment. The Extreme Splash diving showcases high-skill athleticism with a little comedy thrown in. "Snoopy's Summer Vacation" ice show combines athleticism with the family appeal of the Peanuts characters. The Palace Theatre's "Divine Divas" show features six singing, dancing dreamgirls, while "Rock the House" at the Red Garter is an in-your-face, heavy-duty rock and roll show. The Centennial Theatre's "Livin' In America" show is the park's big singing, dancing spectacular. In addition to these shows, the Live Entertainment Department also oversees "Charlie Brown's Funtime Frolics," "Snoopy's Sing-a-Long" and Peanuts character appearances at Camp Snoopy Theatre; the "Jammin' DJ's" who provide queue line entertainment at Millennium Force and Raptor; and the "Hot Summer Lights" show featuring music, sound, lights, video, pyrotechnics and a new "FireWater" special effect.

Independent contractors do the casting for the skating and diving shows. Auditions for the other shows begin in November and continue through mid-March at the park and at several college campuses in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania. Cedar Point representatives also look for talent at mass auditions in Missouri, Florida and New York. Musical skills are a must, because Cedar Point's performers do their own singing instead of performing with voice tracks. Likeability is another important factor.

"To me, entertainment is communicating," Rody said. "I don't care how beautifully you sing or dance or whatever; if you don't relate, who cares? I'd rather hear a scratchy voice sometimes and know it's happening in that moment as opposed to a number of parks that have gone to tracking voices. We've never done that and never will as long as I'm here. I don't want to pretend somebody's doing something that they're not."

All of Cedar Point's live shows place an emphasis on the performers, because none of the venues have the capacity for extensive sets. That's because none of the venues were built to be theaters, Rody said. The Centennial was originally a wax museum. The Red Garter even now has virtually no backstage area. The Good Time Theatre was originally the IMAX movie theater, so it had no dressing rooms until two trailers were added to the back.

Performers make multiple costume changes during the shows, and in some cases wear multiple wigs as well.

"We don't have the fly space or the wing space, so it's always been focusing on the performer and changing what we can, which is the costumes," said Rody, who has been with the Live Entertainment Department for 30 years. "We have a big tradition that the feature is the performers and how we dress them -- you know, the eye candy of costumes and sequins and all that other stuff. You can create a really amazing effect with not that much money."

Rody accompanies show manager and costume designer Herbe Donald to New York City once a year to shop for the materials they need.

"What we get basically are remnants, because the hot fashion trade and Broadway trade are right there," she said. "You go into the place and get six yards of this, and then there's a sequin factory where we have specially designed patterns put on whatever color fabric we want. ... So that's where we get stuff, because obviously we can't go to Joann's for that kind of thing. Herbe is always looking for interesting and amazing costume pieces."

The emphasis on the performer is one of the reasons Cedar Point is able to attract top-notch talent every year, Rody said.

"You attract people by having it be a good experience," she said. " ... I think that's why people want to come to be in the shows, because we certainly don't pay the most, and we certainly don't ask the least."

The high caliber of Cedar Point's shows is recognized annually with Big-E Awards acknowledging the most outstanding examples of entertainment in the amusement industry. In 2005, the park's "Twistin' to the '60s" show was honored as "Best Overall Production" with a budget between $50,001 and $100,000. Performer Eric DiCenzo was recognized as "Best Male Performer," and Michael Howard received honorable mention in that same category.

"I do believe that the live shows here at Cedar Point are one of the most under appreciated parts of the park," said Public Relations Manager Bryan Edwards. "In my opinion, the quality of the shows is unmatched anywhere. If you come to Cedar Point you have to see the shows -- they are amazing!"

Extreme Splash 2006
Aquatic stadium
Shows at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Monday; additional show at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Tuesday.

Diving captain Michael Straka, 38, has been with the Extreme Splash show from its beginning, signing on as the announcer in 1999. The former gymnast began training with the divers and then switched to diving for the 2000 season.

"I love it here," said Straka, a former Crestline resident now living in Akron. "There's nothing like it anywhere else."

Straka is one of the divers who takes turns performing the 80-foot finale dive.

"The high diver is going 55 miles per hour when he hits the water," said Lance Heal, production manager of live entertainment." From the platform up top of there, the pool looks like a postage stamp. It's a very small space to dive into."

The number of divers fluctuates throughout the season, but there are usually six to 10 in the show. They range in age from 18-51, and include Olympic divers as well as national champions. World champion cliff diver Orlando Duque of Colombia makes occasional guest appearances in the show.

The Aquatic stadium, which originally was the Oceana dolphin stadium, can hold almost 1,000 spectators, Heal said.

"On a busy day, the noise is deafening in here," he said.

Heal said he has seen the show go on in 45-degree, rainy, breezy weather. The only thing that holds the divers back is lightning or high wind -- and with the latter, they still try to complete a portion of the show, he said.

Snoopy's Summer Vacation
Good Time Theatre
Shows at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday; additional show at 8 p.m. Saturday. Closed Wednesday.

For the stroller set, the Peanuts characters are the highlight of the show. For their parents, however, it's the cast of professional skaters who make the show exciting.

Among the featured skaters are Melanie Lambert and Fred Palascak, a husband-and-wife pair skating team who have been with the show since the ice rink replaced the IMAX movie screen in 2002. They began skating together in 1994, and during their competitive years, they were two-time Eastern Sectional champions and had two top-10 finishes at the national championships. During their featured numbers in the show, they wow the audience with lifts and spins, including a daring-looking headbanger. Although it appears that Lambert's head comes dangerously near the ice during the spin, Palascak said there is no chance her head will ever hit the ice. He wouldn't give away how the trick is done, but described it as "smoke and mirrors."

The contractor for "Snoopy's Summer Vacation" is Woodstock Ice Productions of Santa Monica, Calif., which is headed by Jill Schultz, daughter of the late Charles M. Schultz, who created the Peanuts characters. The 30-minute show follows Snoopy and the Peanuts gang from the last day of school to the beach, to summer camp (which includes a campfire and three female skaters dressed as S'mores), to sporting events, a concert and a patriotic Fourth of July segment, which is followed by a back-to-school dance party.

"The music is fun, but what I find appealing is just the actual skating," Rody said. "So you get the art, but you also get the athletic, and you also get the Peanuts characters. ... And it's nice to get in the air conditioning."

Livin' In America -- A Musical Journey
Centennial Theatre
Shows at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; additional show at 8:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Closed Thursday.

The Centennial Theatre, located on the main midway near the park entrance, is home to the park's big singing and dancing spectacular.

"The Centennial is more of the traditional theme park show with the singers and the dancers and the musical revue and costumes and sets and all," Rody said. "It's without a doubt the danciest show in the park. When we see people at auditions, they have to be able to dance really well in addition to the singing."

"Livin' In America" is a 25-minute tribute to American music, including Motown, disco and rock. The show also includes some Las Vegas-style magic tricks. Although this is the show's second year, there was a large turnover of cast members and the New Orleans section has been tweaked to become a tribute to the city with "When the Saints Go Marching In."

Rock the House!
Red Garter Saloon
Shows at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; additional show at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Monday.

"The Garter has become the house of rock and roll now," Rody said. "This showcases the wailing voices and super musicianship with a live band."

The performance is loud, hot rock -- heavy duty, but not heavy metal, Rody said. Musical numbers in the 25-minute show include "I Want to Rock and Roll All Night," "Listen to the Music" and "Free Ride."

Rock the House is the only Cedar Point show with live musicians instead of a music track -- and the musicians are a big part of the show, interacting with the singers and the audience. Although it would be a great show in any venue, the intimacy of the Red Garter Saloon enhances the experience, Heal said.

"The closeness with the performers, musicians and stage just really sends it over the top," he said. "It's a live, in-your-face concert style."

Divine Divas
Palace Theatre
Shows at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday; additional show at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Tuesday.

The "Divine Divas" show is new his year, replacing "Twistin' to the '60s." The six female performers enter and leave the stage by stepping on a large turntable, which is hand-cranked. Some songs in the show include "Dream Girls," "I'm Every Woman," "Fever" and "Man Wanted" -- a song which is sung directly to a male audience member. The show finishes up with an Elvis tribute.

The Palace has traditionally presented more of a theatrical-type show, Heal said. It's a "nice, smooth musical venue" with an emphasis on the characters.

"It's almost more of a cabaret or small cruise ship show, " Rody said. "This is six young ladies in a small space. We looked at it like it was in the cabaret room but with some of the glitz and the costumes. ... If you get a very lovely lady who can sing and dance and is beautiful, that is the diva thing."

Karen Mork knows a thing or two about being a diva. E-mail her at karenmork@funcoast.com.

FunCoast.com is your online guide to summer fun for Cedar Point, the LakeErie Islands and Sandusky area. Our site offers up-to-date information on area attractions, restaurants, hotels, gasoline prices, ferry schedules, swimming, birding and fishing, along with a complete listing of events happening in the Sandusky/Cedar Point area. To use our Webcam and zoom in on Cedar Point's rollercoasters, go to http://funcam.funcoast.com