Preview: Iceploration entertains with mix of ice skating, puppetry, and live animals in new Busch Gardens Tampa Bay show

in Busch Gardens, Entertainment, Theme Parks

Beginning tomorrow, Feb. 2, 2012, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will begin its newest Broadway-style show following in the footsteps of past offerings like KaTonga: Musical Tales From the Jungle and World Rhythms on Ice.

The new “Iceploration” features cast of 20 in an adventure filled with ice skaters, original costumes, aerial performances, puppetry and live animal stars, all taking place daily in the Moroccan Palace.

The 30-minute show invites audiences to “explore the world” with four unique parts of the Earth used as inspiration. It stars a “digitally savvy preteen” and his grandfather, “an old-world explorer” in an adventure around the globe visiting the African Serengeti, Great Barrier Reef, the Arctic, and the Amazon Rainforest.

Video: Iceploration highlights from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

In the Serengeti, huge elephant puppets take the stage along with solo and chorus skating performances and acrobatics telling the stories of cheetahs stalking gazelles and meerkats.

Iceploration Elephant Stiltwalkers in the Serengeti

Iceploration Gazelles and Cheetah in the Serengeti

In the Great Barrier Reef, black light fills the theater as the show features new helium-filled puppets representing sea life, including parrotfish, lionfish, sea urchins, turtles and a moray eel.

Iceploration in the Great Barrier Reef

Iceploration Mandarin Fish Solo Skater in the Great Barrier Reef

In the Arctic, skaters-turned-snow flurries represent a winter storm, as the show’s two stars encounter the Aurora Borealis phenomenon as well as a few live animal stars, including a Siberian lynx and a sled of Siberian huskies.

Iceploration Austin and Grandpa with Huskies in the Arctic

Finally, the tropical Amazon Rainforest features squirrel monkeys, sun conures, macaws, frogs and a graceful dragonfly as part of the grand finale, including the show’s signature song called “Meet the World.”

Iceploration Grandpa and Austin in the Rainforest

Iceploration Acrobatic Monkeys in the Rainforest

Iceploration Dragonfly Solo Skater

“The grand scale of this show sets a new standard of entertainment that further solidifies Busch Gardens as one of Florida’s premier theme parks,” said Busch Gardens Park President Jim Dean. “Iceploration reintroduces the ice show to our most loyal fans while bringing together the things Busch Gardens stage productions do best: world-class entertainment with top-notch skaters, amazing costumes, original music, larger-than-life puppets and even animal stars.”

Iceploration performances are included with any daily park admission or annual Pass. For more information, visit BuschGardens.com.

Iceploration Finale in the Rainforest

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