Stars on Ice has proven to be the world’s premier figure skating tour, presenting Olympic and World champions to its fans across the globe.
“The greatest ice show on earth started with such a simple notion. Back in 1986, we wanted to create a show that was all about skating. We believed our fans would appreciate sophisticated skating, cutting-edge costumes and challenging choreography. After 30 years, I am honored by the success of our simple notion. Stars on Ice exists to entertain you. But it has also given me the incredible opportunity to do the work I love and am proud of. For that, I humbly thank you.”
– Scott Hamilton
In 1986, Olympic champion Scott Hamilton and his manager, Robert D. Kain of IMG, conceived the idea for Stars on Ice - after Hamilton's contract with Ice Capades was not renewed.
A few months later, Hamilton opened his America Tour in five cities and this became the prototype for future Stars on Ice shows. The format incorporated both group and solo numbers with the assistance of lighting designers, sound engineers and choreographers. The original cast included Hamilton (who also served as co-producer), Toller Cranston and Rosalynn Sumners.
Later that same year, Kain first suggested the name Stars on Ice. Such notable guest stars as Dorothy Hamill and Robin Cousins joined the company of skaters for several shows which eventually expanded to 30 cities. Over the years, Stars on Ice has been an appropriate title with such co-headliners as Jo Jo Starbuck & Ken Shelley, Brian Orser, Kurt Browning, Paul Wylie, Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean, Kristi Yamaguchi, Ekaterina Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov, Tara Lipinski, Katarina Witt, Ilia Kulik, Jamie Sale & David Pelletier, Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze, Alexei Yagudin, Sarah Hughes, Evan Lysacek and Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao among the performers. The Tour played its 1000th U.S. performance in March, 2008 in Philadelphia, and regularly tours in Canada, Japan, China, Korea, and Europe.
Stars on Ice continues to be unique among ice shows, not only with its high profile of skating's most prominent stars, but a level of production second to none. The tour has won four Emmy Awards for Stars on Ice in Choreography and Costume Design. The production also won an ACE Cable Award for the Best Sports Special.
All over the world, Stars on Ice continues to prove itself as the world's premier ice show by offering the very best in championship skating. Each season, Stars on Ice strives to bring a unique skating, musical, and visual experience to each and every audience.
Look back on each year below. You will find the cast list, program cover, photos, music and even a special trip down memory lane with our Stars on Ice family.
October, 1986: Scott Hamilton 'America' Tour debuts, starting in Orono, ME and travels to Burlington, VT; Durham, NH; Morristown, NJ; and Philadelphia, PA.
December, 1986: Stars on Ice hits the road headlining Scott Hamilton and Rosalynn Sumners. Scheduled cities were medium-size and primarily located in the East and Midwest.
1987-1988 Tour: Discover Card becomes the title sponsor with Plymouth as the presenting sponsor. The Tour plays 36 shows in its first full season.
1989: Kitty and Peter Carruthers join the tour which further increases the versatility of the tour.
1990: Canada becomes part of the Stars on Ice schedule.
September, 1991: Former Cast Member Rob McCall dies from AIDS.
1991-1992 Tour: The baseball number provides the impetus for the wonderful, full-cast ensemble productions that would follow.
1992: Two major performances televised by Turner Broadcasting and NBC. The Tour will win four Emmy Awards and one ACE Cable award for its television productions in the years to come.
1992: World Champion Kurt Browning becomes the first major amateur skater on the Stars on Ice Tour as he headlines the Canadian Tour.
1992-1993: Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi joins the Tour. Sandra Bezic is hired as Director/Choreographer.
February 19, 1993: The show's first appearance at Madison Square Garden.
1994: Scott, Brian, Rosalynn, Kitty, and Peter lead a tribute to the '84 Olympics in Sarajevo.
1994: Katarina Witt joins Stars on Ice; Kurt Browning expands his participation to the U.S. Tour.
1994-1995 Tour: The return of Gordeeva & Grinkov following their second Olympic Gold in Lillehammer; cast features total of six Olympic Gold Medals.
November 20, 1995: Sergei Grinkov collapses and dies of a heart attack at SOI rehearsals.
February 27, 1996: Stars on Ice presents Celebration of a Life, a prime time CBS special featuring the return to the ice of Ekaterina Gordeeva.
1996-1997 Tour: Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean join the Tour. Ekaterina Gordeeva tours as a solo skater. Smucker's becomes the presenting sponsor of the Tour.
March, 1997: Scott Hamilton is diagnosed with testicular cancer.
1997-98 Tour: Scott Hamilton returns to the ice to perform in Stars on Ice. Stars on Ice gets a private jet that helps to relieve travel difficulties.
1998: Tara Lipinski and Ilia Kulik, fresh off Olympic Gold in Nagano, Japan, join the Tour. Target becomes Title Sponsor.
2000-01 Tour: Scott Hamilton Farewell Tour.
2001-02 Tour: Smucker's becomes Title Sponsor.
2002: Alexei Yagudin and the Golden Pairs (Sale & Pelletier and Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze) join the cast.
2005-06 Tour: 20th Anniversary Season.
2007-08 Tour: Olympic Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen joins the Tour. Tour plays one month in Japan. 1,000th U.S.Stars on Ice performance on March 13, 2008, in Philadelphia.
2010 Tour: After winning an Olympic Gold Medal in Vancouver, Evan Lysacek performs in 26 shows while competing in ABC's Dancing With The Stars throughout the tour. The Canadian Tour sells out multiple shows.
2010-11 Tour: Stars on Ice celebrates 25th Anniversary Tour in 25 U.S. markets.
2011-12 Tour: Stars on Ice produces show for 10th Anniversary of Salt Lake City Olympics featuring SLOC President and CEO, Mitt Romney.
2012-13 Tour: Dorothy Hamill joins to perform in Kurt Browning's final U.S. Tour. 250th Canadian performance on May 3, 2013 in Saskatoon, SK.
2014 Tour: Medal winners from the inaugural Olympic Team Figure Skating event headline the U.S. and Canadian Tours. Meryl Davis & Charlie White, Olympic Champions, perform in all U.S. shows while appearing on Dancing With the Stars.
2016 Tour: Ashley Wagner, Maia & Alex Shibutani and Madison Chock & Evan Bates join the tour after winning medals at the 2016 World Championships in Boston.
2018 Tour: The U.S. Bronze Medal-winning team, led by World Champion Nathan Chen and Dancing with the Stars winner Adam Rippon, headlines the U.S. tour. The Canadian tour sells out shows from coast to coast.
2022 Tour: After missing two seasons due to the COVID pandemic and cancelling shows for the first time in its history, Stars on Ice returns with its biggest tour in more than a decade. The U.S. tour features Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Chen and the U.S. Olympic Silver-Medal winning team, while the Canada tour adds Elladj Baldé to the cast.
