Celebrating 30 years of Riverside’s Easter ice show with Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale
This month, Riverside Leisure Centre and Chelmsford Riverside Ice Skating Club present Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale, marking 30 years of the annual ice show.
With skaters of all levels making up the cast, from beginners to national competitors, this year’s Easter show promises to be as entertaining as ever.
Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale
Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale on Ice shares the story of a young princess with magical golden hair, locked away in a tower by a mysterious woman claiming to be her mother. When a charming thief stumbles into her life, Rapunzel takes the opportunity to escape her tower, and the pair go on a chaotic adventure together that leads her to discover her true lineage.
Chelmsford Riverside Ice Skating Club’s high-speed ice skating adventure will bring familiar characters to life with beautiful costumes, a sing-along soundtrack and inspiring local talent.
Skaters have been busy rehearsing the show in preparation for five days of performances in April.
Inspiring cast from Chelmsford Riverside Ice Skating Club
The show’s cast hail from Chelmsford Riverside Ice Skating Club, a group of skaters of all ages and all levels. Some newer members will be performing for the first time, while others have taken part in dozens of shows over the years.
The leading cast includes Elizabeth Dohnal as Rapunzel, a British championship competitor and medallist who recently placed third in the National Level 6 category, and Ellie-Rose Lawson as Lead Thug, who qualified for the Solo British Dance Championships taking place in April. Meanwhile, the ensemble cast includes skaters as young as six who are just starting out on the ice! The range of experience is a great insight into the club’s welcoming and nurturing culture.
Decades of strengthening Chelmsford’s ice skating community
As well as being a fun day out for families, over the last 30 years the annual ice show at Riverside has inspired hundreds of local children and adults to get into ice skating.
Riverside’s ice rink manager, Chris Evans, has found the show to be a popular way for people to become interested in the sport:
““The show is a great motivation for people to want to join the sport. Sometimes we see the fruits of that even years afterwards, with customers telling us they started after seeing one of the shows here. If you’re looking for a new sport or just a way to entertain the kids over the holidays, ice skating is a fantastic option – it’s great way to have fun and to get fit.”
Chris Evans, Ice Rink Manager, Riverside Leisure Centre
Riverside has been hosting ice shows since 1992 and, having taken a few years out due to Covid, the show is finally reaching its milestone 30th production in 2025.
Daniel Thomas, now a performance coach at Riverside Ice Skating Club, took part in the first ever show. This year, he’s co-directing Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale on Ice with his wife and fellow performance coach, Paula.
Daniel’s story is an example of how powerful the support of a community can be:
““I can still remember seeing my photo in the first show’s brochure as a young boy and now here I am co-directing the thirtieth along with my wife! There is a real sense of community among the club and the show only enhances that – it’s a great chance for skaters, trainers, and all the centre staff to come together and put on a show for our fantastic audiences.
Daniel Thomas, show director and coach, Chelmsford Riverside Ice Skating Club
“My talented wife Paula has directed the show many times before and now, after a four-year break, she’s back with a bang. We’ve enjoyed creating and directing the show together and can’t wait to finally share it when the performances begin later this month.”
Meet the ice show’s number one fan
Someone sure to be in the audience this Easter is Sheila Bowyer, an 89-year-old ice skater who took up skating just before her 50th birthday. Sheila is a regular at Riverside ice rink and has taken part in six annual ice shows! This year, she’s sticking to the audience, but says she hopes the show will encourage more people to give the sport a go:
““I love the show not just because it’s so entertaining but also because it tells the wider community that we’re here. Skating, and particularly the ice show, has given me a huge amount of pleasure and you can see how much fun the cast are having during the shows – I think that’s infectious.
Sheila Bowyer, amateur ice skater
“If you’re curious about skating, whatever your age, give it a go – if you don’t try you don’t know! I started thirty years ago with group ice skating sessions and I haven’t looked back. It’s still a huge part of my life.”
Let this tangled tale inspire you
Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale on Ice is at Riverside Leisure Centre from Wednesday 16 to Sunday 20 April. Tickets are available to book in person at the Chelmsford Theatre box office or online at https://www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk/event/rapunzel-a-tangled-tale-on-ice.
If you can’t wait until the show to meet your favourite characters, the cast of Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale on Ice will be visiting Chelmsford High Street on Friday 11 April. Head down to meet Rapunzel and her friends and enjoy Rapunzel-themed crafts and colouring-in sessions!
There are a variety of ice skating sessions available at Riverside, from family sessions to ice skating parties. Take a look at the full ice rink timetable online to find something suitable for you!
Molly writes stories about public health, community safety, leisure, community sport, parking and Chelmsford Market.