It seems as if Kings Island has decided to do away with an Ice-skating show this year and debut "Ed Alonzo’s Psycho Circus- Magic and Mayhem". I'm pretty exicted that Kings Island has decided to try a different type of show this year.

Your Thoughts?

Source: http://www.fansofkientertainment.com

So it's a magic show? They did have a show quite a few years ago called Forbidden Magic, it was really good! Of course with today's technology perhaps there will be even more tricks that will excite the audience...

Ed Alonzo done OK work when I saw his show at Knott's. I'm not sure though I like removing the ice skating show, took KI how many years to get one back? I think it be better suited for Festhaus. :/

Well, there goes one of the things that was special about going to KI.

It seems as if Kings Island has decided to do away with an Ice-skating show this year and debut "Ed Alonzo’s Psycho Circus- Magic and Mayhem". I'm pretty exicted that Kings Island has decided to try a different type of show this year.

Your Thoughts?

Source: http://www.fansofkientertainment.com

Wait a second....you mean to tell me they're doing a show that ISN'T a musical revue?! Somebody pinch me, I must be dreaming.

I don't care how good/bad this show is. It's freeing up a lot of capital for the entertainment department that the ice show was eating up. Hopefully they can use this as a means of doing some much-needed upgrades.

Cold.

Terpy, who just HAD to.

Since I have never enjoyed "cover version" shows this seems like a good idea to me...but I am probably in the minority. (The park should probably ask me what I think would be a good show...then do the opposite.)

^I tend to agree with that sentiment. While the musical revue shows in recent years have been VERY good, there has been very little variety aside from these types of shows. A magic show sounds pretty cool.

IMHO though... they need the roving entertainment. Bring back the clown band!

It seems like it would be a good haunt show. I wonder if the show will have a creepy or scary appeal to it.

It seems like it would be a good haunt show. I wonder if the show will have a creepy or scary appeal to it.

As its current incarnation as a Haunt show, it will most likely be tailored to fit a family audience for this run.

Did somebody say Ed Alanzo?

I was thrilled that KI got the ice show back after it being gone for so many years. I always loved seeing it way back in the day and then again in recent years, and now Mrs. Gator & GatorGirl did too. While I like the idea of a magic show (again), I hate to see it come at the expense of the ice show.

^I tend to agree with that sentiment. While the musical revue shows in recent years have been VERY good, there has been very little variety aside from these types of shows. A magic show sounds pretty cool.

IMHO though... they need the roving entertainment. Bring back the clown band!

I agree with Gordon. KI needs to have some roving entertainment like the clown band! They add so much to the atmosphere of the park! They are sorely missed. I remember them fondly from when I was a kid. They just add so much excitement to the park.

Below is a video from the "Untouchables" one of the last incarnations of the Kings Island clown band, albeit it much smaller than the original band. This clip is from the band playing in what is now the Action Zone.

I agree with Robbie and Ronny about having some type of roving entertainment make some type of return to Kings Island. Families really like spontaneity when visiting parks and with a new person at the helm who seems to promote family time then we have a chance of seeing something like that.

With the budget the entertainment had theses past few years we had little chance of a clown band type entertainment returning. The entertainment did an excellent job with the budget they have had.

I wonder if the Magic show cost of production over a season is lower than the Ice show and if so then hopefully that gives us a better chance of seeing some roving entertainment. Crossing Fingers.

It is cheaper... much much cheaper. Not that it's not a quality show, it's just that those ice shows are SO expensive.

Just be glad Mark Shapiro ain't in charge. His idea of a quality show was a DVD from eons ago playing. They only come to sit down, said he, so show them something from Dick Clark!

Thank Goodness for Al Weber and Jim Reid-Anderson.

I remember when Paramount`s Magic of the Movies was featured in the then Paramount Theater. That was a waste of my time that I`ll never get back. Included scenese from Titanic, etc.

If you looked at the ice shows, most of the actual skaters were NOT from the Cincinnati area, so I`d imagine the cost of the talent alone was much more expensive for the ice shows. Not to mention the maintenance and upkeep for the actual ice.

I would so love to see a return of the Kings of Komedy. Avatar hit the nail right on the head, when he said they added a sense of spontaneity that can`t be found with scheduled shows. It is all about that chance encounter on the midway that can make lasting memories.

It'll be odd not seeing an ice show there this year. I've always enjoyed the shows, but hopefully this one will be good as well.

A magic show is something I'd like to see, and yes, I'd like to see the Clown Band return. I suspect you'd have to get a band that was reserved in character, as one year the band jumped into the fountain, which seemed in poor taste at the time.

After seeing some promo shots on Ki's Facebook, I'm definitely going to have to see this show. I thought it was some old tired guy in a tux, but my mind has changed.

A magic show is something I'd like to see, and yes, I'd like to see the Clown Band return. I suspect you'd have to get a band that was reserved in character, as one year the band jumped into the fountain, which seemed in poor taste at the time.

Am I the only one that would be totally down with seeing a band randomly jumping into the fountain?

I would be totally down to see anybody jumping around in the fountain, i would pay to be able to do it!!!! Im looking forward to seeing this show,cant wait!

A magic show is something I'd like to see, and yes, I'd like to see the Clown Band return. I suspect you'd have to get a band that was reserved in character, as one year the band jumped into the fountain, which seemed in poor taste at the time.

Am I the only one that would be totally down with seeing a band randomly jumping into the fountain?

The only truly bum out about the band jumping in the fountain, is that it happened too soon after two people died in the pond. I suspect management thought it was in poor taste.

(edited to reflect Terp's correction.)

Two people died in the pond. The woman died at Flight Commander the same day. And the park, then and now, certainly doesn't want to encourage people to jump in the fountain or ponds. Monkey see....

I am all for the idea of new shows. I think the ice skating shows are monotnous sometimes. Need something to jazz up the year. I am not saying that the magic show is that jazz that we need however

Ed Alonzo done OK work when I saw his show at Knott's. I'm not sure though I like removing the ice skating show, took KI how many years to get one back? I think it be better suited for Festhaus. :/

I've performed and created several magic shows for Church's and TV. The Festhaus is definately not suited for the kind of Magic that Ed Alonzo performs as it requires the audience to be seated at all times. BTW...If you've ever watched the British Invasion Show...it's very annoying having guest come in from outside or from the food line, stand there in front of the Performers&Audience looking around as if nothing is going on looking for a place to sit. It just interferes with the theatrics. It almost reminds me of sitting in a movie theatre and you constantly have someone always getting in & out their seats in front of you.

I'm looking forward to it. The clips on his site look pretty good, and ice shows bore me.

I went on Saturday, June 2, 2012....and IT WAS TERRIBLE!!!

I saw the show 3 consecutive times and all 3 times it was a train wreck.

There were many, many technical issues with the mic cutting in and out, especially in the 3:30 p.m. performance. Alonzo finally walked off stage and got a stick mic, BUT EVEN THAT DIDN'T WORK and he threw it in a bucket.

In one act, the dog ("elephant") got stuck and Alonzo had to free it before it could run offstage.

At one point, the lights and siren went off prematurely.

At another point, the gun didn't "shoot" (the bangs didn't sound).

And how tacky is THIS?? Alonzo didn't know the names of the girl dancers and was clearly reading their names off of name tags that taped behind the light board at the front of the stage!! Arghhh

I will give them a one-time pass given that today was the FIRST DAY of the show.

The whole show, however, is VERY amateurish. It's not hard to figure out each and every trick/illusion. For example, when the kid that Alonzo "randomly" (set up before show) picks from the audience shoots the gun and makes things fall down, it's clear Alonzo has a remote control clicker (garage door opener) in his hand and simply pushes the button to make the effects happen.

Also, when the kid picks the card, it is ALWAYS the 10 of clubs.

I hope and trust this show will get better with each performance, but FOR NOW, IT'S A DISAPPOINTMENT!!

I myself enjoyed the show but there were parts of the show which I thought were rather raunchy for a family audience.