There’s no business like snow business

There’s a special kind of magic that descends upon arenas and theatres during the festive season – and no, we’re not talking about C-list celebrities indulging in slapstick humour and cheeky one-liners in the same pantos year after year. We’re referring to the thrill of family entertainment and best-selling shows like Disney on Ice, The Snowman, and more contemporary fare such as The Fairytale of New York.

Such shows don’t just pack out seats – they bring in the next generation of eventgoers, making kids’ eyes light up and turning once-a-year visitors into lifelong fans. For arena execs and producers, these performances are golden – they’re the moments where memories are made, loyalty is forged, and footfall skyrockets in the most joyful way possible.

But how do these shows keep things fresh, enticing families to return season after season? The business behind the curtain is a well-oiled machine, balancing nostalgia with novelty and seasonal blockbusters with strategic programming throughout the year. From the meticulous planning of show content – jokes for all ages, multi-generational appeal – to the latest tech upgrades and irresistible merch, producers are constantly evolving. Throw in marketing strategies that target both parents and kids, and it’s clear that family entertainment is far more than just a show; it’s a well-timed, carefully orchestrated experience designed to shape audiences for life.

According to Jon Conway of World’s Biggest Productions Ltd, a gap in the market existed because many typical tours wind down in mid-December, leaving theatres and arenas with empty calendar days. “Only Disney were touring family product in a few venues over Christmas,” he says; 30 years of experience meant he understood the market more than most, leading him to start his company – responsible for Elf the Musical – in 2015.

And he wasn’t the only one. “Prestige Productions realised there was a gap for additional Christmas shows that weren’t panto,” says the company’s Ross Mills. That led to them developing, among others, The Fairytale of New York, So This Is Christmas, and The Overtones Good Times Tour. And, in short order, such shows have become key revenue generators on both the arena/theatre side and the production/promotion side.

“These shows sell tens of thousands of tickets for us”

“These shows sell tens of thousands of tickets for us,” says Mills, the co-producer and executive director of The Fairytale of New York. “Fairytale sold nearly 150,00 tickets alone in 2023.”

“Our The Snowman tour is generally our biggest and longest output of work each year,” comments Rachel Whibley, managing director of Carrot Productions. “It would be hard to imagine the company being financially viable without it.”

Of course, there is more than one aspect to ‘success’ here. Partly, it’s the simple economics of selling enough tickets to make such shows profitable enough; as Richard Perry of Credwch Limited, responsible for the Cardiff Christmas Festival, puts it, “Our events require big investments in event infrastructure, which always puts a strain on commercial returns.”

But it’s also an opportunity to develop some brand loyalty, either to a particular venue or type of show, and as these are family events, to enchant the next generation of event-going fans so that they’ll return every year, well into adulthood.

“Certain shows become traditions for people to come to, and it’s so wonderful to see audiences coming back year after year as part of their seasonal celebrations,” says Ollie Rosenblatt, CEO of Senbla, the company behind the live-in-concert version of Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol.

“With our Hey Duggee and Bluey productions, we’ve been fortunate enough to be many children’s first experience of live theatre,” says Cuffe & Taylor’s Benjamin Hatton. “There’s something magical about live performance that can’t be replicated by watching a screen,” adds Martin McInulty, GM of first direct arena in Leeds, noting that such experiences don’t simply develop a love for live events. “Who knows what exposure to such events may lead to – some may take inspiration and pursue a career within the industry.”

“We are an audience feeder system for the entire live events industry”

“Every kid remembers their parent/s or grandparent/s taking them to their first show – that creates magical moments, and in turn drives them to bring their own children,” says Denis Sullivan, VP of international tours for Feld Entertainment. “We are an audience feeder system for the entire live events industry.”

Perhaps the best example of this is to be found at London’s The O2. “Since first coming to The O2 back in 2007, Young Voices have performed at the venue over 80 times and introduced over 650,000 children to the venue,” says the European vice president of venue programming, Emma Bownes. “Not only do many of those children return as live music fans in future years, but a recent Nielsen report found that 43% of parents attending Young Voices go on to research future O2 events and 33% book a ticket. That’s a whole new audience for us.”

It’s behind you!
An obvious issue with festive shows is the reliance on classic IP and themes to ensure familiarity yet delivering something fresh and new each year to keep fans interested and coming back. For some, such as Cuffe & Taylor, this is not such a big issue. “We consider any production if we know the audience will respond well, even if there’s some overlap,” says Hatton. “Pantomime is a great example – audiences come back year after for the quality, not necessarily for complete novelty.”

“I’d say it’s the one time of the year where not straying too far from what people are used to is even more important, so we don’t want to reinvent the wheel,” concurs Rosenblatt. “Christmas is about tradition – that means the same things over and over again but done with love.”

“People like consistency – this is important with Christmas,” says Lucy Noble, artistic director of AEG Presents UK and the producer of Christmas orchestral concerts at the Royal Festival Hall in London. “Of course, I mix it up, but the most important factor is to deliver excellence and build the brand in a positive way – that way, people will come back.”

“No two shows are ever the same – it’s the beauty of live that anything could and does happen”

Yet for others, refreshing much-loved events is essential to keeping them relevant – and profitable. “Over 100,000 fans come to see Disney on Ice at The O2 each Christmas, and to ensure these families keep returning, it’s really important that the show’s content varies from year to year,” says Bownes. This variation includes a “unique theme, look, and feel,” according to Sullivan from Feld, the company behind Disney on Ice – “we’re always updating the shows with new content,” he says.

Another of their extravaganzas, Monster Jam, is, he adds, a “fantastic example” of changing things up. “No two shows are ever the same – it’s the beauty of live that anything could and does happen. Evolving the show and the tech behind it is a process that never stops, and we have dedicated R&D teams working constantly to push the boundaries.”

For Monster Jam, those boundaries are mostly bigger, higher, and noisier. For more traditional stage shows, the challenge is to impress fans and audiences accustomed to CGI and the seamless special effects of TV and film within the confines of a finite – and often technically limited – space. “We constantly strive to up the ‘wow’ factor,” says James Shone, MD of Shone Productions (The Magical Adventures of Peter Pan). “We incorporate innovative set designs, outrageous costumes, and special effects, such as 3D animations and flying-without-wire systems.”

“We have a life-size galleon that sails 15 pirates around the arena floor in Peter Pan, and a snowball fight with 6,000 people in Elf,” adds Conway. He cautions, though, that what makes his shows work is “heart” and ensuring a very human connection. “It’s about making everyone feel part of a special experience, even in a big auditorium.”

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas
Some festive shows however, by their very nature, eschew such technical and visual wizardry. Lucy Noble’s shows rely on “the most amazing orchestras – and the focus should be on them.” Similarly, IMG’s Film Concerts Live present major films in concert venues with a live orchestral accompaniment, the focus being very much on the music.

And then there’s a whole evening’s worth of family entertainment in spiegeltents, a concept imported from – but still prominent in – Germany and Austria. “It is tradition for families in German-speaking countries to attend a show or musical during the festive season,” says Ralf Kokemüller, managing director and producer for Limelight Live Entertainment GmbH. “Occupancy over Christmas is very high.”

“We always keep the show to a maximum of one hour and ten minutes, to keep the children engrossed and run multiple shows on key weekends”

“We are a little more than ‘just’ a show,” says Michaela Töpfer, general manager of Palazzo Produktionen GmbH, of their three-and-a-half hour events. Consisting of a stage spectacular – “always full of comedy and breathtaking acrobatics,” she says – a four-course menu from a local chef, and a mirror tent, the capacity for each performance is typically around 450 people, and they do five to six shows a week.

“We have great light and sound but no screens – we create our effects with haze,” she says of their USP. It’s a remarkably popular – and durable – format. “Last season, we had 150,000 guests from November 2023 to March 2024 – half of that comes from the B2B sector – and we have two spiegeltents up all year round – in Berlin and Vienna.”

Something for everyone
Töpfer notes that in her shows, jokes are often aimed at adults but remain family-friendly – on Sundays, children get half-price tickets. This is often a key tension within live family entertainment – appealing to multiple generations in terms of humour, cultural references, themes, and even duration.

“Always inoffensive, always a sing-along treat,” says Perry of his productions. “Plus, we always keep the show to a maximum of one hour and ten minutes, to keep the children engrossed and run multiple shows on key weekends.”

“It’s important to have a balance – people need to be wowed and engaged by what’s physically going on, but the script and the narrative get more attention from the adults,” says Rosenblatt. “Absolute quality does cross generations.”

That “something for everyone” ethos is often present in the very IP the show is based on, making it easy to market as fun for all the family. “Christmas movies, like Home Alone, include jokes and themes for all generations – the slapstick scenes are hilarious for the kids,” says Femke Lenau, director for film with orchestra and conductors for IMG Artists Europe. “And some films aren’t just a generational bridge – they’re a cultural bridge, too, so work just as well in non-English speaking markets.”

“You need to make a big splash at launch but save enough budget to maintain momentum as you approach opening – that’s the trickiest part”

“We don’t ever dumb down,” says Whibley. “The innate humour in all the Wallace & Gromit shows we stage is great for this as there is something for everyone on many different levels.”

When it comes to marketing, many smaller productions focus on the local – stage schools, councils, charities, and local sponsors. Partly, this is due to the community aspect of such shows and building something that can grow and thrive organically. For bigger “destination” type events, though, it’s a mix of the traditional – billboards, ads in print publications – and the new, such as paid and organic social media posts, TikTok, and cleverly using data.

Ross Mills says Prestige Productions spends seven figures annually on various forms of marketing, creating both regional and national campaigns; Jon Conway notes that “legacy media does not show returns anymore – we are constantly evolving new marketing patterns.”

As always, timing can be everything – as is not spending unnecessarily. “You need to make a big splash at launch but save enough budget to maintain momentum as you approach opening – that’s the trickiest part,” says Hatton.

There are monsters amongst us
As for the future, those working in this sector are keenly aware of the need to continuously develop, diversify, and expand their offering – resting on their (Christmas) laurels is not an option. “Spectacle” seems to be the watchword for many; as Benjamin Hatton says, noting Live Nation’s interest in AEW Wrestling and Hot Wheels Monster Trucks, “Who wouldn’t want to see a giant monster truck flying 60 feet across an arena?”

Jon Conway is developing an “experience walkaround show rather than just strictly performance led,” something he believes to be a major new developing market, while Ollie Rosenblatt thinks the time is right for more artist-driven, concept-based shows. Plus, he adds, “non-traditional circus, magic, and acrobatic shows are all great entertainment for the whole family – these are exciting for the market.”

“These events are shared experiences of joy and celebration”

A Zombies versus Descendants show may, according to Emma Bownes, be in the pipeline – “I’m really excited to see that!” she says – and it’s also natural that immersive and AI content remains ripe for exploitation and experimentation, particularly with regards to existing TV, film, and gaming IP. “We’re keeping our eye on new productions and ideas, such as innovative takes on classic stories and unique themed experiences, such as dinosaurs and superheroes,” says Shone. “The fresh concepts are generating buzz and piquing the interest of both audiences and industry professionals.”

But, cautions Perry, “I think there’ll be a huge demand for the traditional, the simple, and the wholesome, too – we’ll stick to that.”

After all, that’s what keeps the festive show tradition strong – and keeps generations flocking back. “At this time of year, people are after a communal experience and something fun and joyous they can bring their families to,” says Noble. Deliver that and you’re onto a winner.

“These events are shared experiences of joy and celebration,” adds Hatton. “And what better way to celebrate family and friendship than through a great show or concert.”

The business of family ents and touring exhibitions is the focus of ILMC Touring Entertainment LIVE, a dedicated one-day event that takes place in London on 26 February during ILMC. More info: 37.ilmc.com/tel

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