Stars on Ice anticipate a slick show

Hamilton farewell program

Scott Hamilton is saying goodbye. And then he's saying goodbye again. And again. He's doing this 66 times in 132 days.

A tour that arduous can get tiring. Good thing Tucson will get the skaters of the 2000-2001 Target Stars on Ice while they're still relatively fresh - the Old Pueblo is the eighth stop on the tour.

The show hits the Tucson Convention Center at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Fans of ice skating on television might have already gotten a preview of coming attractions: The Lake Placid, N.Y., show aired Dec. 15 on CBS.

For Hamilton, the tour's star and founder, it's the 15th and final time that he'll dance across the country with the former Olympic gold medalists and world champions of Stars on Ice.

"I love this year's production," Hamilton said in a telephone interview from Greensboro, N.C.

"Some parts are dedicated to my farewell, and some parts take on new avenues. We've got a really great Western piece in there, and a really great golf piece as well."

Hamilton, 42, plans on cutting back on performances after the tour. He plans on exploring other skating entertainment avenues after the season. For an in-depth look at Scott Hamilton, check out today's Accent section.

World-renowned stars, including Steven Cousins, Kristi Yamaguchi and Tara Lipinski, also star in the production.

Missing from the tour is two-time Olympic champion Ekaterina Gordeeva, who has co-headlined the production since 1991. Gordeeva plans on returning to the show for the 2001-2002 season.

The two-hour show is full of soul music and energetic, themed ice dancing. Performers will strut their stuff to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," James Brown's "I Feel Good" and other classics.

One number features Hamilton performing to Mickey Jones' "Double Bogey Blues," demonstrating his affection for golf.

Another highlight is the 12-minute "Tunnel Vision" segment. Nearly all of the stars take turns performing on a prop-filled stage with a tunnel, 10 chairs, a cell phone and three microphones as a montage of 12 songs blasts in the background.

Tickets cost $43 and $56, and are available at the Tucson Convention Center box office and Ticketmaster.

"Whenever we've been in Tucson in the past, it's been a packed house," Hamilton said. "Hopefully we'll see that this year."

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Target House, which temporarily houses patients and families with children suffering from life-threatening diseases. Last season's tour generated $250,000 for the charity.