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Feld Entertainment

Feld Entertainment Inc. is an American privately held live show production company which owns a number of traveling shows. The company began with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus before expanding into additional live events, including Disney on Ice (under license from the Walt Disney Company), Monster Jam, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, the SuperMotocross World Championship and Sesame Street Live (under license from Sesame Workshop). The company is family-owned.

History

In 1967, promoters Irvin Feld and Israel Feld, as well as former Houston, Texas, mayor Roy M. Hofheinz made an offer to purchase the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from John Ringling North and other minority shareholders associated with the family. Broadway producers Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin sued in December 1967 to stop the sale.[1] Nevertheless, the purchase of the combined circuses from the Ringling and North families to the Feld group took place for $8 million. The company was taken public in 1969.[2] Kenneth Feld joined the business in 1970 after finishing college.[3]

In 1971, the Mattel toy manufacturer purchased the company's outstanding shares in 1971 for $50 million in stock, and Irvin Feld continued in his role as manager and producer of the circus.[2] After Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida, in 1971, Mattel attempted to cash in on the tourism surge by opening Circus World in nearby Haines City.[4] Irvin & Kenneth Feld Productions in 1979 purchased from Chicago-based Bill Wirtz the Holiday on Ice and Ice Follies for $12 million. The company soon approached Disney about doing a Disney show on ice.[5] By 1980, the company produced 10 circus and ice show TV specials. An investment was also made in Barnum, the Broadway musical.[4] In 1981, Ken Feld started the Beyond Belief show at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino.[6][7]

The Felds bought the company back in 1982 for $22.8 million. By then, the business included Holiday on Ice, Ice Follies, Walt Disney's World on Ice, and Beyond Belief starring Las Vegas magicians Siegfried and Roy.[2] Circus World was sold to Arizona developer James Monaghan in 1984.[8] Ringlings' third touring company, Gold Unit, premiered on July 1, 1988, in Japan and the smaller production, which later toured on trucks, was eventually routed into towns that were too small for the larger circus units. In late 1988, Beyond Belief began an international tour, which included New York's Radio City Music Hall and venues in Japan.[6]

Feld Entertainment

In 1996-10, Irvin & Kenneth Feld Productions, Inc. changed its name to Feld Entertainment, Inc.[9] In 2001, Ken Feld began gifting shares of Feld Entertainment to his three daughters Nicole, Alana and Juliette Feld.[3] Nicole was hired into the family business in 2001 and became the first female producer of the Ringling Bros. Circus in 2004. Alana also signed on in 2003.[10]

Due to an accident in October 2003, the Siegfried & Roy show was closed at the Mirage Hotel.[7] The following June, Feld Entertainment began producing Disney Live! with a Winnie the Pooh live show in the United Kingdom.[11] Alana produced the first Doodlebops Live! in 2006.[10] In 2006, Nicole was a vice president in charge of the circus.[3] The company sold its Vienna, Virginia headquarters in May 2006 to America's Capital Partners then leased it back until 2018. In 2007, Nicole and Alana were elevated to executive vice president of the company.[10]

The company signed a 10-year agreement with Disney Live Family Entertainment for Disney on Ice, Disney Live and other Disney productions in August 2008.[7] In September, Feld also acquired the motorsports division of Live Nation, including the properties of Monster Jam (and several associated monster trucks), Supercross, Arenacross, and the IHRA. The motor sport division was renamed Feld Entertainment Motor Sports.[12] Feld Motor Sports launched its first new arena-based freestyle motocross touring production, Nuclear Cowboyz, in 2010.[13] Feld Motor Sports sold the IHRA to IRG Sports + Entertainment in 2012.[14]

Feld Entertainment and Zignia Live, management company of Arena Ciudad de Mexico and Arena Monterrey, signed a promotion agreement in April 2011 which brought various Feld productions to Zingia's managed arenas for a total of 18 weeks. Among the shows that toured Mexico was Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey which returned in May 2012 after an absence of ten years.[15]

In January 2012, the company purchased Palmetto Corporate Center, a former Siemens Corp. complex in Ellenton, Florida, and over a five-year period moved most of its operations and world headquarters, as well as its production center, to the complex.[16] Feld Entertainment also occupies a 241,457-square-foot warehouse in the Baltimore-Washington Industrial Park, Jessup, Maryland where it stores and distributes merchandise and souvenirs for its various productions.[17] In 2015, Feld Motor Sports HQ moved from Illinois to Ellenton.[18]

In March 2013, Feld agreed with Marvel Entertainment, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 2009, to produce Marvel Universe Live!, a Marvel character-based live arena show.[19] Marketing campaign company Cimarron Group was hired in 2013 by Feld Entertainment for all media campaign for Marvel Live and other Feld shows.[20] The Cimarron Group however shut down August 2013.[21]

Juliette Feld was promoted to chief operating officer of the family-owned business in February 2016.[22] In November 2016, Feld Entertainment and Sesame Workshop announced an agreement for a new Sesame Street Live show to debut in October 2017 to replace one by VStar Entertainment Group ending in July 2017.[23][24]

Citing low attendance rates and high operating costs, Feld Entertainment announced the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus would close after their final performance on May 21, 2017. The retirement of the elephants was a factor in the decreased attendance, but the company would continue operating its Center for Elephant Conservation.[25] The newly "reimagined" circus opened in Bossier City, Louisiana on September 29, 2023, but without any animal acts.[26]

In 2018, Feld Entertainment and Universal Brand Development agreed to develop multiple properties into mobile pop-up attractions.

Units

Feld Entertainment owns:

  • Feld Consumer Products, concession and merchandising division in Jessup, Maryland[27]
  • Feld Motor Sports, Inc.[28]
  • Monster Jam
  • AMA Supercross Championship
  • SuperMotocross World Championship
  • International Hot Rod Association Nitro Jam (2008–2012)[14]
  • Nuclear Cowboyz (2010–2013)[13]
  • Hagenbeck–Wallace, Inc., a property, costume and scenic design company[27]
  • Ice Follies And Holiday on Ice, Inc.[6] produces:
  • Disney on Ice, originally Walt Disney's World on Ice[2]
  • Classic Ice Spectaculars[27]
  • Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus[2] (1967–2017, 2023–)[25][26]

Live show productions

Disney Live!

  • Winnie the Pooh (2004-6–2005) United Kingdom, Spain, The Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand (2005-7-29–2006) USA (2006–) Japan[11]
  • Mickey’s Magic Show[27]
  • Playhouse Disney / Disney Junior Live:
  • Playhouse Disney Live on Tour! (launched 2007-8-25) focuses on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny and My Friends Tigger & Pooh characters of Playhouse Disney shows and produced by Ken and Alana Feld.[29]
  • Mickey's Rockin' Road Show was created in early 2009 and is on its second tour starting in 2010-7. The show has 15-minute interactive pre-show segment, Playhouse Disney Pre-Show Party, with video highlights.[30]
  • Pirate & Princess Adventure features Sofia the First and Jake and the Never Land Pirates[31]
  • Three Classic Fairy Tales (opened May 2008 in China[27][32])
  • Mickey's Music Festival[33]
  • Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic (Brazil: 2015-4–2016) (US: Early 2016–) The show is directed and choreographed by Fred Tallaksen and produced by Alana Feld.[34]

Others

  • Doodlebops Live! (2006–[10])
  • High School Musical Summer Celebration (2009–[10])
  • Marvel Universe Live! (2014-7-10 – June 2024)[19][35]
  • George Lucas' Super Live Adventure, premiere in Yokohama, Japan on 1993-4-27 with a 22-week tour there. "Willow," "American Graffiti," the Indiana Jones series, "Tucker" and the "Star Wars" movies were all included in the story.[36]
  • Goosebumps–Live on Stage
  • Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best Live Tour Ever![37] (August 2011 – February 2013)[38]
  • Sesame Street Live (October 2017 – February 2023)[23]
  • Sesame Street, Beaches Resorts
  • Sesame Street, SeaWorld theme parks
  • Sesame Street, Sesame Place in Middletown Township, PA and Chula Vista, CA.
  • Jurassic World Live Tour (September 2019 – 2024) started in Columbus, Ohio moved across part of the Midwest and East Coast[39][40]

Pop-up attractions

  • DreamWorks Trolls: The Experience[41] (New York: October 22, 2018)[42]

Theatrical

(most on Broadway):

  • Big[43]
  • Barnum[4]
  • Largely New York
  • Fool Moon
  • MADhattan in Las Vegas[27]
  • Three Musketeers musical (1984)[43]

External links

  • feldmotorsportsonline.com, Feld Motor Sports, Inc, subsidiary producer of Monster Jam, Supercross, Arenacross, Nuclear Cowboyz
  • disneylive.com, license property show produced by Feld
  • www.trollstheexperience.com, DreamWorks Trolls The Experience

References

  1. Louis Calta. Feuer and Martin Suing Felds Over Circus Sale The New York Times, December 5, 1967, retrieved July 20, 2008^
  2. Feld Family Buys Ringling Bros Associated Press in The New York Times, March 19, 1982, retrieved July 20, 2008^
  3. Thomas Heath. Feld Entertainment head prepares to pass his empire to his daughters Washington Post, June 15, 2012, retrieved May 11, 2013^
  4. Dolly Langdon. Lord of the Rings Irvin Feld Has Made a Fading Circus the Greatest Show on Earth Again People, May 12, 1980, retrieved August 4, 2015^
  5. Steve Dale. Snow White And Greenbacks Chicago Tribune, January 20, 1995, retrieved July 30, 2015^
  6. Disney Ice Extravaganza Opens Los Angeles Times, July 1, 1988, retrieved August 10, 2015^
  7. Lloyd Grove. The World According to Kenneth Feld Upstart Business Journal, American City Business Journals, August 28, 2008, retrieved August 3, 2015^
  8. Vicki Vaughan. Circus World Sold And Closed Orlando Sentinel, May 14, 1986, retrieved August 4, 2015^
  9. Feld Entertainment, Inc. Event SunBiz.og, State of Florida Division of Corporation, retrieved July 30, 2015^
  10. Joan Tupponce. Think your office is a circus? Virginia Business, July 29, 2009, retrieved August 8, 2015^
  11. 'Disney Live! Winnie The Pooh to play at the Beacon Theatre New York Theatre Guide, September 20, 2005, retrieved August 8, 2015^
  12. Tierney Plumb. Feld Entertainment enters motor sports business Washington Business Journal, September 11, 2009, retrieved May 11, 2013^
  13. Andre Malok. Nuclear Cowboyz: Jersey boy goes airborne at the IZOD Center NJ.com, NJ Advance Media, February 28, 2014, retrieved July 31, 2015^
  14. Jessica Boudevin, Linda Deckard. Drag Racing Firm Scores Major Financing Venues Today, October 7, 2014, retrieved May 30, 2017^
  15. Liz Boardman. Brave New World Venues Today, June 4, 2011, retrieved January 17, 2017^
  16. Doug Sword. Feld Entertainment moving headquarters to Ellenton Herald-Tribune, January 31, 2012, retrieved May 11, 2013^
  17. Kevin Litten. Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey to store circus merchandise in a huge Jessup warehouse Baltimore Business Journal, American City Business Journals, October 17, 2013, retrieved August 13, 2015^
  18. Janelle O’Dea Janelle O’Dea. Feld Entertainment gave executives $1.5 million in raises in 2015 Bradenton Herald, May 20, 2017, retrieved May 1, 2018^
  19. Marvel, circus company join forces for superhero arena show Los Angeles Times, March 13, 2013, retrieved May 11, 2013^
  20. Marc Graser. Feld Entertainment Taps Cimarron to Market Marvel's Superhero Arena Show Chicago Tribune, Tribune Publishing, July 15, 2013, retrieved January 20, 2017^
  21. Marc Graser. Is 'Marvel Universe Live!' the Comic Book Company's 'Cirque du Marvel'? Chicago Tribune, Tribune Publishing, October 14, 2013, retrieved January 20, 2017^
  22. Juliette Feld Appointed COO Venues Today, February 17, 2016, retrieved January 19, 2017^
  23. Rebecca Nakashima. VStar Finds New CEO Venues Today, April 6, 2016, retrieved January 19, 2017^
  24. 'Sesame Street' to Take the Stage License! Global, UBM, November 18, 2016, retrieved January 17, 2017^
  25. Tamara Lush. APNewsBreak: Ringling Bros. circus to close after 146 years The Big Story, January 14, 2017, retrieved January 17, 2017^
  26. Sadrah Maslin Nir. Ringling Circus Is Returning. Lions, Tigers and Dumbo Are Not. The New York Times, May 18, 2022, retrieved 28 July 2022^
  27. Feld Entertainment, Inc Company profile eswr.com, Feld Entertainment, Inc, retrieved August 14, 2015^
  28. Missy Frederick. With new motor sports unit, Feld Entertainment battles recession Washington Business Journal, June 1, 2009, retrieved August 7, 2015^
  29. Playhouse Disney Live! Brings Disney Channel Favorities Together on Stage to 70 U.S. Cities in Their First Live Touring Production Feld Entertainment, retrieved August 13, 2015^
  30. Brad Newman. Disney characters take center stage Amarillo Globe-News, October 14, 2010, retrieved August 12, 2015^
  31. Disney Junior Live: Pirate & Princess Adventure Overview The New York Times, retrieved August 13, 2015^
  32. Katrina Tulloch. Belle, Snow White and Cinderella coming to 'Disney LIVE!' at The Oncenter this fall The Post-Standard, Syracuse Media Group, May 8, 2015, retrieved August 11, 2015^
  33. Mickey's Music Festival brings Disney fun to Shore Delmarva Now, Gannett, November 19, 2014, retrieved August 13, 2015^
  34. Dave Brooks. The Future of Feld is Now Amplify Magazine, April 16, 2015, retrieved August 12, 2015^
  35. Sharon Kennedy Wynne. Ambitious Marvel stunt show makes world premiere in Tampa Tampa Bay Times, July 1, 2014, retrieved July 29, 2014^
  36. Multimedia Show Recreates Spirit of George Lucas Films Christian Science Monitor, February 22, 1993, retrieved August 14, 2015^
  37. 'Phineas and Ferb: The Best Live Tour Ever!' coming to Columbus retrieved 2012-07-15^
  38. Jerry Beck. Behold The Sheer Horror of "Phineas and Ferb – Live!" IndieWire, January 9, 2015, retrieved May 29, 2018^
  39. James Grebey. Jurassic World Live Tour's Challenge is Making Movie Dinosaurs Live April 10, 2019, retrieved April 13, 2019^
  40. Ken Storey. After killing off Ringling Brothers, Feld Entertainment now turns to a new Jurassic World arena show Orlando Weekly, January 29, 2018, retrieved May 1, 2018^
  41. Alexandra Whyte. Universal, Feld develop Trolls interactive attraction Kidscreen, Brunico Communications Ltd., May 1, 2018, retrieved May 1, 2018^
  42. Arlene Gross. New 'DreamWorks Trolls' event coming to NYC Newsday, July 31, 2018, retrieved August 15, 2018^
  43. Thomas Heath. The man behind the 'Greatest Show on Earth' The Washington Post, May 3, 2010, retrieved January 19, 2017^