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WILKES-BARRE — The Diamond City Figure Skating Club will turn Coal Street into Broadway for a day in its annual holiday performance Sunday at the Toyota Sportsplex in Wilkes-Barre.
The Wilkes-Barre group will perform “Broadway On Ice” at the Penguins practice facility beginning at 3 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for teens and adults, and $2 for children.
A portion of the proceeds will go to aid Diamond City Figure Skating Club coach Stevie Capece Sciandra’s fight against cancer.
Diamond City is comprised of 32 boys and girls ranging from ages 5 through 17 who will perform during the show. An additional 20 children from the Sportsplex’s skating instructional classes were also invited to compete in the event.
Thirteen-year old Rayne Pucci, of West Pittston, is participating in her third winter show.
“I think this one will be a little more difficult because we have a lot more girls in it,” Pucci said. “But I think it will be good anyways.
“Sometimes it’s hard to get everyone in sync.”
The show will consist of 25 different performances from various Broadway numbers such as “Annie”, “Wizard of Oz” and “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. A pair of higher-level figure skaters from Bethlehem, including Grace Moyer, will also take the ice.
“We started this show back in June,” organizer and coach Amy Frederick said. “It takes a lot of dedication starting in the summer and working up until this weekend. They’ve been coming to practice every Wednesday as a group.”
Pucci spends as much as time practicing on the ice as any of her friends who play in school-sponsored sports. She practices her routines five days per week. As one of the veteran figure skaters, Pucci is called upon often to teach the younger kids certain techniques and moves for the program.
“We use the older girls as leads in a lot of the group number programs because little kids will have a model to follow on the ice,” Frederick said.
Along with several of her fellow teammates, Pucci has participated in competitions throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region in New Jersey, Delaware and Philadelphia. Recently, Pucci took second place at the State Games of America.
“I’d like to reach nationals one day hopefully,” Pucci said. “And, if not, I’d like to at least land one triple jump.”
The Diamond City Figure Skating Club was established in 2009. They perform a spring concert in the May in addition to their annual contest. Following the conclusion of Sunday’s performance, the figure skaters will prepare for the Keystone State Games in March.
