Mickey Mouse dazzles audiences on ice
By Bruce Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, October 07, 2004
Mickey Mouse says hello to Disney fans at the Disney on Ice show Wednesday evening at the Tyson Events Center. Donald Duck follows. (Staff photo by Jerry Mennenga)
No need to Mickey Mouse around: Disney on Ice is a pretty spectacular show.
Oh, there aren't dazzling triple jumps or star turns by Michelle Kwan. But the ice show, which opened Wednesday and runs through Sunday at the Tyson Events Center, may have the best sets and costumes of any touring production on or off the ice.
Heck, Mickey changes clothes almost as much as Cher did.
Here, he's a host of sorts for "100 Years of Magic," a catch-all title that refers to the number of years that have passed since Walt Disney was born. While it isn't a biographical show and it doesn't include much from the years Walt was making movies, it does offer plenty of recognizeable faces. Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy turn up routinely. Jiminy Cricket serves as a master of ceremonies and most of the prince and princesses make a big splash in the first act.
That "Classic Princesses" number, in fact, is one of the show's highlights. It comes after a cut-down version of "Beauty and the Beast," featuring some fine pair skating from Natalia Zaitseva and Dmitri Savine. The two do big lifts and showy spins, then offer up even more in the second act look at "The Lion King."
There are other, unbilled, skaters who stand out as well. In an "Aladdin" number (which features twentysome genies), the lead Genie does backflips and stuff you wouldn't expect a guy in a mask could do.
The skater who doubles for Pinocchio has some flashy moves, too.
And then there are those sets.
What looks like the castle at Disneyland actually becomes The Beast's home, the Great Wall of China and the backdrop for "It's a Small World." Floats pour out of its doors, skaters fly from its turrets. Designer David Potts has created something so magical you'd swear you're watching a parade at one of the Disney theme parks.
Director Jerry Bilik keeps the action moving, too. While "Mulan" and "Pinocchio" are two films few would pick for showcases, they don't linger. "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King," meanwhile, beg for more ice time. A silly hockey game (with Goofy, no less) is merely filler but it leads into the Aladdin bit that's inspired. Keying off the film's multiple Genie scene, it lets a whole rink full of skaters show their inner Robin Williams.
Mickey gets his moments, too -- even riding a hot-air balloon at the end of the first act.
But, really, this show isn't about skating. It's about the Disney characters in a different venue.
What we learn is they travel well and adapt to just about any situation. A Disney ice show? It's a natural. It's just surprising Walt never thought of it.
Tickets for "Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic" are available through all Ticketmaster outlets. The show runs through Sunday.
Oh, there aren't dazzling triple jumps or star turns by Michelle Kwan. But the ice show, which opened Wednesday and runs through Sunday at the Tyson Events Center, may have the best sets and costumes of any touring production on or off the ice.
Heck, Mickey changes clothes almost as much as Cher did.
Here, he's a host of sorts for "100 Years of Magic," a catch-all title that refers to the number of years that have passed since Walt Disney was born. While it isn't a biographical show and it doesn't include much from the years Walt was making movies, it does offer plenty of recognizeable faces. Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy turn up routinely. Jiminy Cricket serves as a master of ceremonies and most of the prince and princesses make a big splash in the first act.
That "Classic Princesses" number, in fact, is one of the show's highlights. It comes after a cut-down version of "Beauty and the Beast," featuring some fine pair skating from Natalia Zaitseva and Dmitri Savine. The two do big lifts and showy spins, then offer up even more in the second act look at "The Lion King."
There are other, unbilled, skaters who stand out as well. In an "Aladdin" number (which features twentysome genies), the lead Genie does backflips and stuff you wouldn't expect a guy in a mask could do.
The skater who doubles for Pinocchio has some flashy moves, too.
And then there are those sets.
What looks like the castle at Disneyland actually becomes The Beast's home, the Great Wall of China and the backdrop for "It's a Small World." Floats pour out of its doors, skaters fly from its turrets. Designer David Potts has created something so magical you'd swear you're watching a parade at one of the Disney theme parks.
Director Jerry Bilik keeps the action moving, too. While "Mulan" and "Pinocchio" are two films few would pick for showcases, they don't linger. "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King," meanwhile, beg for more ice time. A silly hockey game (with Goofy, no less) is merely filler but it leads into the Aladdin bit that's inspired. Keying off the film's multiple Genie scene, it lets a whole rink full of skaters show their inner Robin Williams.
Mickey gets his moments, too -- even riding a hot-air balloon at the end of the first act.
But, really, this show isn't about skating. It's about the Disney characters in a different venue.
What we learn is they travel well and adapt to just about any situation. A Disney ice show? It's a natural. It's just surprising Walt never thought of it.
Tickets for "Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic" are available through all Ticketmaster outlets. The show runs through Sunday.
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