Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/3764
OCTOBER 21-27, 2009 UCW 15 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Catch the Magic at Disney on Ice by STEPHANIE CRIDER We all have our favorites. Whether it is Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio, Snow White (or one of the many other Disney princesses) or one of the newer characters like Buzz Light Year or Mr. Incredible, Disney has spent years entertaining generations of young and old alike. Oct. 29 – Nov. 1 Disney on Ice will skate into the Crown Coliseum, and they've got something for everyone. "This show is really a monster show. There are more than 60 Disney characters in there — it is really quite entertaining," said Jamie Loper, who has been skating with Disney on Ice since 1996 and will be portraying two characters in the performance. "In this show I portray Aladdin in the first half and then in the second half I portray the role of Shang from Mulan. It is a fun character switch. I go from a happy, bubbly character to a more military and serious, driven character in the second act, so it is always fun for me." Loper has been skating since he was 11 and considers himself lucky to have a job that he loves. After all, he gets to make other people smile for a living and he and the other skaters don't mind working hard because they know that in many cases they are making dreams come true. "In day to day performances, one of the things that motivates me is that I know there are a lot of kids and a lot of families — especially now — that are spending their hard earned money to come and escape the pressures of the real world and I really try to step up my performance and make each one as special as I can for those people," said Loper. "A Lot of kids might never get a chance to come see a Disney show again. This might be their one shot and I want this to be truly special." In trying to spread their special brand of magic, Disney has made this spectacular performance on ice as comprehensive as it could. There will be pieces choreographed to Academy Award winning songs like " When You Wish Upon a Star," "Zippity Do Dah," "Beauty and the Beast," and more. "One of the things I think is so unique about this show is the sheer volume. A lot of the shows that are out there now, I think, are targeted toward princesses and things like that whereas this show is targeted toward everybody," said Loper. "It has all the stories from the beginning like Snow White from the '20s and '30s all the way up to some of the more modern hits like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles and of course it has Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and Snow White. It really does have everything. I think when a family of four comes to see it, there is something for little brother, little sister, mom and dad, even the grandparents. I think it has something that they will all enjoy. It is so well balanced between things for boys, things for girls; old and new." Another special part of the show is that at the end, all the characters stay on the ice for a little handshake with audience members who can make it onto the ice adding an interactive flair to the show Loper considers truly special. Tickets start at $12 and can be purchased at the Crown Coliseum Box Office, Ticketmaster Outlets or by calling 1-800- 745-3000. For more info check out www.disneyonice.com. Show times are: Oct. 29 and 30, 7 p.m., Oct. 31, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and Nov. 1, 2 p.m. STEPHANIE CRIDER, Staff Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or Stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com