OC LIVE : ‘Snow’ and Ice : An International Cast of Skaters Brings the Disney Classic to Life

A single smooch from a handsome prince propelled Snow White toward her Happily Ever After in Walt Disney’s 1937 animated classic, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

In “Walt Disney’s World on Ice--Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the kiss still does the trick. But, true to his reputation for lavish spectacles, producer Kenneth Feld also throws in about 100 gross of rhinestones, a couple thousand lights and the talents of an international cast of 40 top ice skaters.

The two-hour extravaganza, one of 15 Disney-inspired ice shows that Feld’s company has produced since 1981, opens today and continues through Jan. 15 at the Pond of Anaheim.

You would think even a mad-with-envy wicked queen would take one look at Feld’s resources--he also has produced the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and shows featuring illusionists Siegfried & Roy--and call it quits.

But she’s here as part of a production that not only re-creates the animated film virtually scene by scene, but also wraps it all in a once-upon-a-time format bookended with cameos by popular characters from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King” and many others.

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Like most of the fables Disney touches, this “Snow White” is lighter in tone than the original. The script was written by Feld’s theatrical director and music director, Jerry Bilik, with the help of the Walt Disney Co. staff.

Traced to 17th century Europe and popularized by the Brothers Grimm in their 1830s story, the first Snow White suffered not one, but three attempts on her life by her jealous stepmother, and Mama’s methods were much more grisly than a simple poisoned apple. Furthermore, Snow’s ever-faithful dwarfs were secondary characters at best, not the sprightly, singing cohorts that Disney created. And that fateful kiss? It never happened.

As to the ice-show version, if you don’t count the footwear, visually it promises to be a by-the-movie interpretation. Snow White wears her signature velvet bodice and swirly yellow skirt and the dwarfs their requisite stocking caps. The queen-turned-hag still wears flowing rags and really bad hair.

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English freestyle skater Elaine Maddren, who has been with World on Ice since 1988, says she relishes her role as the hag because it gives her an opportunity to show off her acting as well as her skating skills. She is quick to add that the show’s special effects go a long way toward enhancing the overall effect.

“At one point, the dwarfs chase me up this huge rock,” Maddren explained by phone during the tour’s stop last week at the L.A. Sports Arena. “Lightning strikes, and I fall backward; it looks like I’m being swallowed up by the rock. The audience just loves that.”

As a masked character, “you have to play things three times as big. . . . You really have to go over the top,” said Maddren, 25, adding that she occasionally steps over the ice-rink wall to interact with audience members. “My costume is so scary, I have to try to make things as comical as possible while still staying in my character.”

Karen Preston, who plays Snow White, stresses that although the show is intended as family entertainment, the performance is also a showcase for the skaters’ technical expertise.

“It is entertainment because we’re telling a story and we are interacting with a crowd,” explained Preston, a two-time Canadian Ladies National Champion in figure skating and a member of Canada’s 1992 Olympic skating team. “But [the skaters] are still doing things of the same technical difficulty that we would do at the top competitive level.

“The triple jumps, the spins--a lot of the maneuvers are the same ones I competed with in the Olympics,” she said.

When Preston started rehearsals for “Snow White” in 1994 (the show has toured since early last year), it was the first time she had skated in a professional ice show. A skater since age 5, she was familiar with the rigors of training and competing, but, she said the physical demands of performing as many as three shows a day have taken some adjustment.

“I’m on the ice for over an hour every show,” said Preston, who also noted that in the 48 hours surrounding this interview, she was scheduled to skate in three performances and appear on an early-morning television show.

“Nobody competes for an hour,” she continued, then added with a laugh, “No wonder we get to bed so early.”

By the way, if your taste for ice shows hasn’t thawed by spring, Feld is premiering yet another ice spectacular, “The Wizard of Oz on Ice.” Choreographed by 1980 Olympic gold medalist Robin Cousins with character voices by singer Bobby McFerrin, the $9-million production will be presented March 19-26 at the Pond.

* What: “Walt Disney’s World on Ice--Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

* When: Today through Jan. 15. Performances are today, Friday, Tuesday and Jan. 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Jan. 13 at noon, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday and Jan. 14 at 1 and 5 p.m.; Jan. 10 at 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. No performances Monday.

* Where: The Pond of Anaheim, 2695 E. Katella Ave.

* Whereabouts: From the Santa Ana (5) or Orange (57) freeways, exit at Katella Avenue and drive east. Turn left onto Douglass Road to parking lot.

* Wherewithal: $10.50 to $16.50.

* Where to call: (714) 704-2500.