As beloved as Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel and Disney’s other animated leading ladies are, their yin would be hard to maintain without some sort of yang.
That’s where Caroline Coucher comes in.
The Quebec City native portrays the Wicked Queen, Evil Stepmother and the other villians in the Disney on Ice production of “Princess Classics,” which is in town this week. While she may not draw the cheers that her fellow skaters do, Coucher takes pride in her part of the process.
“I’m really happy to play that. It’s really fun and really challenging ... making the kids feel as though it’s real,” she said in a soft French-Canadian accent during a recent phone interview. “They need to feel the contrast between good and evil ... I like to say that without me, there would be no story.”
As it stands, the story for the touring production revolves around seven Disney princesses — Jasmine from “Aladdin,” Ariel from “The Little Mermaid,” Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” and the eponymous heroines of “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” “Snow White” and “Mulan.” Elements from each of the films are incorporated into the show, including Genie emerging from his magic lamp and Cinderella’s royal ball.
“It’s very high-energy, and it’s for everybody,” said Coucher, who noted that many audience members — of all ages — can be seen clapping and singing along to songs from the films. “It’s just very magical, the connection with the kids and their families.”
The Disney on Ice crew has become a family of sorts for Coucher, who has been with the company for eight years, three of which have been spent with “Princess Classics.” She became a skating coach after relinquishing her skating career, but soon thereafter this opportunity came about.
“It’s always something I wanted to do since I was little, so it was sort of my dream coming true,” she said.
Coucher’s nationality is one of 17 represented by the show’s cast members, which is evidence of Disney’s global reach, she said. Her production has visited Argentina, Lithuania, Hungary and many other countries, each of which has taken something from it.
No matter a person’s origins, she said, stories about good people overcoming the obstacles in their way serve a great purpose. Also serving a purpose, she said, is Disney on Ice. Aside from spreading some culture, the show gives families a chance to take an evening with each other to reconnect.
“Since we have so many stories, it takes them to different parts of the world,” she said. “Every year, (Disney on Ice) is sort of a big family meeting ... a special moment where they can share the special reality of their favorite stories. Disney is part of every kid’s life now.
“Families connect. Walt Disney, that was his main goal — to bring the family together.”
Contact Paul Laneat 693-1000, ext. 116.
IF YOU GO
• WHAT: Disney On Ice presents “Princess Classics”
• WHEN: 7 p.m. Jan. 20-22; 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Jan. 23; and 1 and 5 p.m. Jan. 24
• WHERE: HSBC Arena, Buffalo
• MORE INFORMATION: Visit ticketmaster.com or disneyonice.com
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