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Snowden, Raggedy Ann, and Andy Holiday Show
Taped July 1998 - First Broadcast November 27, 1998
A Review by Norma from Florida
Before I start talking about this show, I'd like to say it was the
closest thing I've seen to a Broadway musical on ice, with Scott
Hamilton, Kurt Browning, Josee Chouinard and Katia Gordeeva the stars,
music by Randy Goodrum, costumes by Jef Billings, and choreography by
Jamie Isley.
This show had an interesting start, with Scott and Snowden "driving" a
medicine wagon onto the ice-covered pond. At first it contained all the
performers in the show, then later it was loaded with the "magic"
Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls used to grant children's wishes. Scott as Doc
was talking about the limited time available to them to do all this
wish-granting. The opening number was frenetic and fast-paced (to
"Raggedy Ann and Andy Show"), with acrobats, jugglers, barrel jumpers,
and ended with Scott doing his backflip through a flaming hoop.
The quarreling brother/sister team of Andy and Ann (Kurt and Josee) join
the group, and are interested to learn a magical mirror is used to help
make these children's wishes come true, while Scott is sad they can only
do one child at a time. Hearing this, Andy and Ann want to help, and the
first number is performed by Josee with a little girl who wants to be a
N.Y. Rockette to "Find A Fantasy," which ends with the little girl
dressed as one of the Rockettes, kicking away with them. This was a
really well-choreographed number, and it was impressive to learn that
Ms. Isley had picked her Rockette's chorus and worked first with them,
then had flown to Canada to work with Josee, because the whole number
was seamless and "right on."
The next child's wish is to become a famous drummer, and here Kurt
materializes, wearing a leopard-print shirt, and those tight shiny black
"leather" pants, in a dazzlingly brilliant routine to "Give Me Back The
Beat." (The more I see the fast footwork this young man displays in his
skating routines, the more I miss seeing him with the SOI tour.)
As the group settles down to sleep for the night, Scott is talking about
the happy kids while watching the lonely ballerina (Katia) skate, until
one of the Raggedy Ann dolls joins her on the ice to "A Child's Best
Friend." This was cleverly put together and filmed, because Katia had
to seem to be actually skating with this animated doll.
The third child's wish--to be Elvis--while his parents are more partial
to Sinatra, is skated to "Don't Mess Up My Tune," which has to be seen
to be believed (and enjoyed), because Scotty and the young boy are dual
Elvises, with the hair, the hot pink pants and black jacket, and the
moves.
All through the show, up to this time, Ann & Andy had been quarreling
and disagreeing with each other about everything (showing a lot of
talent in the acting department), but when he somehow gets into the
magic maze of the mirror, trying to enable it to grant more than one
child's wish at a time, she goes into the mirror to save him, and we see
some really cool stuff in the Hall of Mirrors, where they discover it's
better to be friends than to argue all the time.
The show ends with dozens of kids coming onto the ice, skating with all
of the performers to "Together, Hand in Hand," then sitting back to
watch a really beautiful number by Ann & Andy (in white and silver), to
"We Could Make A Real Good Team." I was really impressed by this number
because Josee has gotten the knack of a lot of the fast footwork Kurt
and Scott do so effortlessly, making the number twice as much fun to
watch. Incidentally, if he's with someone or skating alone, I watch
Kurt's feet and body movements--he makes the music come alive. So he's
not only a fantastic skater; he's a very believable actor!
As you can tell, I loved this show and I recommend that anybody who
lives near a Target Show buy the video--it's only $9.99, and has not
only the show, but really interesting clips about making it.
Norma
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