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Disney on Ice Princesses share the spotlight
By John Benson
Performing the role of Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” in Disney On Ice’s “Princess Wishes,” which comes to Youngstown on Thursday through Dec. 19, skater Robyn Sudkamp does her best to dispel the rumors that normally surround a show filled with divas and egos.
“That’s not true at all, we all have our own spotlight,” said Sudkamp, skating the role of Ariel. “We all get along very well.”
Give the Denver native an “A” for public relations, but let’s be honest. If “Princess Wishes” weren’t fiction, a show featuring the likes of Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Mulan, Jasmine, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White all vying for the spotlight, it would be a diva catfight of Us Weekly proportions.
There would be more backstabbing than “Dynasty”-meets-“Desperate Housewives” during sweeps. Alas, this isn’t the case for the family-friendly ice show that finds Sudkamp in one of the most demanding roles in “Princess Wishes.” You try skating with a tail. Sudkamp, a veteran of six other Disney on ice shows over the last decade, actually placed third at the 1991 U.S. Nationals. However, she knew where she’d end up eventually.
“Skaters will always have that Olympic dream in their mind but since I was an 11-year-old child, I always knew I wanted to be a part of a show and be a show skater,” Sudkamp said. “I enjoyed the entertainment and the performing aspect of it more than I ever did the competition.”
Sudkamp relishes the role of Ariel, who she said is not only feisty but modern in a way other popular Disney characters are not.
“I think she’s a very fun-loving character and very strong-spirited, and she just kind of knows what she wants. She’ll basically risk anything in order for her wish to come true,” Sudkamp said. “She’s one of the more modern-day characters which has a little bit more of the personality than I think the earlier characters, like Cinderella and Snow White.”
Despite the obvious female slant of “Princess Wishes,” Sudkamp said there’s plenty of testosterone action and fun to be found with Ariel’s Prince Eric and Aladdin, as well as Russian acrobats who steal the show every night. More so, it’s the important message that this skater hopes audiences will take home after every show.
“I think children can relate to the fact they’re all very heroic in their own way and they have real wishes,” Sudkamp said.
“It’s just basically about following your heart and your dreams. It’s a story of a little mermaid who wants to be human. The same way Aladdin is a street rat and wants to be a prince. I think it’s just wanting something new and going after your dreams.”