Jimmie Santee of Park Ridge is one ice skater who falls down a lot, and is proud of that fact. The king of pratfalls actually counts 53,000 tumbles, spills and bounces on his derriere since joining Walt Disney’s World on Ice in 1984. Santee’s newest role is the Genie in “Aladdin,” which opens Tuesday at the Rosemont Horizon, 6920 W. Mannheim Rd. in Rosemont, then moves to the Chicago Stadium, 180 W. Madison St., from Feb. 1 through 13.
When it comes to skating, Santee has always been a clown. While older brother David was skating his way onto the 1976 and 1980 U.S. Olympic teams, younger brother Jimmie finally succeeded in his long-time attempt to balance a broom on his nose while skating.
“I first learned to skate when I was 5 years old, and even then I wanted to be an ice comedian,” says Jimmie Santee, who is now 31. “Perhaps because my brother was so driven, and so intense, I unconsciously wanted to be different.”
Different he is-Jimmie’s favorite Disney ice show role was Eddie Valient in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” In that production, he had lots of shtick in every performance culminating with Roger Rabbit dumping cold water over his head.
“Now, that’s my idea of fun,” he says.
Despite his eccentricities, Santee enjoyed a serious amateur career. He was a U.S. Novice Champion in 1977 and a U.S. Junior Champion in 1979.
Now, he’s skating in Robin Williams’ shoes-so to speak. In the Disney’s World on Ice “Aladdin,” all of the voices belong to those who played the parts in the movie. “I’m playing Robin Williams, who plays about 50 personalities as the Genie-and all animated on skates,” Santee says.
And he does it all in a hulking blue Genie suit. When the show first opened, he typically lost 6 pounds a performance. Now that’s he has adjusted to the physical rigors of being a Genie, he’s losing only about 3 pounds a show.
Santee acts out the role on skates as Williams sings “Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali.” Among other songs from the film-and the Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice score-Brad Kane and Lea Salonga sing “A Whole New World.”
Tickets for Walt Disney’s World on Ice are $8.50 to $17.50; call 312-559-1212. For further information, call 708-635-6600 or 312-733-5300.
Tickets are also available for Discover Card “Stars on Ice.” This traveling road show of some of the greatest names in figure skating hits town at 8 p.m. Friday in the Rosemont Horizon.
Former U.S. Olympians Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton, Paul Wylie, Brian Orser, Rosalynn Sumners, Elena Brechke, Denis Petrov and Kitty and Peter Carruthers will perform. Natalia Annenko and Genrich Sretenski, members of the 1988 Russian Olympic squad, and Canadian champions Christine Hough and Doug Ladret will also appear.
A highlight of the show will be an ensemble piece presented by Hamilton, Orser, Sumners and Kitty and Peter Carruthers marking the 10th anniversary of their earning places on the 1984 Olympic team.
Tickets are $22.50 to $35; call 312-559-1212. For further information, call 312-951-0742. With each ticket purchased, $1 will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
