Purdue News
Purdue News
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October 27, 2000 PMO Christmas Show performers dream
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Eric Steele and Shanna Jackson, both from Indianapolis, were employed by the entertainment division of Walt Disney World through the Walt Disney World College Program. Steele is a member of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club and a senior majoring in psychology and Spanish. Jackson is a Purduette and a senior majoring in public relations.
"It was truly like living in a fantasy world for a summer. It was like I was living in a dream where nothing bad could happen," said Steele, who performed as characters in the Magical Moments Parade and carried the canopy for the Cinderella float in the Main Street Electrical Parade.
"I think the thing that excited me about going to work every day was that no single day was the same. No matter what I was scheduled to do, the park guests were always different and that offered a chance to create magic for someone new each day," he said.
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While Steele performed in the Magic Kingdom, Jackson performed in Epcot Center's millennium the Tapestry of Nations Parade. Jackson performed as several characters in the parade including a sprite, which she described as "a sort of millennium tinkerbell."
"I loved it and learned a lot," said Jackson. "As a character, you are not supposed to talk so you learn how to communicate without saying anything."
Jackson especially enjoyed performing with the park guests as part of the interactive parade.
"It was such a heartfelt moment when I could walk right up to a child in a wheelchair and perform with that child's hand in mine, and watch that child's face just glow with enjoyment," she said.
As part of the Walt Disney World College Program, Jackson and Steele attended seminars to learn more about the business operations of the Walt Disney World Company. Jackson attended enough seminars by summer's end to earn a "duckterate degree," and Steele earned a "mouster's degree."
After spending three months immersed in Disney culture, however, both Jackson and Steele found their return to the Midwest jarring.
"We wanted to go back to Florida immediately," said Jackson. "When we got back to Purdue, we were constantly smiling and being overly nice to people. People looked at us like we were crazy."
They have missed Disney World so much that they both plan to return to work for the company during their Christmas break.
"At the end of the program, I changed my employment status from 'College Program' to 'Seasonal,' which means I can return to Disney to work any time I want," Jackson explained. "I will be going back to be a part of the millennium parade because the parade ends on January 1 and I want to be a part of that."
Steele plans to return to work as a character in the Magic Kingdom. Both students will complete their final semester at Purdue this spring.
Before they head south for their winter break, Jackson and Steele will perform in the 67th annual Christmas Show, directed by PMO Director Brian Breed. The show hits the stage six times over three days in Elliott Hall of Music:
• Friday, December 8, at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, December 9, at noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Sunday, December 10, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Tickets are $23 for adults and $16 for students, and can be ordered by phone or mail from the Purdue Box Office at (765) 494-3933 or (800) 914-7469, or from Purdue Musical Organizations at (765) 494-3941 or (800) 893-3041. Order forms also may be downloaded from the PMO web site.
The American Bus Association named the Christmas Show one of the Top 100 events in North America for 1998. In addition to the regional audience of 36,000 people who see the show live on campus each December, millions of people see it on public television stations from coast to coast. More than 1 million people have seen the PMO Christmas Show in Elliott Hall since its debut in 1933.
This will be Breed's 12th consecutive year directing the show.
Sources: Julie Silver, (765) 496-6091, jasilver@purdue.edu
Writer: Bob Johnson, (765) 496-7704, bjohnson@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION 1:
Eric Steele carries the canopy on Cinderella's float during the Main Street Electrical Light Parade in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
PHOTO CAPTION 2:
Shanna Jackson as a sprite in the Tapestry of Nations Parade in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World.
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