What characters and scenes make the cut in 'Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto?'

"Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto" definitely talks about Bruno, but it sure doesn't mention Mirabel's parents or two of her cousins, either.

A fast-paced, visually enchanting spectacle, the crowd-pleasing touring production keeps most of the beloved musical numbers from both "Frozen" and "Encanto," but that means the writers had to make some interesting storytelling choices to fit both movies into one show.

In Oklahoma City, performances of "Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto" continue through Sept. 19 at Jim Norick Arena at the OKC Fairgrounds. For more than 35 years, Disney on Ice has been an annual tradition at the Oklahoma State Fair, which continues through Sept. 24.

How does 'Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto' tell the story of 'Frozen?'

As the title indicates, "Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto" combines the magic of two of the Mouse House's most popular Oscar-winning animated movies in recent memory into one hot ticket.

Hosted by Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy, "Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto" condenses the story of each film into about 45 minutes, with each of the show's two acts dedicated to one of the movies.

The show's first act is devoted to "Frozen," speeding through a 50-minute abridged version of Queen Elsa and Princess Anna's first frosty adventure, efficiently adapted from the record-setting 2013 film.

Since "Frozen" and ice are a no-brainer pairing, this isn't the first time that Disney on Ice has transported Oklahoma State Fair audiences to the fictional Norway-inspired land of Arendelle. The creative team has practically perfected the art of telling this now-familiar story with utmost precision.

With Olaf the magical snowman serving as the often hilarious narrator, the Disney on Ice version of "Frozen" lets the beloved songs "Love Is an Open Door," "In Summer" and, of course, "Let It Go" set the storytelling beats. It wasn't just the children singing along with each number at the Sept. 14 Oklahoma State Fair performance.

The enthusiastic OKC opening-night audience greeted Olaf, Anna, Elsa, Kristof and Sven with big cheers — and didn't need much encouragement from Olaf to boo the villainous Prince Hans.

Of course, chopping the movie's one hour and 45-minute screenplay essentially in half meant that not every "Frozen" character made the cut: Marshmallow the snow monster, Kristof's mystical troll family and droll shop owner Oaken were all missing in action during the OKC opening-night performance.

How is 'Encanto' adapted for its 'Disney on Ice' debut?

After a 20-minute intermission, Act 2 whisked OKC ticketholders to Colombia, where the seemingly ordinary Mirabel must save her magical family and the miracle that gave them their special abilities in the Disney on Ice debut of the 2021 hit movie "Encanto."

One of Disney's most charming and relatable heroes in recent memory, Mirabel and her grandmother, Abuela, act as narrators and guide audiences through the zippy, 40-minute abridged version of their family's saga.

With its large cast of characters, "Encanto" proves the more awkward of the two movies to adapt to one act of a Disney on Ice show. Several members of the Madrigal family are left out of "Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto," including Mirabel's mom and dad, her cousins Antonio and Camilo and her sister's boyfriend Mariano (he's mentioned in a certain song but doesn't make an appearance).

As with "Frozen," the Disney on Ice version of "Encanto" leans heavily on the movie's wildly popular soundtrack to set the narrative rhythm. Again, the show became a big sing-along on the film's anthems "The Family Madrigal," "Waiting on a Miracle," "Surface Pressure," "What Else Can I Do?" and especially on the smash "We Don't Talk About Bruno."

The show's big finale is festive dance party with several Disney characters making kid-pleasing cameos.

Although both stories had to be cut for "Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto," I found the two-story format a refreshing change from the "greatest hits" compilation shows that Disney on Ice has put on the road the past few years.

How does 'Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto' use lights, costumes and props to bring two movies to life?

As usual for the Mouse House's ice escapades, "Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto" boasts top-notch costumes, props and lighting effects to bring the popular animated movies to life on the ice. A large triangular high-definition video screen at the back of the rink also helped to make the magic seem real.

The Disney on Ice treatment of "Frozen" has a fresh new look, with lots of eerie lighting, stage fog and simulated snowfall to make the audience feel like they're part of the glacial tale without the cold bothering them. Elsa's kaleidoscopic coronation ceremony, a celebratory maypole dance with pretty ribbons and the sunshiny treatment of "In Summer," complete with a kick line of dancers dressed as flowers, bees and butterflies, bring brilliant splashes of color to the first act.

When Act 2 sends the show to Colombia for "Encanto," it's all about bright colors, warm lighting and tropical flair, including Isabela's habit of tossing pink flower petals (made of rice paper so they don't trip up the skaters) whenever she appears. "Surface Pressure," the thumping anthem of Mirabel's strongwoman sister Luisa, provides a hilarious highlight, as the overworked Luisa tries to stay strong while dealing with the antics of skaters costumed as ornery donkeys.

Disney on Ice choreographers don't go easy on their skaters, consistently giving them challenging routines that are exciting for audiences. The two performers playing Sven were fun to watch as they managed to make the "Frozen" reindeer dance, and the performer playing Kristof stole the show with his athletic feats, including a big flip over his sleigh that had the crowd cheering. The performer playing Mirabel brought the character's youthful exuberance to her speedy skating, with lots of spins and jumps.

Whether it was opening-night jitters or a problem with the ice, several entertainers fell during the Sept. 14 performances, but they didn't let that stop the show.

How does 'Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto' reinforce the need for the new OKC Fairgrounds coliseum?

Oklahoma State Fair attendees — especially Disney on Ice ticketholders — should allow about 10 extra minutes to arrive at Jim Norick Arena and take their seats due to construction near the venue.

Oklahoma City leaders broke ground in February on the new OKC Fairgrounds coliseum, and work on the new 216,000-square-foot venue is underway. The construction site is adjacent to the aging Jim Norick Arena, which the coliseum will eventually replace.

State fair patrons can still park, enter and exit the OKC Fairgrounds at Gate 6 off Reno Avenue. Gate 6's close proximity to Jim Norick Arena makes it a popular access point for Disney on Ice ticketholders.  

Once they enter through Gate 6, fairgoers can either take a left and enter the fair through the Super Barn or enter the Jim Norick Arena on the west side. Or, they can take a right, walk around the construction area and make their way through the carnival rides into the fair or to access Jim Norick Arena on the east side.

"Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto" makes the need for a new OKC Fairgrounds coliseum apparent: Some aspects of the show, particularly the "Encanto" aerial strap act that Isabela and Mirabel perform during "What Else Can I Do?," had to be left out of the OKC run due to the limitations of Jim Norick Arena, which opened in 1965.

Once construction on the new coliseum is finished, which is scheduled in mid-2025, OKC fans should be able to see the whole Disney on Ice show in an up-to-date new venue.

"Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto" continues at the Oklahoma State Fair through Sept. 19 and will return to Oklahoma during the Tulsa State Fair, with performances Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at Tulsa's Expo Square Pavilion.

'DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS FROZEN & ENCANTO'

• When: 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16-17; and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18-19.

• Where: Jim Norick Arena, OKC Fairgrounds, during the Oklahoma State Fair.

• Ticket prices: $20 to $75. All children 2 years and older need a ticket for their own seat. Children younger than 2 are admitted free but must sit in the lap of a paying customer.

• Tickets and information: Go to the OKC Fairgrounds Box Office, call 405-948-6800 or go to https://okstatefair.com/activities/disney-on-ice.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How 'Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto' brings the films to life