Dustin Rousseau believes that a fear of monsters is normal and healthy for kids.
“Every kid has been scared of monsters at some point in their life,” said Rousseau from a tour stop in Bakersfield, Calif.
“I was terrified” of monsters, he said. “I only had one light switch at the bottom of the stairs in the basement. I would have to run up them in the dark. I thought someone was going to kill me.”
For now, Rousseau will do his part in dispelling the myth that all monsters are scary as a principal ice skater in Disney on Ice’s “Monsters, Inc.” ice show coming to the Everett Events Center for five days beginning Wednesday.
“Monsters, Inc.” debuted as a movie in 2001. Since then, it has helped young children overcome their fears of things-that-go-bump-in-the-night.
“I never thought that (Disney) would be able to bring it to life,” Rousseau said. “But they did. And it’s great. Everything is so bright and colorful.”
“Monsters, Inc.” is a tale of monsters that scare kids to trap their screams. The screams are used to power the electricity throughout the city of Monstropolis.
Larger-than-life James P. Sullivan, a.k.a. Sulley, and one-eyed Mike Wazowski, his sidekick, meet Boo, a little girl who changes everything for them.
Instead of being scared, Boo helps Sulley, whom she refers to as “Kitty” because of his furry exterior, and Mike uncover the truth that laughter is much more powerful than screams and that children and monsters shouldn’t be afraid of one another.
Rousseau performs as multiple characters in “Monsters, Inc.,” but his primary character is Mike. He also plays a few other monsters, a Child Detection Agency officer and Boo’s father.
“The acting part is actually very intimidating,” he said. “The audience doesn’t notice some of the stuff that goes wrong. When you fall, they think it’s part of the show sometimes.”
A former Canadian hockey player with a minor league team in Ontario, Rousseau left hockey after a broken clavicle forced him to reconsider his career pursuits. His sister, a former figure skater with Disney on Ice, urged him to audition.
“I sent in a tape and ended up getting a role in ‘Beauty and the Beast,” Rousseau said modestly.
In actuality, Rousseau got the lead role as Beast starring opposite his sister Brandi MacLachlin who played Belle in the international show.
As a hockey player, skating with bulky pads became second nature; however, 9- to 10-foot tall monster costumes are a different story, he said.
“Some of the costumes are pretty heavy, but most of them are just big,” Rousseau said. “The costumes I wear are big and they’re hot.”
Rousseau said that the kids generally are happy to see the monsters. After the kids are encouraged by Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy to scream each time they see Randall (another monster), the monsters take the stage and the yelling and screaming begins.
“It’s incredibly loud,” Rousseau said. “It’s louder than you ever thought kids could be.”
Fans of the movie will definitely love the ice show, Rousseau said.
“I think we do a really good job at telling the story. I think that people will be amazed at seeing the show.”
Reporter Tanya Sampson: 425-339-3479 or tsampson@heraldnet.com.
On doors high above the ice, Boo and Sulley escape from Randall.
Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan.
Monsters, Inc.
Disney on Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.” at Everett Events Center, 2000 Hewitt Ave., Everett.
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Nov. 13, noon, Thursday and Nov. 13, 3:30 p.m. Nov. 13, 1 and 5 p.m. Nov. 14.
Tickets: $15 to $35.
Information: 866-332-8499.
“Monsters, Inc.”
Disney on Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.” at Everett Events Center, 2000 Hewitt Ave., Everett.
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Nov. 13, noon, Thursday and Nov. 13, 3:30 p.m. Nov. 13, 1 and 5 p.m. Nov. 14.
Tickets: $15 to $35.
Information: 866-332-8499.
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