`SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS'; THE ICE SKATING EXTRAVAGANZA OPENS FRIDAY FOR FIVE SHOWS AT THE SHOW ME CENTER

Karen Preston, an Olympian and two-time Canadian National Champion, has been wearing ice skates since age 5 but says her proudest accomplishment was learning to take her skates off.

Preston plays the title role in "Walt Disney's World on Ice -- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," which opens Friday at the Show Me Center.

In 1990, a serious practice injury led Preston to dedicate her life completely to skating.

"I thought my only way to regain my title was to do skating 110 percent," she said by phone from Oklahoma City, the show's previous tour stop. "Although I continued to see certain friends, Monday through Friday was eat, sleep and skate."

That push to succeed didn't come from her parents. But Preston had an older brother who played hockey. "I always wanted to prove I could do what my big brother Mike could do," she says.

"...I put too much pressure on myself. I thought, if I don't win I have nothing to show for the year."

When she fell three times in the 1991 national championships and failed to win back her title, she realized she did indeed have nothing left.

This time, instead of re-dedicating her life to skating, she enrolled in college. "I decided I was going to take more time for myself," she said.

"I had forgotten all the other things in my life. I needed to sit in front of a TV for awhile and watch a half-hour sitcom."

In 1992, she regained her Canadian Ladies National Championship and realized her ultimate dream of making the Olympic team. Representing Canada, she finished eighth in the Olympics, executing six triple jumps.

And she is a year away from graduating with a degree in English and minor in journalism, which will help her attain her eventual goal of becoming a sports broadcaster.

The moral, she says, is "to only pursue something that makes you happy ... if you're happy you're going to achieve what you dream of."

Preston retired from amateur competition in June 1994 and began rehearsals for "Snow White" soon afterward.

The technical part of her skating has not been altered much for the show -- she still does triple jumps. "Now I have to portray a character and I have to stay in the Snow White character," she said. Having an acting coach helps.

Skating in the show makes her happy, too.

"It's the best job in the whole world," she says. "If you think about it, there aren't many people who get to carry on as an adult doing a job they began as a child."

She'll be joined by Russian Serguei Tartykov as the Handsome Prince, and the pairs team of Serguei Boroda of Russia and Tatiana Tropina of Ukraine.

Doc, Sneezy, Sleepy, Dopey, Happy, Grumpy and Bashful will be along, as will the Queen, and don't be surprised if Mickie Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and other Disney characters make an appearance. The cast has 45 skaters.

Musically, the show includes "Whistle While You Work," "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "Heigh Ho," the most memorable tunes from the animated version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." But in all the 1 hour, 45-minute production contains more than 100 pieces of music.

A number of massive, intricate sets have been constructed for the show, all of them faithful to the look of the movie but with a contemporary twist. The Queen's Castle weighs more than 1 1/2 tons and is one of the most elaborate sets ever built for a live production. A customized elevator inside raises the Queen to heights of 8 feet above the ice and some performers soar 16 feet.

The costumers have fashioned a wardrobe that ranges from modern "Mickey Club" leather jackets to duds for harem girls and palace guards.

The finale of the two-act production promises to be an extravaganza of smoke, fire, lights and fireworks.

"Snow White" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, at noon, 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and again at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at Capital Bank main branches, Disc Jockey Records and Schnuck's. Tickets also can be ordered by phone 24 hours a day by calling (314) 651-5000.