Take the timeless enchantment of your favorite Disney characters, combine it with awe-inspiring acts of professional illusionists, and you’ve entered the delightful realm of Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show. Young and old are invited to “Come be part of the magic!” on Friday, Dec.10, for two shows at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Crown Coliseum.

“Mickey’s Magic Show is what I like to consider an adventure into a world where anything is possible,” said Brad Ross, illusionist and host of the show. Ross recently received the International Magicians Society Merlin Award for Best International Family Entertainer 2010, considered the Oscar for the magic industry. He shares the stage with Master Magician Mickey Mouse.

“It’s an opportunity for folks to come out and experience the Disney Magic in a whole new way. This is the fi rst time that Disney has ever created a Disney magic show. It combines the classic magic from the movies that kids and their parents will recognize. We have the dancing brooms from Fantasia, the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland and movies like that, but the unique thing about the show is that it will bond real magic tricks and illusions with those scenes from those movies, and that’s coupled with the world-class illusions that I’ll be presenting, and again, it’s going to give folks a whole new way to experience the Disney Magic.”

First launched in 2006, the show involved tremendous time and preparation, bringing together key elements like lighting designers, choreographers, directors, illusion consultants and more for rehearsals.

“The preparation involved many, many months ahead of that in terms of the production team getting together to create the show, cast the show, design the costumes and sets, the magic, of course, so it is quite a lengthy process to create a show like this,” Ross said. “But the show is now in its fi fth consecutive year. We’ve been privileged to take this show all over the world, and it’s just been a wonderful experience.”

Ross’s primary role is the master illusionist, and through that role, he hosts the show, portraying the “big brother” to all the kids in the audience.

“I am the tour guide, let’s say, to guide everyone on this journey into magic. Throughout that process, I’m constantly interacting with the audience. I run dialogue with them throughout the entire show, and I also bring kids up on stage to participate in the magic and help me out with some of these illusions. And of course I’m performing the magic alongside Mickey and Goofy and all the Disney characters because everyone is actually doing magic in this show, which creates a unique experience.”

Audience members can expect to see many familiar Disney characters on stage, including Donald Duck and Alice, as well as the re-creation of favorite movie scenes, like the transformation of Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown by her Fairy Godmother, right before their very eyes. Ross, who became intrigued by magic at a very young age when his mother hired a magician for his fi fth birthday party, notes a particularly special illusion in Mickey’s Magic Show.

“One of my favorite illusions in the show is when I levitate Princess Jasmine from the movie Aladdin. It’s a beautiful illusion. It’s just breathtaking, and it’s defi nitely a crowd pleaser wherever we travel with the show, no matter what country we’re in, no matter what language we’re performing the show in. Everyone needs to come out to the show to experience the magic.”

Great seats for Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show are still available, according to Rik Knopp, director of Marketing and Sales at the Crown Center. Tickets range from $17 to $37, plus fees. For information or to purchase tickets, call (910) 438-4100 or visit www.crowncoliseum.com.