* REVIEW When the morning low temperature reaches three degrees below zero, going to see an "ice show" might be the last thing on your to-do list. But don't let the fact that central Illinois is in the middle of a deep-freeze deter you from bundling up the little ones and sliding on over to the Prairie Capital Convention Center to enjoy Disney On Ice - Toy Story 2.

If the opening night audience of young people and their parents was any indication, Disney has yet another hit on its hands. Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and the other favorite characters received thunderous applause from the under-seven crowd.

This extravaganza, produced by ice show stalwart Kenneth Feld, is a faithful adaptation of the hugely popular Disney/Pixar movie. In short, Woody, the favorite toy of a little boy named Andy, is mistakenly sold during a yard sale to a nasty toy store owner. Woody's fellow toys, led by Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear, venture out of the safety of Andy's room to find Woody and bring him back home.

The production design is appropriately spectacular. The larger-than-life sets change with great speed and creativity. The show has been directed in such a way as to divert your attention to one side of the ice rink while set changes are occurring at the other end. Props and set pieces come on from all angles, and some even fly down from the rafters of the Convention Center. This keeps the action moving from Andy's bedroom to the toy store and the climatic airplane runway scene with great fluidity.

The costumes are very colorful and true to the original designs, but are obviously lightweight enough to allow the skaters to perform their complicated moves. The costumes also include many clever touches, including the base on the feet of the plastic soldiers, the huge spring that connects the two ends of the Slinky Dog, and the removable features on Mr. Potato Head.

The performers all do their jobs admirably and bring solid energy to the production. The skaters playing the leading roles of Buzz, Woody and Jessie get more of the showy material to perform, but the entire company is obviously having fun. The performer playing Jessie had a particularly nice moment, soloing to the song, "When She Loved Me."

The dads in the audience no doubt enjoyed the beach party antics of a bunch of Barbie doll wanna-bees, while kids appreciated the special appearances by Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy at the start and end of the show.

Another audience favorite was the sequence when Andy's toys, led by Buzz, all dress up like construction cones and try to cross a busy intersection to get to the toy store to rescue Woody. The company members were dressed like the Blues Brothers, with toy cars strapped around their waists. The resulting bumper car derby reminded many in the audience of traffic around the mall the weekend before Christmas.

As a plus, the sound track appeared to include many, but not all, of the famous celebrity voices from the movie. The show also included many of the fun songs from the movie, including "Woody's Roundup" and "You've Got A Friend In Me."

And for those of you mourning the loss of the local Disney Store, you've been granted a small reprieve: there is enough Toy Story 2 merchandise on sale throughout the Convention Center to get you through the winter. Parents, you've been warned. Either start practicing how to say "no" to your child now, or stop by the cash machine on your way to the show.

Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar Toy Story 2 continues at the Prairie Capital Convention Center through Sunday. Call 217-544-9400 for tickets.

Gus Gordon is the chief meteorologist at NewsChannel 20 and a free lance arts reviewer. He can be reached at gusgordon00@lycos.com