SECTION: LIFESTYLE; Pg. E-6
HEADLINE: Yippee! Stage is set for He-Man, She-Ra
BYLINE: Divina Infusino; Arts Writer

He-Man, She-Ra and the Masters of the Universe are coming to town in a stage production.

"Oh, no," says a typical parent. "I hate She-Ra and He-Man. They didn't start out as cartoons and comic book characters. They began as toys.

Mattel puts them out.

"My kids aren't seeing cartoons on television anymore. They're watching non-stop ads. What happened to fantasy characters that didn't originate as part of some big marketing package?

"Of course, my 4-year-old daughter just loves She-Ra. When did you say the He-Man, She-Ra, Master of the Universe show is?"

It's tomorrow through Sunday at the Sports Arena. Tickets are $9 and $10.50. during its 11-day engagement in New York.

Here, the extravaganza, featuring a laser light show and other special effects, brings to life superheros She-Ra and He-Man and other Masters of the Universe characters. Included are King Randor, the monarch of Eternia; Queen Marlena, former earth astronaut; Snout Spout, the elephant warrior; Orko, the bumbling wizard; Man-At Arms, supermilitary strategist and Teela, his adopted warrior daughter.

Their task: To defend good against the forces of evil, arch-enemies Hordak and Skeletor. (Original, eh?) The battles take place on two 30-foot-square screens and on ramps and platforms with a pre-recorded rock sound track and fireworks.

The two-hour show breaks for an intermission long enough to purchase $6 programs and $5 plastic "power-swords."

Tickets are available at the box office and Ticketmaster outlets.

Showtimes are: Thursday and Friday, 7:30 p.m; Saturday, 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.