The Walt Disney Family Museum is launching its public events program with a series of screenings, lectures, and concerts. Highlights include a special concert-featuring a number of well-known Disney classics-at Davis Symphony Hall with the San Francisco Symphony on October 16.
Inaugural Screenings, Lectures, and Concerts Launch The Walt Disney Family Museum Public Event Programs
A series of inaugural events celebrate the opening of The Walt Disney Family Museum and the multi-faceted interests of its namesake, Walt Disney, from October 1-31, 2009. From a screening of Mickey Mouse’s starring turn in Fantasia from October 1-19 to a chilling Halloween showing of legendary animated shorts The Skeleton Dance, The Mad Doctor, and Pluto’s Judgment Day. The series pays homage to the artistic output and inspirations of Walt Disney.
Highlights of opening month festivities include a concert by the San Francisco Symphony with classical works heard in Fantasia and orchestrations of themes and songs from Pinocchio and Mary Poppins. Other notable events include a special screening of Walt and El Grupo, a documentary about Disney’s 1941 trip to South America that resulted in two feature films and numerous animated shorts.
Most screenings and performances will be held in the museum’s 114-seat auditorium, which features murals of Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Exceptions are noted.
FILM
Film of the Month: Fantasia October 1st – 19th Only 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., Theater Non-Member: Adult $10, Child $8, Child under 6 $6 Member: Adult $8, Child $6, Child under 6 $4 Tickets for sale online Let your imagination soar as you watch colors, flowers, and fairies swirl and dance on screen to the timeless compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, Paul Dukas, and Igor Stravinsky in Disney’s Fantasia. This unforgettable experience will take place in our new state-of-the-art theater under the watchful eyes of Mickey, the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, whose likeness decorates the theater walls.
October 23th – 25th – South of the Border Weekend – In 1941 Walt Disney and a group of Disney artists traveled to South America on a Good Neighbor tour at the request of the United States government. This was no ordinary handshake tour for Walt and his group. It offered the Disney team a unique opportunity to learn about culture and traditions south of the border. As a result of the visit, Walt Disney created two successful features, Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, and numerous short subject films.
October 23rd – Walt and El Grupo Preview Screening & Discussion with filmmaker Ted Thomas and author J.B. Kaufman (one showing only) 7 p.m., Theater $8 Members Only Tickets for sale online
October 24th – Screening of The Three Caballeros and Discussion of the Good Neighbor Tour and book signing with J.B. Kaufman 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Book Signing, Learning Center Free Book Signing, no tickets required 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm Film and Discussion, Theater Non-Member: Adult $10, Child $8, Child under 6 $6 Member: Adult $8, Child $6, Child under 6 $4 Tickets for sale online
Noted author and historian J.B. Kaufman will be at the Museum October 24 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, signing his new book, South of the Border With Disney: Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program, 1941-1948. The book chronicles the full story of the Disney Good Neighbor project, from the 1941 South American trip through production of all the studio’s Latin American films. Then join us from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm for a special screening of The Three Caballeros. Following the film, J.B. Kaufman will discuss the South American tour and this unique film.
October 25th – Screening of Saludos Amigos followed by a Q & A with J.B. Kaufman 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Theater Non-Member: Adult $10, Child $8, Child under 6 $6 Member: Adult $8, Child $6, Child under 6 $4 Tickets for sale online We conclude this South of the Border weekend with a screening of Saludos Amigos. J.B. Kaufman will be on hand to answer questions regarding the lively film.
October 30th and 31st – HallowScreen! – The Skeleton Dance and Other Bone-Chilling Cartoons 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., and 10:30 p.m., Theater Non-Member: Adult $10, Child $8, Child under 6 $6 Member: Adult $8, Child $6, Child under 6 $4 Tickets for sale online Tickle your Halloween funny bone with the spooky adventures of skeletons, mice, spiders, and bats. We will screen some of Walt Disney’s haunting cartoon shorts such as The Skeleton Dance, Mad Doctor, Pluto’s Judgment Day, and many more. You’ll have a “howling” good time!
MUSIC
October 11th – Artists’ Vocal Ensemble Concert: The Classics 4 p.m., Special Exhibition Hall Non-Member: Adult $20, Child $15, Child under 6 $13 Member: Adult $15, Child $10, Child under 6 $8 Tickets for sale online The Artists’ Vocal Ensemble will enchant you with melodies of the world’s greatest melodic composers, Felix Mendelssohn, Franz Josef Haydn, and Franz Schubert (one of the composers heard in Fantasia). Directed and accompanied by Jonathan Dimmock (piano), this will be an afternoon of chamber music evocative of the great salons of Vienna and performed in our beautiful Special Exhibition Hall.
October 16th – The San Francisco Symphony Celebrates the Opening of The Walt Disney Family Museum (our Theater Dark) 7:30 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall
$15-70, tickets for sale at www.sfsymphony.org Relive the magic of your childhood favorites as the San Francisco Symphony heralds the opening of The Walt Disney Family Museum in a special concert celebration. Reminisce with timeless tunes from Mary Poppins to Pinocchio and recapture the thrill of Fantasia through classic repertoire of Paul Dukas, Modest Mussorgsky, Ludwig van Beethoven, and more.
The Walt Disney Family Museum, L.L.C. is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Family Foundation, a non-profit foundation. The Museum is partially funded by California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank revenue bonds.
WEBSITE: waltdisney.org
TWITTER: twitter.com/wdfmuseum
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