WALT DISNEY: THE MAN AND THE MYTHS AT NHTC

               WALT DISNEY AND HIS FRIEND MICKEY

For many of us, Walt Disney is the epitome of creative genius, a masterful entrepreneur, a pioneer in the world of animation, and a lover of making children happy, special and cherished.  The originator and voice of Mickey Mouse, the legions of Technicolor cartoons like Cinderella and Bambi, the impetus behind theme park magic, Disney was a force like no other in the entertainment world.

To take a peek inside the darker version of this complicated man and the swirl of myths that surrounded him, you’re invited to the New Haven Theater Company’s intriguing production of “A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay about the Death of Walt Disney" by Lucas Hnath, as if it were written by the great man himself.  Hurry, for shows are only November 15-18 at 8 p.m. at EBM,(English Building Markets), 839 Chapel Street, New Haven.

While the public persona of Walt was all lollipops and cotton candy, behind the Mickey Mouse ears was a man who demanded perfection, an egomaniac, a master puppeteer who manipulated family, friends and colleagues to get his own way.  He was not above blackmail.  J. Kevin Smith has assumed the cloak of this dynamo himself, dramatically portraying Walt, flaws and warts and all.  Steve Scarpa plays his scapegoat brother Roy whom Walt often bullied to take the blame for his own mistakes.

Completing the cast are Melissa Smith as his daughter, one who fears him for his control and threats and Trevor Williams as her husband Ron who is so busy ingratiating himself to Walt that he is capable of caving under pressure.  The dialogue is staccato, shotgun fast, David Mamet-like, with no thought being completely expressed.  Even with that rat-a-tat shorthand, it is quickly clear that Walt had a mean streak, under all the sugar coated public surface. Drew Gray directs this behind-the-curtain revelation with dedication.

For tickets ($20), contact the New Haven Theater Company at nhtcboxoffice@gmail.com.  Performances are 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday.

One can not dismiss the grandiose visions that Walt Disney gave to the world, even if some of his motivations were ill-fated and flawed.  His contributions in the arenas of animation and entertainment will happily live on in perpetuity for generations to come.