The Players | Waking Sleeping Beauty

Don Hahn
Director

Don Hahn is one of the most successful filmmakers working in Hollywood today. He produced the Disney classic "Beauty and the Beast," the first animated film to receive a Best Picture Oscar® nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and to win a Golden Globe® for Best Picture. His next film, "The Lion King," broke box office records all over the world to become the top-grossing traditionally animated film in Disney history and a long-running blockbuster Broadway musical. Hahn also served as associate producer on the landmark motion picture "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (with Amblin' Entertainment). His other films include "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" and the 2006 short, "The Little Matchgirl," which earned Hahn his second Oscar® nomination.

He directed "Waking Sleeping Beauty," a documentary about Disney Animation from 1984-1994. It will be released in the spring of 2010. He is currently developing the stop-motion animated feature "Frankenweenie" with director Tim Burton, and directing and producing several documentary projects. Hahn has also authored three books on the art of animation, including the 2008 book, "The Alchemy of Animation," which provides the definitive account of how animated films are created in the modern age.

Hahn was born in Chicago and studied as a music and art major at Cal State Northridge.

Peter Schneider
Producer

Peter Schneider has enjoyed an extensive and multi-faceted movie and theatrical career. His directing credits include the current West End Production of "Sister Act, The Musical," "The Breakup Notebook," Marc Blitzstein's opera "Regina," Glen Roven's "Norman's Ark," a revival of "Grand Hotel, The Musical," a live action-animation short starring Julie Andrews celebrating the 40th anniversary of "Mary Poppins," as well as projects at the WPA Theatre, Playwrights Horizon and Circle Rep.

His Broadway producing credits include the multi-awarding winning "The Lion King," for which he won a Tony Award®, and "Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida." He is one of the producers of the New York hit, "Marvelous Wonderettes" and the currently running sequel in Los Angeles, "Life Could be a Dream."

During a 17-year tenure at the Walt Disney Company, where he held several titles including President of Animation and Chairman of the Studio, he was responsible for creating and distributing over 50 movies including "The Lion King," Golden Globe® Award-Winner "Beauty and the Beast," "The Little Mermaid," "Toy Story," "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (with Amblin' Entertainment) "Remember the Titans" and "The Princess Diaries."

"Waking Sleeping Beauty," a documentary he produced with Don Hahn about Disney Animation from 1984-1994 will be released in the spring of 2010.

Schneider was the Associate Director of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Arts Festival, is a world champion bridge player, having won the Transnational Open Teams in Estoril, Portugal and received an honorary doctorate from Purdue University. He is married and has two daughters.