The Park Theatre presenting silent ‘Snow White’

Barbara McMichael, a violist, and her sister Leslie McMichael, a harpist-composer, will play their original music to the 1936 silent film “Snow White” on Sunday, May 4 at The Park Theatre in Jaffrey. 

Barbara McMichael, a violist, and her sister Leslie McMichael, a harpist-composer, will play their original music to the 1936 silent film “Snow White” on Sunday, May 4 at The Park Theatre in Jaffrey.  COURTESY PHOTO

Published: 04-30-2025 1:35 PM

A screening of the 1916 silent film “Snow White” will take place Sunday, May 4, at 4 p.m. at The Park Theatre, 19 Main St. in Jaffrey, featuring live harp music by Seattle-based harpist-composer Leslie McMichael.

Believed lost for decades, the 63-minute film was rediscovered in the Netherlands in 1992 and restored by the George Eastman House. A young Walt Disney reportedly saw this version growing up in Kansas City, inspiring his 1937 animated classic.

McMichael’s original score, commissioned by Northwest Film Forum in 2016, includes live accompaniment on concert harp and features her sister, Barbara McMichael, on viola. The score uses recurring musical themes for each character and was developed using modern tools to align with the film’s action.

“It’s thrilling to play live and pair the visuals of film with my music,” Leslie McMichael said. “We get to underscore the expressive acting so typical of the silent era.”

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. Purchase in advance at theparktheatre.org or by calling the box office at 603-532-8888. Tickets will also be available at the door.

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