it's iago and owen. it's our first conversation since he's 2 years old. it's like mozart.e bedspread. i'm like, "we're speaking in disney dialogue." i hug owen. i run down. i hug cornelia. >> reporter: that bedside discovery launches an experiment, what ron calls the basement sessions. every night, the family gathers to watch and reenact disney scenes like in "the jungle book." ♪ wherever a i wander, wherever i roam ♪ >> cornelia and i basically get phds in disney. >> we were jumping into his language and his world, going in to where he was rather than trying to bring him out to where we were. they soon discover owen has memorized dozens of disney movies. and not only knows the lines, he's using the films to teach himself about life. >> he started to use the movies as a kind of mirror to understand his life. "hercules" for not giving up. >> you've got to swear to be safe from any harm. >> "jungle book" for making friends. "pinocchio" for what it feels like to be a real boy. >> you are a real boy! >> reporter: owen is at a school for children with learning disabilities. his

it's iago, the evil sidekick to the villain, jafar, in "aladdin." >> jaf get a grip!cross the rug as quietly as i can. i don't want him to look at me. and i throw the bedspread over my head, i grab the puppet. i push the puppet up through the bedspread. and i say to him in gilbert gottfried's voice, "owen, owen, how does it feel to be you?" and owen turns to the puppet like he's bumping into an old friend. and he goes, "not good. i'm lonely and i have no friends." and then we talk. it's iago and owen. it's our first conversation since he's 2 years old. it's like mozart. i throw over the bedspread. i'm like, "we're speaking in disney dialogue." i hug owen. i run down. i hug cornelia. >> reporter: that bedside discovery launches an experiment, what ron calls the basement sessions. every night, the family gathers to watch and reenact disney scenes like in "the jungle book." ♪ wherever a i wander, wherever i roam ♪ >> cornelia and i basically get phds in disney. >> we were jumping into his language and his world, going in to where he was rather than trying to bring him ou

there is a big 19th and early 20th century tradition of two actors doing a fellow and eon iago.: so laura linney thought of this, and ask you. and you thought right away, because of the challenge? cynthia: i left the plate. i loved the idea of playing regina. but laura herself felt verity is a tremendous treasure of a role, albeit a smaller role. i learned -- worked with laura on television, but never on stage. a chance to work with her on this play and with dan sullivan, the director, and with this the article experiment, which i don't think women get to do very often. charlie: part of the challenge -- you and college, you did to place at the same time. cynthia: i did. but this, even people who are not intending to see it twice, they see it one way, and they think, i have to see it again. the rules are so different. once you see us in the first way, it's impossible to imagine us in the second way. because the play is so medium -- -- givinglf, some bit the audience the chance to hear it twice, they absorb the nuance. charlie: did you think you would play dirty first -- play bird

there was a big 19th and early 20th century tradition of two actors doing othello and iago.t so much anymore. charlie: so laura linney thought -- came up with the idea and you say, what do you think of this? and you did it right away because of the challenge? ,cynthia: i loved of the play. i always loved the idea of playing regina. but laura herself felt birdie is a tremendous treasure of a role, albeit a smaller role. i worked with laura on television, but never on stage. a chance to work with her on this play and with dan sullivan, in this tremendous experiment -- the director. this is a tremendous experiment women don't get to do very often. part of the challenge -- there was a thing about you in college, you did two plays at the same time. cynthia: i did. but this, even people who are not intending to see it twice, they see it one way, and they think, i have to come back. the rules are so different. once you see us in the first way, it's impossible to imagine us in the second way. because the play is meaty itself, so many people do not know the play before they come, giv