Theater caters to moms and babies

Anyone who has had a night at the theater ruined by a screaming baby will appreciate Crown Theatres' new Movies for Moms program.

The program provides a special movie-going experience that allows parents to enjoy the show without worrying that their fussy baby will disturb the rest of the audience. That's because the rest of the audience consists of other parents with babies, too.

"No one wants to hear a crying baby at an evening or adult show," said Zvi Cole, Crown Theatres spokesman. "Parents are pretty receptive to that, so they don't go to the movies. Or they have to get a baby-sitter, and that can be an expense."

Crown started the Wednesday morning Movies for Moms program for parents with babies up to 2 years old. Parents pay the regular matinee price and their babies are admitted free. The theater also turns down the sound so babies can sleep during the movie and keeps the lighting at soft auditorium levels.

"We've been getting tremendous feedback," Cole said. "Parents are telling us, `I haven't been to the movies in eight or nine months.' "

Cole says the program features the newest film released each week, not necessarily just children's movies.

"It's targeted towards the parent, not the child," he said. "We try to keep (the movies) rated PG or PG-13, nothing too violent or too loud."

Movies for Moms also benefits parents looking to make new friends for themselves and their children, Cole said.

"They have a need to be social and active, to get out of the house. It gives parents an opportunity to get back into society and not feel excluded. They can develop a circle of friends and be out in time to pick up older children at school."

Movies for Moms show at 11 a.m. each Wednesday at Crown Neonopolis 14 inside Neonopolis at 450 E. Fremont St. New movies are posted each week on the Crown Theatres Web site: www.crowntheatres.com.


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