Crying babies receive thumbs-up at theaters

Gwyneth Butler lets out a high-pitched wail that lets her mother know her diaper needs changing, just as the trailers roll at the 11 a.m. showing of “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.”

“Well, we’re the first ones to make noise,” a slightly sheepish Amy Butler says as she lays 9-month-old Gwyneth on the Rio cinema floor and goes to work on the diaper.

Not that anyone else in the Gaithersburg theater minds, or probably even notices.

Mrs. Butler, 36, was among three dozen mothers and two fathers who recently brought their babies to a screening specifically for stir-crazy parents, many of whom gave up on going to the movies when the baby came along.

Loews Cineplex Entertainment is expanding its test run of “Reel Moms,” started in New York in the fall, to several other locations this summer, including the Washington area. Loews and partner UrbanBaby.com, a Web site geared toward mothers in cities, plan eventually to run the program in at least 15 cities nationwide.

“The feedback we got was that mothers were feeling a sense of isolation,” said John McCauley, Loews’ senior vice president of marketing. “The program was fulfilling an emotional need, and also a fun need. It’s like, ‘Hey, let’s get to the movies.’”

The Tuesday morning program is designed to let new parents go to a place traditionally off-limits to babies. In a hushed theater, even whispers can irritate someone in the next aisle. With babies all around, the theory goes, parents won’t have to feel self-conscious if their child belts out a cry in the middle of an important scene.

“She can scream her lungs out,” said Charles Sheeler, 42, holding Jennie. “When one kid screams in a movie theater, everybody hears it. When every kid screams, nobody hears it.”

Though crying babies and fussy infants are annoyances to most moviegoers, Reel Moms was not developed with the problem in mind, said Mr. McCauley, who came up with the idea after his daughter was born.

Loews hopes to tap into the market of new parents, formerly loyal moviegoers who are tired of being stuck at home with a new baby. For most, it’s their first movie since they gave birth, and their baby’s first time to the theater.

Lori Anderson, 29, of Baltimore used to go to the movies almost once a week but has been able to see just one movie with her husband since 6-month-old Ethan was born. The family hasn’t had luck finding good baby sitters, so she hasn’t seen a film in the theater since.

“I came for the movie and to get out of the house,” Mrs. Anderson, an acknowledged Johnny Depp fan, said while spooning mushy cereal into Ethan’s mouth.

Reel Moms is aimed at entertaining the parents, not the children, who are admitted free if they are younger than 1. Parents can expect to see current releases without having to wait for them to come out on digital video disc or videotape.

Loews has offered new parents “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” at its Manhattan location. “How to Deal,” “Seabiscuit” and “Gigli” are scheduled for the program in the coming weeks at its Gaithersburg location.

Story Continues →