Post by title1parent on Oct 25, 2009 8:43:04 GMT -5
KUDOS to Cantera !!
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1842361,Autism-AMC-theaters-partners-NA102509.article
Autism's comfort zone
Movie theater, other area businesses create accepting settings for children
October 25, 2009
By KAT CICHON kcichon@scn1.com
It was raining bacon and eggs, and Julianna Perrault couldn't have been more delighted.
"Ha!" she exclaims loudly. She then looks at her mother, Victoria, and offers a bright smile.
Later, when another scene on the screen tickles her funny bone, she loudly laughs and begins vigorously rocking back and forth in her chair.
Throughout the early morning screening of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" on a recent Saturday morning at AMC Cantera 30 in Warrenville, 13-year-old Julianna is free to do as she wishes. When she asks her mom questions about the color of someone's eyes, it's OK she's not whispering.
Yes, it's OK she's talking during the movie.
Elsewhere in the auditorium — where the lights are turned up and the volume dialed down to a comfortable level — a young boy runs up and down the stairs of the stadium seating. Later, he makes his way through the rows of chairs.
AMC Theaters, in partnership with the Autism Society of America, host monthly Sensory Friendly Films. These movie screenings provide families affected by autism and other disabilities a chance to see a movie in a safe and accepting environment.
Unlike traditional screenings of films, the lights in the theater are on and the sound is not as loud. Families can bring in their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown before the movie.
"Which is great because typically you're sitting through 10 minutes of previews," Victoria Perrault said.
That can make a difference if a child becomes restless, as is often the case with autistic kids.
But perhaps the most important aspect of the Sensory Friendly Screening is the suspension of AMC's "Silence is Golden" policy. That means audience members can talk, shout, walk around, dance, sing or do whatever they feel like — as long as audience safety isn't in jeopardy.
"Which makes it a relaxing experience for the parents," Perrault said. "You couldn't have the children doing that in a regular showing."
The AMC Cantera 30, 28250 Diehl Road, in Warrenville, is one of three AMC theaters in Illinois offering the screenings. All of the locations are in the Chicago area, with the others take place in Barrington and Northbrook. All Sensory Friendly Films are held at 10 a.m. one Saturday a month. Tickets are $4 to $6, depending on location.
The Sensory Friendly Films give Julianna and her mother another chance to get out into the community. And who doesn't want to go to a movie every now and then?
While Victoria and Julianna Perrault have never left one of these sensory-friendly screenings before, they have had to leave regular movie showings. In fact, "I can't actually even remember sitting through an entire movie in a typical setting with her ever," Perrault said. "I might take her to a movie and 15 minutes into it she might decide it's time to leave."
Julianna has autism; mild ataxic cerebral palsy, which affects her fine and some gross motor skills; and moderate cognitive impairment. She is verbal, makes eye contact and interacts with other people.
"She's a happy girl," her mother said. But Julianna, an eighth-grader at Washington Junior High School, can be loud. And she has been known to swipe at other people. That makes some social situations, particularly in crowds, challenging.
That's why these special outings that are geared toward special needs children so appealing, Perrault says.
There are other activities in the community. North Central College hosts an annual concert for families of children with autism or other special needs that Julianna and Victoria have attended. They also visited The Red Kite Project of the Chicago Children's Theatre, which offered an interactive, multi-sensory performance for children with autism.
And recently, Geneva-based Rising Star Theatreworks began opening its final dress rehearsal to families with special needs.
Julianna participates in Western DuPage Special Recreation Association activities. She also attends an adaptive physical education program.
The pair relocated to Naperville nearly five years ago from Northern California because of Perrault's job as a human resources executive. While she is no longer in that position, they stayed in the area because of the resources available to Julianna.
Perrault now runs Inspiring Clarity, which offers coaching and advocacy training to families with special needs. Drawing upon her experience in the HR world, and before that as a lawyer, she helps families become more of an advocate for their children.
"They're overwhelmed just trying to survive day to day, and they don't really know how to advocate for their child," she said.
Perrault was appointed to the city's Advisory Commission on Disabilities and also Naperville Works. With four other grown children, she is working to prepare Julianna for adulthood. In all likelihood, that includes the child making the transition into a group home around age 21 or 22.
"It's always good to know what the options are and what the process is," Perrault said. "That's kind of my mission for the next eight years."
The Sensory Friendly Films get Julianna acclimated to other situations and provide a good training ground, Perrault said.
"For me the most important thing in taking her to the movies is we have a successful experience," she added. "And these days, for the most part, we do."
_____
FROM THE STORYTELLER
The fact that the idea for Sensory Friendly Films was born of necessity infuriated me.
While talking with representatives from the Autism Society and AMC Theaters, I discovered the reason they began offering the special movie screenings was because a local theater in Maryland was approached by a mother of a 9-year-old daughter with autism who had been kicked out of a different theater's matinee of "Hairspray."
"The daughter was up and moving around and really enjoying the movie in her own way," said Carin Yavorick, spokesperson for Maryland-based Autism Society. "She was asked to leave the theater."
Despite her attempts to explain the situation to that theater's manager, they were asked to leave. A short time later, the mother asked the general manager at AMC Columbia Mall 14 in Columbia, MD, if it were possible to host films for families with special needs. She explained they would need the lights turned up, the sound turned down and audience members needed the ability to get up and move around and talk if needed.
"We scheduled one for 'Bee Movie,'" said Cindy Huffstickler, community relations manager for AMC Entertainment. "Over 300 people attended."
According to Yavorick, the society and AMC celebrated their one-year anniversary of the film screenings in August. Sensory Friendly Films are now playing in nearly 30 states, and the program is continually expanding. The Sensory Friendly Screenings rolled out in the Chicago area with "Bolt" last December in South Barrington and Northbrook. And in January, the Cantera 30 location in Warrenville began offering Sensory Friendly Films.
"The expansion has been pretty grass roots," Yavorick said.
Which offers a reminder lesson to us all: Never underestimate the power of a determined mom.
- Kat Cichon, staff writer
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1842361,Autism-AMC-theaters-partners-NA102509.article
Autism's comfort zone
Movie theater, other area businesses create accepting settings for children
October 25, 2009
By KAT CICHON kcichon@scn1.com
It was raining bacon and eggs, and Julianna Perrault couldn't have been more delighted.
"Ha!" she exclaims loudly. She then looks at her mother, Victoria, and offers a bright smile.
Later, when another scene on the screen tickles her funny bone, she loudly laughs and begins vigorously rocking back and forth in her chair.
Throughout the early morning screening of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" on a recent Saturday morning at AMC Cantera 30 in Warrenville, 13-year-old Julianna is free to do as she wishes. When she asks her mom questions about the color of someone's eyes, it's OK she's not whispering.
Yes, it's OK she's talking during the movie.
Elsewhere in the auditorium — where the lights are turned up and the volume dialed down to a comfortable level — a young boy runs up and down the stairs of the stadium seating. Later, he makes his way through the rows of chairs.
AMC Theaters, in partnership with the Autism Society of America, host monthly Sensory Friendly Films. These movie screenings provide families affected by autism and other disabilities a chance to see a movie in a safe and accepting environment.
Unlike traditional screenings of films, the lights in the theater are on and the sound is not as loud. Families can bring in their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown before the movie.
"Which is great because typically you're sitting through 10 minutes of previews," Victoria Perrault said.
That can make a difference if a child becomes restless, as is often the case with autistic kids.
But perhaps the most important aspect of the Sensory Friendly Screening is the suspension of AMC's "Silence is Golden" policy. That means audience members can talk, shout, walk around, dance, sing or do whatever they feel like — as long as audience safety isn't in jeopardy.
"Which makes it a relaxing experience for the parents," Perrault said. "You couldn't have the children doing that in a regular showing."
The AMC Cantera 30, 28250 Diehl Road, in Warrenville, is one of three AMC theaters in Illinois offering the screenings. All of the locations are in the Chicago area, with the others take place in Barrington and Northbrook. All Sensory Friendly Films are held at 10 a.m. one Saturday a month. Tickets are $4 to $6, depending on location.
The Sensory Friendly Films give Julianna and her mother another chance to get out into the community. And who doesn't want to go to a movie every now and then?
While Victoria and Julianna Perrault have never left one of these sensory-friendly screenings before, they have had to leave regular movie showings. In fact, "I can't actually even remember sitting through an entire movie in a typical setting with her ever," Perrault said. "I might take her to a movie and 15 minutes into it she might decide it's time to leave."
Julianna has autism; mild ataxic cerebral palsy, which affects her fine and some gross motor skills; and moderate cognitive impairment. She is verbal, makes eye contact and interacts with other people.
"She's a happy girl," her mother said. But Julianna, an eighth-grader at Washington Junior High School, can be loud. And she has been known to swipe at other people. That makes some social situations, particularly in crowds, challenging.
That's why these special outings that are geared toward special needs children so appealing, Perrault says.
There are other activities in the community. North Central College hosts an annual concert for families of children with autism or other special needs that Julianna and Victoria have attended. They also visited The Red Kite Project of the Chicago Children's Theatre, which offered an interactive, multi-sensory performance for children with autism.
And recently, Geneva-based Rising Star Theatreworks began opening its final dress rehearsal to families with special needs.
Julianna participates in Western DuPage Special Recreation Association activities. She also attends an adaptive physical education program.
The pair relocated to Naperville nearly five years ago from Northern California because of Perrault's job as a human resources executive. While she is no longer in that position, they stayed in the area because of the resources available to Julianna.
Perrault now runs Inspiring Clarity, which offers coaching and advocacy training to families with special needs. Drawing upon her experience in the HR world, and before that as a lawyer, she helps families become more of an advocate for their children.
"They're overwhelmed just trying to survive day to day, and they don't really know how to advocate for their child," she said.
Perrault was appointed to the city's Advisory Commission on Disabilities and also Naperville Works. With four other grown children, she is working to prepare Julianna for adulthood. In all likelihood, that includes the child making the transition into a group home around age 21 or 22.
"It's always good to know what the options are and what the process is," Perrault said. "That's kind of my mission for the next eight years."
The Sensory Friendly Films get Julianna acclimated to other situations and provide a good training ground, Perrault said.
"For me the most important thing in taking her to the movies is we have a successful experience," she added. "And these days, for the most part, we do."
_____
FROM THE STORYTELLER
The fact that the idea for Sensory Friendly Films was born of necessity infuriated me.
While talking with representatives from the Autism Society and AMC Theaters, I discovered the reason they began offering the special movie screenings was because a local theater in Maryland was approached by a mother of a 9-year-old daughter with autism who had been kicked out of a different theater's matinee of "Hairspray."
"The daughter was up and moving around and really enjoying the movie in her own way," said Carin Yavorick, spokesperson for Maryland-based Autism Society. "She was asked to leave the theater."
Despite her attempts to explain the situation to that theater's manager, they were asked to leave. A short time later, the mother asked the general manager at AMC Columbia Mall 14 in Columbia, MD, if it were possible to host films for families with special needs. She explained they would need the lights turned up, the sound turned down and audience members needed the ability to get up and move around and talk if needed.
"We scheduled one for 'Bee Movie,'" said Cindy Huffstickler, community relations manager for AMC Entertainment. "Over 300 people attended."
According to Yavorick, the society and AMC celebrated their one-year anniversary of the film screenings in August. Sensory Friendly Films are now playing in nearly 30 states, and the program is continually expanding. The Sensory Friendly Screenings rolled out in the Chicago area with "Bolt" last December in South Barrington and Northbrook. And in January, the Cantera 30 location in Warrenville began offering Sensory Friendly Films.
"The expansion has been pretty grass roots," Yavorick said.
Which offers a reminder lesson to us all: Never underestimate the power of a determined mom.
- Kat Cichon, staff writer