A new accessibility feature will become a regular part of Wednesdays at Renfrew’s O’Brien Theatre.
Manager Kathy Marshall tells myFM they gave open captioning a shot earlier this month after picking up on the concept at a recent industry event for theatre operators.
She did have concerns over whether people would take to it ahead of the first test runs, but reaction to the move has been so positive in the theatre and on social media that open captioning will be added to every showing on Wednesdays going forward, whenever possible.
It’s part of a push to make the movie-going experience more enjoyable for everyone, which has also included being also open to potentially moving movies between upstairs and downstairs if people with mobility issues call ahead.
Marshall does find it funny that what’s happening right now is nothing new.
The O’Brien Theatre was being built just as the era of the silent movie was being replaced by the talking picture in the late 1920’s, a time that saw deaf actors and activists galvanized by the recent addition of visual captioning to movies.
(written by Kasey Egan)