Ron Newman ([personal profile] ron_newman) wrote in [community profile] davis_square2008-08-22 07:40 am

Somerville Theatre bans (young) kids from entering after 6 pm. Let's discuss it here

This week's Somerville News has an article about the Somerville Theatre's policy of banning children under 12 8* from entering the theatre after 6 pm, even if they are accompanied by adults.

Is the theatre's policy a service to its customers who want a peaceful movie experience, or is it unfair discrimination against families with young children?

I'm posting this because we can have a more civilized discussion here than on the Somerville News blog comments. Ian Judge, the theatre's manager, reads this community, so we may be able to provide useful feedback to him here.

* Edited 11:55 am to add: I have a serious factual issue with this article. It says the policy applies to children under 12, but the theatre's website and exterior signs say it's for children under 8. That's a significant difference -- maybe significant enough to change people's opinions.

Second edit, 3 pm: Ian Judge has clarified that the theatre's policy is to exclude children under 8, not 12, from entering after 6 pm. He had made an erroneous statement to the News reporter which very unfortunately made it into the published article. Also, here is Ian's response to the specific incident detailed in the News article.

[identity profile] thebiggestroom.livejournal.com 2008-08-22 02:27 pm (UTC)(link)
How are you going to draw the a line between a kid who is 12 or a kid who is 14 or 15 and doesn't have an ID to prove his age?

"I personally don't want to see small kids in the movies at night, so that is how I run my theater"

11 years old isn't a small kid. I was going to movies without my parents when I was 11.

Aren't we supposed to be exposing kids to independent films and not telling them to just go to the common and see some summer blockbuster? Your post comes off as very elitist and ageist.

[identity profile] thespian.livejournal.com 2008-08-22 03:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Dude, you know what's playing at the Somerville Theatre right now? the Dark Knight, Pineapple Express, Step Brothers and The Wackness. We're hardly talking about withdrawing the experience of going to see High Independent Art from cultured little 11-year-olds. The Somerville has, for as long as I've been around, geared itself to adults, with adult movie selections, and they're following this up with adult-only policies, in a theatre with an art gallery and a liquor license to serve beer.

[identity profile] thebiggestroom.livejournal.com 2008-08-22 03:17 pm (UTC)(link)
It is their choice to turn themselves into an adult only venue. Doesn't mean that I have to think it is a good idea, or that kids shouldn't be allowed to see good movies after 6pm.

Also, they don't always only show R rated films.