Moments before showtime, a group enters the room holding hands, in a single-file line. They settle in, notably calmer than the rest of the audience gathered so far, and spread dutifully across an entire row of seats. Much of the audience squirms and points ahead at the screen, out toward the wings, and up at the ceiling with eyes on the balcony, as if each and every inch of the room is on display and a subject of brief fascination. They fidget in their seats and turn to face in every direction other than straight ahead. Some spill out into the aisle, flailing. One lets out a prolonged melodic howl that reverberates throughout the palace theater. It’s 10 a.m. on a Wednesday in August and a sizable crowd of 2-to-4-year-olds wait (not-so-patiently) in their seats for Story Time at the Byrd Theatre to begin.
It’s an easy sell on a familiar concept. Children’s stories are read while their accompanying artwork is projected on the big screen. Take into account that the event is free admission and open-to-all and it’s a rarified giveaway. Given the time of day, there’s a particular appeal for folks with children who aren’t old enough for daycare.
Operations Manager Shane Brown mans a music stand and microphone in a powdered-pink suit, sporting a T-shirt and train conductor’s cap, indicating that, sure, there will be stops along the way, but he’ll get everyone to where they’re going on time. The auditorium is comparatively quiet and still as he welcomes everyone and introduces the first story, a classic: “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss.
“I’ve found that with trying to keep the attention of a crowd of easily distracted kids, the best route is to mix the old with the new,” Brown says afterward. “Just like with a plate of food with a little kid, give them a few things they know and love and throw in a couple of new things for them to try. And also picking books that lend themselves to funny voices or accents always helps.” Demonstrating his own advice, Brown lets loose, tailoring his performance to every character on the page.
A low din lazily ebbs and flows with waves of enthusiasm and shifting attention. One late attendee outfitted in a Superman cape arrives leading a taller figure to a seat up front. The vibe is informal, but focused; controlled chaos reigned by words and the impressive visual environment of this opulent, 90-year-old architectural landmark. By design, this crowd skews younger to serve a community blindspot.
“We wanted to find a way to reach new and additional audiences,” says Executive Director Ben Cronly. “One of those audiences was families with young children. We already have a family series which are children’s movies shown on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. but we realized that very few families with younger children were attending these screenings.” Sure enough, this set isn’t old enough for school yet, and more than likely have never been out to a movie theater (let alone historic palace theatre such as the Byrd).
A full-length movie, even when geared towards children, can be a deal breaker for families with members who have yet to sit through their first feature, due to any combination of running time and the dramatic environs of a dark and loud room with big flashing lights on the screen. Story Time offers a shorter format, roughly 40 minutes, and it’s also sensory sensitive, meaning the lights stay on and overall volume is managed. These considerations provide a primer for children to acclimate to the new environment before going to the movies, while the stories and grand presentation remain engaging to children of all ages.
Brown wastes no time segueing into the next story, a more recent title, “Little Blue Truck Makes A Friend” by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry. A consummate storytelling professional, he appears unphased when a member of the audience makes a break for it, running up and down the aisle before pacing the length of the stage on their knees, noiselessly. Next up is the modern mainstay, “Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes” by James Dean and Eric Litwin; followed by “Underwear” by Mary Elise Monsell, and finally, to bookend this installment of Story Time, “Green Eggs and Ham,” again by the good Dr. Seuss. New guests arrive casually throughout the proceedings just as others funnel out during brief windows in between readings.
Spirits remained high throughout with the audience swinging from rapt to rowdy at the discovery that detritus from the concession can be percussive and even projectile. “I did some competitive acting in high school – tourneys for improv and monologues and such – and some acting in short films over the years,” says Brown of wrangling his potentially tough crowd. “But mostly I draw from what my son loves and engages with and laughs at when we read books together at home. That’s my primary inspiration for the inception, planning, and performance of each story time.”
The crowd streams through the auditorium and foyer, out onto Cary St. enriched by four stories, both new and old favorites, in a historic Richmond setting among their peers—all before lunch. Continuing the parade of first new experiences, I attempt to interview some children and quickly learn that “yes or no” lines of questioning won’t cut it with these cagey critics. “Yes,” they tell me, they enjoyed Story Time; “No,” most have never been out to see a movie before, at the Byrd or otherwise; “Yes,” they’re excited to come back; “Green Eggs and Ham” is resoundingly everyone’s favorite story, still. “This is awesome. And it was great for younger kids and older kids, which I appreciate,” says Emry’s mother Nora. “That can be hard to find at the library. My littler one said ‘this is a palace’ and she had not been here before. So what a cool way to open it to the public.”
Despite a slight drop in attendance, possibly owed to end-of-summer travel plans, the third installment of Story Time seems to be an overwhelming success from where I’m standing. “For the first two Story Times, we were expecting to have in attendance between 50 and 100 people,” Cronly says. “In June we had over 150 attendees and in July we had almost 200 attendees. We are excited about the prospects of continuing to host Story Time at the Byrd, but we will continue to evaluate to ensure our programming is meeting the needs of the community.”
Not only does it seem like community needs are being met, but they’re ready for more.
“There has been so much gratifying feedback. I get high-fives and fist-bumps and thank you’s and hugs from so many little kids and parents after each program,” Brown says. “Personally, I think hearing a belly laugh from a little kid from something that you did or said is one of the best experiences that a person can have. I cherish it every time. And hearing the adult parents laugh with them is even better.”
Story Time returns to the Byrd Theatre on Sept. 11 and Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. and remains free of charge.
