Carmike Royal Palm 20 to offer 'sensory sensitive' screenings of 'Angry Birds,' 'Alice'

MANATEE -- Bradenton's Paul Schultz needs to spin.

During the day, the 25-year-old will spin around for up to an hour in one place, never getting dizzy, said his mother, Mary Schultz.

Schultz's spinning is a compulsion, Mary Schultz said.

People with autism, like her son, have a brain development disorder that often impacts social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors, Mary Schultz said.

Due to Paul's spinning, rocking, howling and other compulsive rituals, he doesn't often get the chance to do things in public that most young men do, like go to the movies.

But on a Saturday last month, Schultz got to go to the Carmike Royal Palm 20 on the corner of U.S. 301 and State Road 70 in Bradenton with his mother, his stepdad, Robert Holcomb, and his twin sister, Jessica, to see the movie "The Jungle Book."

That 10:45 a.m. screening was historic -- the first "sensory sensitive" showing of a movie by Carmike Cinemas in Bradenton, said Wayne Douchkoff, the theater's operation manager.

A sensory sensitive screening means the lights are half up, the volume is half down, there are no restrictions about staying in seats and parents can even bring their own food for the kids, Douchkoff added.

"I know they have done sensory sensitive screenings at AMC theaters in Sarasota, but it may have been the first time in Bradenton," Douchkoff said. "It definitely was the first time at our Carmike Royal Palm 20."

When the word got out through Face Autism and other groups, 61 people, including Paul Schultz and his family and other autistic children and their families, bought regularly-priced matinee tickets for the show, Douchkoff said.

"It was wonderful," Mary Schultz said of the "Jungle Book" screening. "Paul got up and spun around a couple of times and rocked in his seat. His stepdad, Robert, said, 'Paul sit down,' but I told Robert, 'No one here cares.' "

Based on the success of "The Jungle Book," Douchkoff has now scheduled sensory sensitive showings of "The Angry Birds Movie" at 10:45 a.m. May 21 and "Alice Through the Looking Glass" is 10:45 a.m. May 28.

These movies, which are open to the public but not listed on the theater's website, will show in 2D and regular matinee pricing applies, Douchkoff added.

Cori Petrilla was one of the 61 people at "Jungle Book" along with her son, Finnely, 6, who is on the autism spectrum.

"It was awesome," Cori Petrilla said of the sensory sensitive experience. "It was nice to come to a theater and have the kids be comfortable."

Several times during the movie when the wolves on screen howled, the kids in the theater howled. Kids walked around throughout the film and no one scolded them.

Jordan Soriano, 16, who is on the spectrum, came with his brother, Julien, 17, and his godmother, Colleen Buccieri. It was Buccieri who had called Douchkoff requesting the screening. She is the president of Face Autism, a Sarasota-based non-profit that offers many programs for autistic children, like dance lessons and horseback riding.

Buccieri said sensory sensitive screenings offer a relaxing time for the families because they can go and their child will not be judged.

"If they want to stand up, it's fine," Buccieri said. "If they want to make noise, it's fine. No one will look at them because all of us here are sensitive to children with autism."

Julien Soriano said he was happy for his brother.

"There are a lot of kids like Jordan who can't go to the movies because sometimes they cause distractions," Julien Soriano said. "But it's a great time for kids to socialize, so I'm glad he gets to have this experience."

Douchkoff was applauded by the families when he stood in the half-lit theater moments before "Jungle Book."

Douchkoff later said the reason he took the lead on it was partly because his own daughter was born with a genetic condition called Turner's Syndrome, which occurs in one out of every 3,000 female births and results in shorter stature and other complications.

"At first, I really didn't know what it was," Douchkoff said of the sensory sensitive screenings. "I researched it and thought it was a great idea."

Carmike Royal Palm 20 will offer the sensory sensitive screenings in June as well and beyond if the demand continues, Douchkoff said.

"I didn't get to talk to a lot of the parents at 'Jungle Book' but the ones I did talk to were thrilled," Douchkoff said. "This was an experiment as part of an outreach to an underserved community."

Douchkoff has now decided to screen a sensory sensitive movie at 10 a.m. every Wednesday during a 10-week summer kids series beginning June 9. All of those Wednesday morning summer movies will cost $4 including the movie, drink and popcorn, Douchkoff said.

The same $4 deal will be offered on regular volume movies at 10 a.m. every Thursday for 10 weeks starting June 9, Douchkoff added.

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter@RichardDymond.

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Carmike Royal Palm 20 to offer 'sensory sensitive' screenings of 'Angry Birds,' 'Alice' ."